Washington’s quarterback made plenty of big throws Monday night. His coach wanted one more.
Jayden Daniels should not have thrown the ball away on fourth down in the second quarter of Monday’s 23 to 17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Commanders head coach said Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.
What happened on fourth down?
Washington faced fourth down with 2 yards to go at the San Francisco 13. Daniels dropped back, felt pressure and left the pocket.
He rolled to his right with two defenders, including linebacker Fred Warner, chasing him. Warner is one of the league’s top linebackers. A flag was thrown in front of him. Unable to run for the first down and with no open receiver, he threw the ball away.
The penalty turned out to be an illegal shift on Washington, not an offside call on the defense that would have given the Commanders a first down. San Francisco declined it because the pass fell incomplete on fourth down, giving the 49ers the ball.
What did the coach say about Daniels’ decision?
The coach said he spoke with Daniels about the play. Even when a quarterback sees a flag, he said, he should still take a shot and try to complete a pass on fourth down, because there is no guarantee the penalty will stand.
Daniels said he did not know which team the flag was on. It could have been offside, he said, or it could have been on Washington.
Has Daniels faced criticism like this before?
Yes, just a week earlier. In a tie with the New York Giants, Daniels was tackled with eight seconds left in overtime instead of throwing the ball away to stop the clock. Time ran out before Washington could try a winning field goal from 42 yards.
In that case, the offensive coordinator and the head coach blamed themselves for the play call and for not calling for a spike.
The two moments are opposites. In one he held the ball when he needed to get rid of it, and on fourth down Monday he got rid of it when his coach wanted him to keep trying.
How did Daniels play overall?
Well. Outside of the fourth down miscue, he completed 29 of 40 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns and helped Washington rally from a 20 to 3 halftime deficit.
He also drove the Commanders deep into San Francisco territory late in the game with a chance to take the lead. But San Francisco held on to stay unbeaten.
The coach said Daniels makes some throws only a few players can make, while on others he would like him to stay with his read. He added that the 49ers’ speed and zone coverage made it hard to gain yards scrambling. Daniels ran just four times for 10 yards.
Daniels played his second game wearing a brace on his left elbow, which he dislocated in Week 2. He had missed time after the injury before returning in Week 5. The coach said he would like Daniels to scramble more to find throws as he grows in the offense.
What is next for Daniels and the Commanders?
More adjustments. Washington will be without top receiver Terry McLaurin for the rest of the season. McLaurin, who is 31, tore the patellar tendon in his knee in the game, according to reports, and had led the team in receiving yards.
The Commanders now have one win, four losses and a tie. Small decisions, like what to do on fourth down, may matter even more as they try to turn their season around.
