Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was asked during his press conference on Monday about former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner’s criticism that Jayden Daniels could be more aggressive in throwing into tighter windows.
Quinn partially agreed: “Yeah, I think in certain games it is accurate.” Warner praised aspects of Daniels’ performance in his YouTube breakdown while pointing to opportunities he left on the field.
Quinn called the choice between scrambling, moving outside the pocket, and throwing part of “the blessing and the curse” of Daniels’ game. When coverage gives him a chance to make a throw, he wants his quarterback to take it. “When you see a window, like, hey man, this is the time to go let it rip,” Quinn said.
He also believes Daniels has the accuracy to make those attempts. “One of the things I appreciate from Jay is like he puts the ball in the right location when it’s contested or when it’s not,” Quinn said. “And certainly on some of the deep-ball shots, I think that’s one of the, you know, like, sweet spots for him in terms of where he can throw.”
Grant Paulsen highlighted a missed opportunity to Antonio Williams against San Francisco. On a play where Daniels threw a short pass to John Bates, Paulsen identified Williams as open for a potential 21-yard touchdown.
That becomes more significant with Washington at 1-4-1 and Terry McLaurin out for the season. When asked Monday whether Stefon Diggs’ workload would change, Quinn said others would be taking on more work and specifically named Williams. "I would say the natural progression is probably Antonio some more. Not necessarily at the same spot, Barry, but a higher volume," Quinn said.
Williams ran 35 routes against San Francisco and had four targets, all on third down in the fourth quarter. He was already part of the offense. Washington has to get more from the time he’s out there.
I’d judge those plays by when the receiver becomes available and whether Daniels still has time to deliver the ball. Protection has to give him a chance to work through the play. When it does, Washington needs him to trust what he sees and throw without second-guessing.
It’s frustrating to see Washington's offense struggle to move the ball, then find opportunities on film that might have changed a possession. There’s plenty for David Blough to fix, but Daniels has work to do in getting more out of the passing game, too. Quinn included both when discussing what Washington needed to improve coming out of the bye.
Blough has his own adjustments to make against Philadelphia, and getting Williams into the early reads more often would be a start. Daniels has to follow through when those reads give him a chance to attack, whether the receiver has room around him or the throw requires the accuracy Quinn praised.
Against Philadelphia, I’d like to see Daniels recognize the window and deliver the ball without forcing it. Washington needs more of those opportunities to turn into points.
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