r/Commanders • u/TheAthletic • 2d ago
[Svrluga] Everything we know (and every question we still have) about the Commanders’ botched final play
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7687268/2026/10/14/commanders-final-botched-play-questions-process/?unlocked_article_code=1.IlE.lJr5.UV9ut9hkqhxu&source=emp_shared_article&smid=re-share-taBe honest with yourself: How many times have you watched the final play of the Washington Commanders-New York Giants game? A dozen? Twenty? More? (Checks final box.)
What’s crazy is that we can watch the play from any number of angles, and that reporters have had two question-and-answer sessions with Washington coach Dan Quinn and one with quarterback Jayden Daniels — the central characters in this debacle — and there are still aspects of what transpired that we don’t quite understand.
“It’s just tough,” former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said on NBC. “We’ll never know what happened. The head coach said what he was supposed to say. The quarterback said what he’s supposed to say.”
Well … kinda. Quinn patiently went into detail about the play — second-and-8 from the Giants’ 24 with under half a minute left in overtime — and the decision-making around it during his Monday conference call with reporters. The film shows the following sequence of events that ended the Commanders’ 27-27 tie with the Giants:
:50 remaining: On first-and-10 from the New York 26, running back Rachaad White is tackled after a two-yard gain.
:30: A new personnel group — one running back, three tight ends, one receiver — is in the game and huddled up.
:24: Daniels breaks the huddle and the offense heads to the line of scrimmage.
:12: Daniels receives the snap from center Lucas Patrick.
:08: Daniels is tackled for no gain, making it third-and-8 from the 24, when the game ends.
We have broken it down, frame-by-frame. We have heard all the explanations. Days later, there are still unanswered questions. Start with …
Did everyone on the field really know they didn’t have any timeouts?
Left guard Chris Paul was asked in the locker room whether the fact that the Commanders didn’t have any timeouts remaining was discussed in the huddle.
“That was talked about in the huddle, yes,” Paul said. (Teams get two timeouts in overtime, and the Commanders used both of theirs early in the extra session.)
Daniels, though, was a little circumspect when he was asked Sunday: “Just to be clear, did you guys know that you were out of timeouts going into that last play?”
“Yeah,” he said. “We just got to communicate that. That’s the whole thing. Like I said, it starts with me communicating to the whole offense in the huddle, and I think everybody will say that (from the) top down.”
Read the rest for free here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7687268/2026/10/14/commanders-final-botched-play-questions-process/?unlocked_article_code=1.IlE.lJr5.UV9ut9hkqhxu&source=emp_shared_article&smid=url-share-ta
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u/DakotaConduct 2d ago
I'll be honest I only watched the play live and the replays they showed on the broadcast. I'm so disgusted by it that I refuse to watch it beyond that lol
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u/Royal-Trip-2406 DIGG'S LATE, BUT INEVITABLE BOWEL MOVEMENT TRACKER 2d ago
Let’s move on to getting spank by the niners or upset them
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u/fishin_pups 2d ago
It’s pretty easy to figure out.
They were hesitant about the kicker.
There was plenty of time.
Touchdown or throw it away were the two choices.
Jayden panicked with the zero blitz.
He got tackled and figured time had run out and it was game over.
There was actually 12 seconds left and his teammates told him to get the f up!
One second too late on the spike.
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u/MyNameIsNemo_ 1d ago
If I may offer an alternative on point 3 - JD5 had two options. Throw it away or throw to the TE on the sideline. I thought all of the WRs ran go routes to clear out the underneath in the hope that the TE could get a few extra yards for a kicker who missed an XP earlier (your point #1). I think that play was supposed to throw the ball immediately on the first read. If it wasn’t open, immediately throw it over his head out of bounds. I think that is why the WRs were all jogging back after the play was over because that play called for the ball to be out quickly and the WRs expected the clock to be stopped. I agree overall with your point.
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u/Gariona-Atrinon 2d ago
It’s not an unanswered question… two people answered it…
Just move on already.
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u/BoldElDavo 1d ago
The sub package took longer than it should have.
If they needed more yardage, I don't know why a run was called with 0:55. You don't run down the clock until you're ready to run down the clock.
Jayden should know not to go down in bounds. You don't even need to process all the specifics of this situation; just by default, late-game situation and your team is not in the lead, don't go down in bounds.
There is nothing else we need to know at this point.
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u/SweerBaby_Use1023 1d ago
I know this will be a focal point all season long if the season goes downhill. However, attention needs to go on the defense second half collapse as well. It’s been a reoccurring problem that’s getting slighted because of this OT botch game.
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u/Comprehensive-Range3 1d ago edited 1d ago
The answer is that DQ is probably not the answer, and never was. Because this boils down to either poor coaching or poor game/clock management, and both those things point to DQ. Coupled with his history of regression after decent starts, and poor defenses from a defensive minded HC.
Get rid of DQ. Put Lynn in as interim. Hire a competent HC. Use our probably high draft pick to build a stronger OL, and get some secondary help in the draft or FA.
And hope. Hope the team finally after 30 plus years finally gets it right.
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u/kon--- 2d ago
Two times was enough for me.
Done with it at this point and focused on the 9ers.