Washington Commanders coaches diagnose the team's biggest problem so far
The Washington Commanders’ defense came up big in the team’s Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, holding their opponent to zero points through two and a half quarters after surrendering 10 early on.
On the flip side, the Commanders’ offense is in the top half of the league in scoring, yet has just one opening drive score this season.
So, to say that Washington has been inconsistent is an understatement. Asked to assess his team six weeks into the season, head coach Dan Quinn agreed, in his own way.
Oct 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs against the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
“It's almost like an incomplete grade in a way,” he says. “And I think that's where we've been, like the inconsistent part of identity. Sometimes, man, that's it. I'm pointing it out, and so that's what I'm working hard to make sure we get to that spot where it's all the way through, and once we hit into that space, then I want to see sustaining it. And so, I've seen it then this, seen it and this, and so that's my goal.”
That goal is commonly referred to as complementary football. The offense scores, and the defense prevents other teams from doing the same. Bonuses come in for defensive takeaways, especially those that come in hostile territory, and for consecutive scoring efforts between opposing ones. All the while, the special teams is doing their part to control field position and score when called upon to do so, preferably in the form of extra points.
In some ways, it’s simplistic. Putting it in action is a whole different thing altogether and has proven more difficult thus far in 2025 than it was in 2024 when Quinn was the new head coach of the Commanders, and quarterback Jayden Daniels was a rookie.
“When we see it, we know what it looks like. Too many times where we have and it's been up and down, and you can win a game, you know, where you're off here and there, but to be consistent with it, it has to be all the time,” says Quinn.
There are two big areas preventing Washington from playing that complementary style of football: turnovers and third downs.
Entering a Week 7 battle against the high-powered Dallas Cowboys offense, the Commanders are -3 in turnover margin, bottom 10 in the league. While that number is bad by itself, the team’s six turnovers in the past three games, including three in last week’s loss to the Chicago Bears, make matters worse.
When an offense is struggling on third down like the Commanders are, with just over a 33 percent conversion rate, turning the ball over only makes matters worse because it prevents special teams from either converting field goals or at least trying to flip the field.
“I know [we are] near the bottom of the league, and I think that, combined with the turnover margin, [we are] very fortunate to be .500 at this point. Because those are two critical areas,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury admitted this week while offering up an explanation for why his unit has struggled to find consistency this season.
“I think we just haven't consistently been able to practice as a unit since training camp started. And I think that's where maybe some of the inconsistency is showing up, particularly on third downs, just seems like we're a little bit off,” he said.
It isn’t an excuse, but a reason, and Kingsbury knows more than most that those reasons won’t hold a lot of water when your job is to figure out the puzzle, no matter how complicated it might get.
Securing the ball being priority No. 1, Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. have both vocalized the need to take possessions away from opponents. Facing one of the top scoring offenses in the NFL this weekend, that need is even more amplified.
“[I’m] not happy with where our turnover margin is, to be six games in and be in the minus. You've heard me talk a number of times; it takes both sides to make sure we're getting into the plus. So, that one is top of the pile for me, top of the pile,” Quinn says.
Sep 7, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) celebrates after a play during the second quarter against the New York Giants at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images
So the message is, while the conversation at times may flip from one phase to another, it really is a team effort. And as inconsistent as the offense has been, the defense has been just as up-and-down if not more so.
Whitt spoke this week about the defensive side of the season-long roller coaster the Commanders have been on to this point. “We talked about it the last two wins that we had when we got in sudden change, the offense turned the ball over, we didn't allow points. This game [a Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears], we allowed 13 points. Alright, so that's not good enough.”
One reason for that was an unfortunate major lack of tackling, at least major in the way it played a role in the ultimate demise of the team. “I think we're at 12 percent. That puts us at 17th in the league,” Whitt said about the missed tackles plaguing his defense. “If you are at 11 percent, that puts you in the top 10. So, one percent better in our missed tackles will get us where we want to be.”
It really is that fine a line to walk when trying to stop NFL offenses, so much so that one percent better makes a world of difference.
The most frustrating part of the whole experience this season has been that the positive play Washington needs on offense, defense, and on special teams has all been witnessed at some point or another. So the belief it can be achieved isn’t just an idea, it's a proven concept.
