Dan Quinn Addresses Jayden Daniels Throwaway on Fourth Down

The Fourth Down Throwaway

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn believed quarterback Jayden Daniels made an error during Monday night's 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The play happened in the second quarter on a fourth down with two yards to go at the 49ers 13 yard line.

Daniels dropped back to pass, but the 49ers created pressure and forced him out of the pocket. Daniels ran toward his right as two defenders pursued him, including linebacker Fred Warner. A penalty flag dropped in front of the quarterback. Unable to gain the first down on the ground and with nobody open, Daniels threw the ball away out of bounds.

Misunderstanding the Flag

Quinn talked with Daniels about the decision right after the play. The head coach made it clear that a quarterback must attempt a throw on fourth down, even if there is a penalty flag on the field.

"Even when you know there's a penalty, you still take your shot, man, to go throw it, complete it," Quinn said. "You don't know if it's gonna get picked up."

The flag was not an offsides penalty on San Francisco, which would have given Washington a fresh set of downs. It was an illegal shift called against the Commanders. San Francisco declined the penalty because the pass fell incomplete. Daniels was not sure who the foul was on during the play. "I didn't know. It could have been offside, it could have been on us," Daniels said.

Bouncing Back Through the Air

Daniels still posted strong passing totals during the contest. He completed 29 of 40 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

His play helped Washington fight back from a 20-3 deficit at halftime. Daniels led the Commanders deep into 49ers territory late in the fourth quarter with an opportunity to take the lead.

Quinn saw plenty of positives from his quarterback, though he noted that Daniels could have worked through his reads on certain snaps. San Francisco used team speed and zone coverage to keep eyes on Daniels, which limited him to 10 yards on four rushes.

Adjusting Within the Scheme

Daniels played in his second game with a brace on his left elbow, which he dislocated in Week 2.

Quinn explained that as Daniels develops in coordinator David Blough's offense, the team wants him to scramble more to throw. Quinn also knows Daniels can create yards in multiple ways and remains confident in his high ceiling as a passer.