Kevin O’Connell makes the Vikings win with Sam Darnold at quarterback. And Dan Campbell guided the Lions to success despite huge defensive injuries. But here are three reasons why Dan Quinn of the Washington Commanders needs to be the NFL’s leading coach of the year.
If ballots were to be sent out on Dec. 5, Campbell would likely win that honor. His team entered Thursday’s showdown against the Green Bay Packers with an 11-1 record. It is difficult to object to such a brand. But O’Connell would be right on his heels as the Vikings found a way to go 10-2 despite Darnold’s sometimes ineffective play.
However, on both teams there is a wealth of talent. The Vikings have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, Aaron Jones and a solid defense. The Lions have arguably the best offense in the NFL. Meanwhile, in Washington, Quinn found a way to take the Commanders to an 8-5 record despite an overall lack of talent.
Commanders HC Dan Quinn has a surprising and powerful offense
Yes, Quinn has Rookie of the Year candidate Jayden Daniels at quarterback. Daniels completed 70% of his passes for 2,819 yards. He threw a modest 15 touchdown passes with six interceptions. Without a doubt, Daniels is the reason the Commanders have been in the playoffs all season.
Things got tough during a three-game losing streak, but Daniels got back on track in a 42-19 win over the Titans in Week 13. Daniels played very well, but had some help, according to comments from wide receiver Terry McLaurin to espn.com.
“The way we moved the ball at the line of scrimmage, the way we played on the perimeter, the way Jayden extended plays with his legs,” receiver Terry McLaurin said, “it’s the standard we must meet.”
Daniels ran the ball more effectively, opening the door for a better passing game from Commanders.
“I just think it unbalances the defense,” Daniels said. “It keeps the defensive coordinator guessing and being able to just use my legs to maybe help free up a hat or two in our running game.
Clearly, Quinn liked what he saw.
“(Daniels was) able to fully express himself against Tennessee,” Quinn said. “And the runs, keeping (the ball), creating movement. When the second play begins and its magic begins to work, that one isn’t in the book.
However, Daniels’ performance was accompanied by a less than elite cast around him. A rebuilt offensive line has been solid, but the running backs have been injured on and off all season, and the receiving group outside of McLaurin is one of the worst in the NFL.
At the very least, Quinn belongs in the Coach of the Year conversation for taking his team to 4th in the NFL in points scored (28.9 per game) despite not posing much of a threat for opposing defenses at the receiver position.
Commanders defense has been good enough to help win games
Considering the talent level of the Commanders defense, this should be a group that gives up close to 28 points per game. The Commanders seemed to be in the mix with teams like the Bengals, Jaguars, Raiders, Panthers and Titans.
Instead, the Commanders rank 16th with a 22.8-point game. And while it’s not an elite performance, the offense is good enough to throw for more than three touchdowns per game and have a real chance to win the most every time.
One of the things Quinn has demonstrated is to hold his head high within the team, even after defeat. This showed up a lot early against the Titans as the Commanders jumped out to a pretty quick 28-0 lead. After Steelers loss, Quinn said rebounding was important of the composition of the teamaccording to commanders.com.
“This identity is revealing itself,” Quinn said. “I thought they played with a lot of stamina. This brotherhood was evident in the way they supported each other. And so, like we said, this team is tough. I would play them against anyone, anywhere, anytime. And that’s the mindset we have as a group. And I know they will be ready to fight. It’s a little bit about who we are and how we depress ourselves. So for this part, I know we will be ready.
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Commanders have been competitive all season long
Probably the best thing that can be said about Quinn is keeping Commanders competitive. Despite taking over an infamous losing organization, the Commanders have been on the verge of winning for 12 straight weeks.
They didn’t show much fire in Week 1 against the Buccaneers, but then won four in a row before a close loss to the Ravens. They picked up three more wins before suffering close losses to the Steelers, Eagles and Cowboys. Then they whipped the Titans.
People, this doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The team has to believe in itself and Quinn has instilled that in the players.
And it happened in less than a year. No coach in the NFL had a bigger task ahead of him than Quinn. When he arrived, the list was zero. General manager Adam Peters helped rectify that situation as best he could, and then the Commanders recruited Daniels. Quinn wisely installed Daniels as QB1 before the season started, and that move has paid off handsomely thus far.
Quinn truly changed the culture of commanders. The team may not make the playoffs, but their current position would make them a disappointment. It had been a long time since the Commanders had had such an expectation.
So Joe Buck can have his love fest for Sean Payton, pretend Dan Quinn doesn’t exist. But Quinn firmly deserves his place atop the Coach of the Year honor roll.