“When we hit those consistently, the story kind of writes itself, but we have not hit those consistently, and that's what we're aiming to do.”
NFL Fans Go Absolutely Ballistic, Calling It “The Best Three Minutes of Life” as Vikings Star Justin Jefferson Pulls Off a Masterclass in Mischief
Minnesota Vikings star wideout Justin Jefferson proved he’s got range beyond his route tree, going full method actor for Amazon Prime’s “Eli Manning Presents: The Undercovers” series.
Disguised as nature photographer Darius Frost, Jefferson infiltrated the Vikings’ TCO Performance Center this summer for what appeared to be a routine headshot session with GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The result was a three-minute masterclass in deception that had the man who inked Jefferson’s $140 million extension completely fooled.
Justin Jefferson’s Hilarious Undercover Prank Leaves Vikings GM Totally Clueless
Jefferson committed to the bit with full makeup, a wig, a fake nose, bucket hat, and glasses, transforming himself into an awkward bird-watcher with zero idea about football.
The Vikings wide receiver disguised himself as a nerdy nature photographer named Darius Frost for the GM’s annual photo shoot. He kept the act going hilariously, intentionally mispronouncing his own name and pretending not to know what the full form of GM was.
“I thought it meant Great Man,” he laughed. The GM stayed in good spirits throughout the moment, but things got awkward when Jefferson asked him to strike a “Viking pose.” He laughed it off and declined to play along.
Even when “Darius Frost” claimed to be a huge Justin Jefferson fan, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah didn’t catch. JJ later told reporters he was shocked the GM didn’t recognize him until the reveal.
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The payoff came when Kwesi finally clocked who was standing before him, delivering an authentic reaction that had the NFL world buzzing.
Heat cut ties with 6-foot-8 ex-Knicks center, skilled Ivy League POY, DPOY guard
An unpredictable season lies ahead for the Miami Heat in 2025-26, especially since their 2025 All-Star Tyler Herro will miss a few weeks to begin the campaign after undergoing surgery on his lower leg.
The Heat are aiming to remain competitive with their 5-time All-Defensive Team selection Bam Adebayo and newly-acquired ex-Los Angeles Clippers scoring guard Norman Powell at the helm, and their bench depth will be a major key to success for the franchise.
Even still, Miami's front office was forced to cut a significant portion of their training camp players and potential reserve options prior to the Oct. 20 deadline to set their regular season roster. Among the players that were sent home, the group was headlined by an ex-New York Knicks frontcourt contributor from the 2024-25 season and an excellent young defensive guard.
"The Heat has released Precious Achiuwa before his contract started to become guaranteed on opening night," The Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang shared via X on Friday night.
"Achiuwa signed a non-guaranteed one-year deal with Miami last month."
"Heat also waived Ethan Thompson, Dain Dainja and Bez Mbeng tonight."
At just 26 years old, Achiuwa now finds himself as a free agent after helping the Knicks notch their first Eastern Conference Finals berth since 2000 in 2024-25.
In 57 appearances for New York last season, the versatile frontcourt presence averaged 6.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks in 20.5 minutes.
Along with Achiuwa, several former collegiate standouts like Ethan Thompson, Dain Dainja and Bez Mbeng were dropped from the Heat's roster. The latter of the three was a surprise, due in large part to Miami's announcement that they had signed the Yale University star on Thursday.
Following a senior season with Yale that saw the 6-foot-4 guard win Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year honors for the third consecutive year and take home his first Ivy League Player of the Year award in 2024-25, Mbeng could have been considered a shoe-in to make the Heat's final roster off the strength of his defensive dominance, alone.
Instead, it appears as though the 6-foot-4 guard could be headed for the Heat's G-League affiliate Sioux Falls Skyforce, where he could receive a fair shot to excel as a defender against NBA-level talent.
Spanning his 29 appearances with Yale as a senior last season, Mbeng compiled box score figures of 13.0 points, 5.8 assists (Ivy League lead), 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals (Ivy League lead) while knocking down 36.8% of his three-point attempts.
