HC Dan Quinn | September 28, 2025 | Press Pass | Washington Commanders | NFL

HC Dan Quinn speaks to the media after the NFL Week 4 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, everybody, we can get rolling. I'll feeling kind
of what I told the team post game. I said
that the things and uh, we got to grow that
that is a must. And I thought, you know, really
the third down was a huge factor in the game
on both sides us them new third and fourth down
was gonna be a big piece of it. But h
I also said, our two road games we've started slowly,

(00:22):
and in our two home games we haven't. And we're
on the road again this week. We need to get
that handled and uh, first quarter down ten nothing, So
got to make sure we can get that turned around
and playing fast and aggressive. Blake, we like, that's kind
of where we're at. So glad to open up you guys.

(00:51):
Probably the third downs, you know, got them into lower
times into the longer ones to go. Ben I would
say that would be one, you know, explosive places. Obviously
that's the other piece of it, but coming into it,
there's a talent team running team that could you know,
get going in that way with with Bijon especially, but

(01:11):
you know, the explosive plays and that was a big thing.
And then not winning on third down enough. You know,
when you get them into that spot, man, you gotta deliver. Yeah,
I don't know yet, but we're gonna dig in for sure,
and the reason being I don't have it yet. Obviously
i'd already hit it, but we just have to make sure, man,
we can hit the gas early. Didn't feel that going

(01:36):
into preparation or any of that, but the results are
what they are. So we've got to make sure, man,
we can we can find our edge and make sure
that weighs, you know, different, and feels different and feels
aggressive at the start. Yeah, and yeah, I know our
team is going to battle back, and so that part

(01:56):
I know. We just don't like ourselves being into a
hole to go. I thought as a whole, I thought
we ran the ball effectively, with Marcus included into that,
making the reads where to go. I thought we missed
some opportunities today, and some penalties certainly cost us into those.
So when you're playing a team, man that you just
can't beat yourself on some things. And so we've got

(02:16):
to be able to nail that to go. But I
thought Marcus was prepared ready to go. Made some plays.
Obviously the score, the two point play at the end
like those are ones that he's exceptional at and I'll
go back and check the tape on others. But you know,
trade and field goals. You know that that's not the answer.
And uh, that's not Marcus. That's all of us to

(02:37):
make sure we can go and get scores. Please Matt
hit him, but I want to make sure, let's let's
core some touchdowns. Understand that. Yeah, we're gonna dig in
on everything, make sure we can eliminate those, because that's
not when we're at our best, you know, like the
big plays to live in that space. And so give

(02:59):
them credit, you know, on some of the ones, whether
it be designed or what have you. But we'll dig
into those hard to make sure matchups scheme all of
it in the right spot. But likes to give them
credit on Atlanta, but that that's something we need to
get our football three phases really aligned. Like we like this, Yes,

(03:24):
probably the run game, you know, and that it allows
to get into run play pass into that spot. We'll
dig into it and check. I thought he made some
good throws, honestly on some which obviously we know he's
capable of. This a talented group that didn't you know,
play well last week. I certainly didn't think that was
going to be what we would see this week. But
you know, like about third down was you know, one

(03:45):
that really hurt us, and then time and possession gets
affected on both sides. We don't convert a lot, they
converted more than half, and then all of a sudden,
like you know, it switches. So I like the team
was bold. I was not surprised that we battled back
and you know, to give ourselves a chance to get
back into the fight. I just don't want to be
in those spaces too often where okay, now we're battling
back to go into it. I know who they are
and how they'll fight for it. But as we're sitting

(04:08):
here too, and two after a quarter, we got a
lot of our football to get aligned right like we
want it to be to be, you know, at our best,
and you know, mistakes or fouls, you know, those are
things that we have to eliminate. I knew going in
this game, especially based on the running back, that that

(04:29):
was going to be a real factor into the game.
I'll go take a look and see where it you
know that this game specifically looked like and where it was.
I'll have a better answer for you on that. I
just want to go back and watch it go. Yeah,

(04:49):
the speed and the play, you know, all of it.
It's a tough matchup on that specific play. Like I said,
give those credit, you know where credits do on you know,
play design and you know, opportunities to go hit it.
So when you're behind, you're feeling like you're behind. And
I thought for them, you know, the run game going
wants you to play aggressive and then that's when the
play passes and others can hurt you. And it was

(05:10):
a fantastic effort by Jeremy to give the team another
chance to go fight for it. But yeah, we got
work to do to clean up, like we want to
play in all three phases, not not just defensively, you know,
the whole way across anything else for you guys. Yeah,

(05:32):
and they've really put the work in then, So that's
what we expect when these moments are there, when you
know the opportunities arise, are they ready to deliver? And
Luke and Jalen their competitiveness the way they want to
go about it, and I thought same thing. I senate
had a penalty, but there's also some excellent blocks, you
know with John being out, So I'll take a look
at all of those. We'll try to point them out.
But again, just like I said, told the team, this

(05:55):
one stings and we got to grow from it. Man.
That's that's the message, you know, like we will get better.
I'm certain of it, and uh starts, you know right away.
The way We've got to practice, the way we do
all of that, but I'm certain that we will play better.
Thanks every bye, m