Dan Quinn’s Washington Commanders are 1-4-1 and sit last in the NFC East after Monday night’s 23-17 loss on the road at the San Francisco 49ers. The division is still wide open, though, with the New York Giants leading at 3-2-1 and both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at 2-4.
Jayden Daniels threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns in that game, yet the Commanders managed only 90 yards in the first half and trailed 20-3 at the break. They outgained the 49ers 224 to 72 after halftime, but a sack on the final snap ended the rally with the team still trailing by six.
The defense has been the biggest drag, giving up 28.7 points per game, which ranks 29th in the league. With that side of the ball still searching for traction, the Commanders have recently made a change to their coaching group, and it comes with a twist that sets it apart from a typical hire.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Washington hired former head coach Steve Wilks to join the defensive staff and help with weekly game planning.
The team settled on the hire last month, and Wilks began last week, although he will not be with the club on game days, which is an unusual arrangement.
The veteran coach led the Arizona Cardinals in 2018, went 6-6 as the Carolina Panthers’ interim head coach in 2022 and coordinated the 49ers defense during their 2023 Super Bowl run, before the New York Jets fired him from their defensive coordinator post last December.
He joins first-year coordinator Daronte Jones, who arrived from Minnesota, in a group that includes defensive line coach Eric Henderson, linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr., outside linebackers coach John Pagano and secondary coaches William Gay and Tommy Donatell.
David Blough runs the offense, while Larry Izzo leads special teams.
The Commanders will face the Eagles after their bye week on Sunday, November 1, at 8:20 p.m. ET at Northwest Stadium.
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