PHILADELPHIA — The Washington Commanders found themselves in a tight situation during the fourth quarter of their game against the Philadelphia Eagles, down by just two points and in need of either a field goal or a crucial first down to stay competitive for a chance at the NFC East lead.
With a score of 12-10 in favor of the Eagles, the Commanders faced a challenging second-and-third-and-1 but faltered. Relying on the momentum due to their recent success, coach Dan Quinn turned to his rookie quarterback for a decisive fourth-and-2 attempt from the Philadelphia 26-yard line. However, Jayden Daniels struggled with the snap, scrambled to the right, and was subsequently pushed out of bounds by Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. The Eagles regained possession following the failed attempt, denying the Commanders a crucial opportunity to secure their position.
Shortly after Washington’s missed chance, Saquon Barkley scored the first of his two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, giving the Eagles a comfortable two-score lead. The Eagles improved their record to 8-2, while the Commanders fell to 7-4, suffering their second consecutive defeat with a final score of 26-18.
Quinn described the fourth-down decision as “bold” and acknowledged the need for better execution, despite the team’s solid performance on fourth downs throughout the season. “We were prepared for that moment. Didn’t love the execution,” he remarked. “We knew we’d have to take our shots against a tough division team on the road. We didn’t like the execution or the result. But we were prepared for that.”
Earlier in the game, Washington had settled for a field goal by Zane Gonzalez, who was elevated from the practice squad due to Austin Seibert’s hip injury. Gonzalez connected from 45 yards out in the third quarter to put the Commanders ahead 10-3, but Quinn opted not to attempt a subsequent field goal from around 44 yards for a potential lead, instead choosing to go for it on fourth down.
Quinn emphasized the importance of learning to finish strong: “To be the heavy hitters that we want to be, you’ve got to be able to close. How do you learn the lesson to close? That’s what we’re going to become. You knew this adversity was coming. It just does.”
Daniels completed 22 of 32 passes for 191 yards, including a late touchdown toss but was intercepted by safety Reed Blankenship late in the game, contributing to the Eagles’ advantage. On the fourth-down decision, Daniels expressed his eagerness to take on the challenge, stating, “I’m always a part of, hey let’s go for it.”
The night was particularly frustrating for Daniels and his standout receiver, Terry McLaurin. After exceeding 100 receiving yards in the previous game against Pittsburgh, McLaurin managed only one catch for 10 yards against Philadelphia’s defense. “It happens,” McLaurin said. “I can only control what I can.”
Looking ahead, Quinn mentioned that he would grant the Commanders a few extra days off as they head into a crucial stretch of games. They will play four of their next five matchups at home, starting with a rivalry game against Dallas on November 24.
As they prepare, the Commanders are feeling the pressure of a late bye week, which comes in Week 14, especially as injuries have begun to accumulate following what was initially a healthy start to the season. “I feel like we’ll respond great,” Daniels stated. “We’ll rest up and get back to it.”