Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn emphasized that he never had a specific timeline for his team’s “recalibration” — his term for the rebuild he led this offseason. His main goal was for the team to play hard and compete.
Now, with a division-leading 4-1 record and a promising rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the Commanders are ahead of schedule and showing strong momentum after a month of solid performances.
Sunday’s 34-13 win over the Cleveland Browns was the team’s fourth consecutive victory, driven by a strong defensive effort. The win brought the Commanders to match last season’s total wins and gave them their best start since 2008.
Opposing defenses have struggled to contain Daniels, a dual-threat quarterback who has been key to Washington’s high-powered offense. Teams have tried different approaches — blitzes, spies, man-to-man, and zone coverage — but none have been effective.
“If you use a spy, you can’t blitz as much because that player is dedicated elsewhere,” Quinn said Monday. “But if you blitz, you leave yourself open to deep passes.”
Daniels has punished defenses for whatever strategy they attempt, becoming the first NFL player to surpass 1,000 passing yards and 250 rushing yards in his first five games. Even with a less impressive performance on Sunday, he leads the NFL in completion percentage.
Quinn noted that Daniels is already improving, citing a first-quarter play against Cleveland where the rookie avoided pressure, rolled to his right, and threw a 66-yard pass to Terry McLaurin. “Earlier in the season, Jayden might have taken off running on that play,” Quinn said. “But staying a passer and delivering downfield shows his growth.”
A strong defensive showing helped balance Daniels’ inconsistent play. Quinn, who has emphasized the importance of complementary football, said the defense has found its stride, starting with last week’s 42-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
The Commanders’ recent success has propelled them to the top of their division and second place in the NFC, trailing only the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. For the first time in years, Commanders fans have a team to rally behind, and their support was evident during Sunday’s game.
