The Washington Commanders have been in a downward spiral over the past month, and they'll look to avoid their fifth consecutive loss when they host the Detroit Lions in Week 10.
Everything that could have gone wrong this season has, and injuries have played a significant part. Star quarterback Jayden Daniels is sidelined for the third different time, now with a dislocated elbow he suffered in the fourth quarter of Week 9's Sunday Night Football contest against the Seattle Seahawks.
In the meantime, Joe Whitt Jr.'s defense has been under heavy criticism, and adjustments are finally in order as the defensive coordinator will move down from the booth to the sideline. Head coach Dan Quinn will need to do his part to ensure the move pays off.
Dan Quinn needs to micromanage Joe Whitt Jr. as much as possible
It seems almost inevitable that the situation with Whitt is a last-ditch effort to save his job. It's worth trying anything possible, but no matter where he's calling the game from, it won't change his coaching strategy or make the players any better.
What can change, though, is that Whitt and Quinn will be able to communicate more effectively. That might be worth something, given Washington's head coach's successful pedigree from his time as a defensive coordinator with the Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.
If Quinn's direct input is playing a bigger role in overseeing the Commanders' defense, the unit might not be totally hopeless. Better yet, having a constant voice in his ear may help teach Whitt valuable lessons that help him improve his craft.
The former Auburn University wide receiver had never been anything beyond a positional leader before taking his current job in Washington, so it's important to note he is still going through his own growing pains.
Patience is generally much lower with coaches in comparison to players, but we can't forget that they are human beings, too. Whitt has struggled, but that doesn't mean he can't turn it around — and this is the right way to let him do so before pulling the plug on his tenure as defensive coordinator.
Quinn and Whitt are close friends, so it's understandable that the former is hesitant to fire the latter outright. But unless he wants his own seat to start warming up, he needs to be as active as possible in ensuring the Commanders' defense is in good hands.
It's a last roll of the dice, and it has to go well.