Dan Quinn just repeated the injury update Commanders fans are tired of hearing

Dan Quinn isn't looking for excuses. He knows that the Washington Commanders have not met expectations over the first seven weeks of the campaign, but the head coach has been quick to point out that injuries haven't been the primary reason behind their demise.

That's debatable. The Commanders have suffered some crushing setbacks throughout the campaign. This was evident once again in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys, with superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels sustaining a hamstring injury and defensive end Dorance Armstroong Jr. being placed on season-ending injured reserve with a serious knee issue.

Every team deals with injuries throughout the season. Nobody is having to cope with more key personnel absences than the Commanders right now.

Quinn has to make the best out of a bad situation. There is no time to wallow in self-pity. The Commanders are 3-4 with a brutal stretch of games upcoming. This begins with a daunting trip to take on the Kansas City Chiefs on 

Commanders are hopeful that Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel can feature in Week 8

Daniels' status for the game is unclear. However, Quinn offered a much more promising prognosis for two influential figures before preparations gathered pace for the team's Week 8 showdown.

The coach revealed during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio that the plan is for Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. to get a whole week of practice before possibly featuring versus the Chiefs. Quinn sounded hopeful, but fans have heard it all before.

McLaurin was expected to practice last week. He did almost nothing and was ruled out for the fourth-straight contest. Samuel toughed out his heel problem, but the Commanders opted not to risk it against the Cowboys. Until fans see both on the practice field getting their workload ramped up, they will remain skeptical.

The Commanders are trying to latch onto anything positive. Their slump is deeply concerning. A season that promised a great deal is falling by the wayside, so getting McLaurin and Samuel back into the fold will be a significant boost, regardless of who is under center at Arrowhead Stadium.

Washington's passing attack was anemic during its embarrassing loss to the Cowboys. They didn't have enough to keep pace, especially considering the defensive frailties and Daniels' injury in the third quarter. McLaurin and Samuel won't solve every problem the Commanders are dealing with, but it'll get them closer.

Obviously, this is a wait-and-see scenario. Quinn has given fans fool's gold before with McLaurin's progress, and it's amounted to nothing. Seeing is believing, so all eyes will be on practice this week.

Miami Heat Preseason Grades Through 3 Games: Norman Powell Leads Charge

Miami Heat basketball is finally back. Though it is only preseason, there is nothing better than watching a Heat game. The preseason is a time for players to get warmed up for the season. It is not always predictive of how a season will go for a player. With this said, lets grade some players performances through the first 3 games.

Norman Powell - Grade: A

Norman Powell had a slow game in the first contest with just 5 points on 2/6 shooting, and he had 2 turnovers. Since this game Powell has been nothing but perfect. In the past two games he has scored 18 points in each game shooting 6/12 and 6/13 respectively. He has been exactly what the Heat hoped for when they traded for him on July 7th.

Kel'el Ware - Grade: B

Kel’el Ware has improved with every game so far, with the last game being a dominant game outperforming Victor Wembanyama with a stat line of 29 points and 12 rebounds on 12/19 shooting. Ware has all the talent necessary to be an All-Star level player, his issue is consistency. Even though he earns a good grade, the motor still needs to be worked on. It is early in the NBA year, so I am not going to be too harsh. Oh, and here is an excuse to watch the beautiful block on Wembanyama again, you’re welcome.

BEWARE 🖐️ pic.twitter.com/qAqprQghSz

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) October 9, 2025

Nikola Jovic - Grade: A

Nikola Jovic turned heads when playing international basketball for Serbia this year and that has not stopped in the preseason. He has shown impressive improvement in his game over the course of his career, and this year seems to be another step. Jovic’s best game was against the Bucks when he finished with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assist, and 2 steals.  The best part of his game this preseason is how it has been seamless. He fits in with any lineup, as he is unselfish not only with the ball but also his role on the court. Jovic will do whatever the team asks him and considering the injury issues for the Heat, his willingness to adapt will be an asset. Not to spoil any of my hot takes coming later but look out for Jovic when its time to vote for Most Improved Player.

Bam Adebayo - Grade: C-

There is no sugarcoating it, Bam has not lived up to expectations so far. Similar to what I said about Ware getting a pass due to it being preseason, Bam gets the same pass. That does not mean we ignore everything, we still need to talk about it. It is a common occurrence that Bam will start seasons slow offensively and this preseason is no different.  Bam has struggled from the field mightily, shooting 0/5, 1/3, and 4/10 respectively. The Heat simply can’t afford that from their best player. Yes, Bam typically makes up more than enough of his shooting woes with his defense. But when the Heat are missing Herro and need someone else to step up offensively, Bam has to be that guy. Don’t panic yet, its only 3 games into the preseason. There is plenty of time for Bam to return to being the 3x All-Star level player that he is.

The Miami Heat return to the court on 10/12 against the Orlando Magic.

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