NFL Analysis
1/24/25
4 min read
How Jayden Daniels, Dan Quinn Have Inspired A Shocking Turnaround in Washington
Quarterback and head coach. Head coach and quarterback.
It would be hard to overstate just how valuable those two roles are to the success or failure of an NFL franchise, and the Washington Commanders appearance in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles is just the latest example of something most NFL observers should have realized a long time ago.
Think about the difference in rosters between the Commanders and Eagles, and it puts into focus just how incredible it is that Washington beat Philly in Week 16 and has a heck of a chance to do it again on Sunday.
How many Commanders would start for the Eagles?
Probably wide receiver Terry McLaurin, although some might still take either Eagles receiver A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith over “Scary Terry,” the Commanders' best weapon on offense.
On defense, Jonathan Allen would likely start at one defensive tackle spot opposite Pro Bowler Jalen Carter for the Eagles. At the same time, either Bobby Wagner or Frankie Luvu would get the nod next to Eagles All-Pro LB Zach Baun, especially with his season-long partner Nakobe Dean now on injured reserve after tearing his ACL against the Green Bay Packers.
You could argue for rookie corner Mike Sainristil or a fully healthy Marshon Lattimore, but the Eagles' cornerback trio of Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper Dejean, and Darius Slay has been stellar all season.
The place where you would almost certainly take the Commanders’ starter over his Eagles counterpart right now? Quarterback. While Jalen Hurts has played winning football — even though he is banged up recently — Jayden Daniels has been an absolute revelation for Washington.
All he has done is follow up on an Offensive Rookie of the Year regular season with two road playoff games in which his team punted a grand total of once.
That’s the thing, more than any other, that has taken this Washington team to another level; Daniels isn’t just good, he’s clutch. He’s done it to some extent all year, but this stretch of playing his best when it matters the most started, ironically enough, with his performance in the fourth quarter against the Eagles in Week 16.
He led the Commanders to 36 points against an Eagles defense that has been the best in the NFL since their Week 5 bye. That was also the Eagles’ only loss since their bye.
It was more of the same for Daniels against the Falcons late in their Week 17 victory and the Bucs in the wild-card round.
That preternatural poise has everyone in the Commanders organization believing that they will win those games when it comes down to winning time late in these contests. Daniels has elevated the performance of everyone around him because of the confidence he inspires in those high-leverage spots.
Speaking of belief and confidence, head coach Dan Quinn has helped bring that to this entire team, but especially the defense, with his positivity, passion, and energy.
Quinn’s coaching staff, notably offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, has done a terrific job putting the players in a position to succeed almost all season schematically. Still, when you watch the individuals out there, you can tell it is much more than just the X’s and O’s.
There’s a lot to be said for a coach who believes in you, and watching guys like Dante Fowler, Dorance Armstrong, Frankie Luvu, etc., play the best football of their careers reinforces that.
Combine the players' faith in Daniels with their head coach's belief in them, and you have a powerful positive thinking cocktail that enables individual players and, thus, an entire team to play over their skis the way the Commanders have this year.
Whether or not they win the game on Sunday against the supremely talented Eagles remains to be seen. The fact that it is plausible is a remarkable testament to the two men front and center in leading this previously discombobulated organization with the disenchanted fanbase to the doorsteps of the Super Bowl.
The message is crystal clear for all the other forlorn franchises searching for answers this offseason: find the right quarterback and head coach, and you have a shot at changing everything.
In some cases, almost immediately.
