The Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has admitted he shares a portion of the blame for a major injury to the team’s signal-caller, Daniels.
Particulars of the Injury and Situation
Daniels, who had among the best rookie campaigns in history last season, suffered a displaced elbow joint in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks. Even though Daniels throws with his right arm, the injury has left his campaign in doubt. The injury was serious enough that the television broadcast avoided showing repeats and multiple players turned away as Daniels was attended to by team doctors.
Backlash and Leader’s Reaction
Quinn faced scrutiny as many felt Daniels should not have been on the playing surface in the first place. The injury occurred in the fourth quarter with the Washington behind 38-7, rendering a comeback unlikely. It is typical in such circumstances for teams to put in their reserve QB to prevent injuries to their starter.
“I get that. I’ve been thinking about it constantly, too, and, wow, I erred,” Quinn remarked of his choice to keep Daniels in the game. “That is 100% on me.”
Fallout and Team Outlook
Mariota will be the team’s starting quarterback from now on, but he will lead a team in turmoil. After reaching the conference title game the prior year thanks to the rookie’s excellence, the team have struggled this season. They also saw injuries to cornerback Lattimore (torn ACL) and pass-catcher Luke McCaffrey (collarbone fracture) on Sunday, and have a number of other starters on the injury list. The Washington squad are 3-6 on the season, and it would take a huge reversal for the team to reach the postseason.
