Dan Quinn taking over defensive play-calling from coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. is not a unique situation. Though coordinators are usually tasked with play calling on both offense and defense, a head coach might take that role.
In the Washington Commanders’ case, it's a sign of cracks firmly showing.
Though Whitt did not lose his job or his title, this is clearly a demotion. Quinn and his coordinator have a strong working relationship dating back to their time together with the Dallas Cowboys, and on the surface, that does not appear to have changed.
From an outsider’s perspective, it doesn’t seem as if defensive play-calling is the biggest culprit in the Commanders’ recent collapse. Injuries and poor individual play are far more to blame.
Commanders' defense might not change that much even with Dan Quinn calling plays
Consider Dorance Armstrong Jr., Washington’s best defensive end. He played in the first six games. A minor injury reduced his snap count a little bit, but for the most part, he was healthy and effective. The Commanders surrendered an average of 21 points per game in those contests.
Armstrong went out after just four plays in the Week 7 game against Dallas. With him out of the lineup, Washington has given up 38.5 points per game.
Is Armstrong — by himself — worth 17.5 points per game? Of course not. But when you consider that he joined Deatrich Wise Jr. and Javontae Jean-Baptiste on the injured list, it takes on added importance.
Those are Washington’s top three defensive ends. It was a position that was not considered a particular strength to begin with, and it has been decimated to the point that Whitt was using an undersized Jacob Martin, a career backup in Jalyn Holmes, and two very old players, Von Miller and Preston Smith, to handle the spot.
That’s not a play-calling issue. That’s questionable roster decisions and terrible luck.
Perhaps Whitt could have been more aggressive in his blitzing, particularly from effective options like Bobby Wagner and Quan Martin. They haven’t been good in coverage, so the Commanders don't have much to lose.
But the secondary's poor performance makes blitzing a dangerous move. They have not played well in zone, and their man coverage has been inconsistent. In the future, they will be without both starting perimeter corners. Strong safety Will Harris has been out since Week 3, though he may be able to return soon.
It is hard to imagine that changing the play caller will make any difference to a defense that was only average to begin with. But something had to be done.
The meltdown of defensive tackles Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw in the Week 10 blowout loss to the Detroit Lions indicated a unit in freefall. Perhaps with Quinn adopting a more hands-on approach, he can restore order.
Even in a best-case scenario, this move will not significantly transform the defense. But it may allow Whitt to direct his energies a bit more toward the defensive backfield. They have struggled mightily this year, and the coach has always managed to light a spark within his players.
On the other hand, by focusing more on defense, Quinn risks losing touch with his offense and special teams. That could be a significant problem.
Quinn is fortunate to have Kliff Kingsbury and Larry Izzo handling the offense and special teams, respectively. They are both excellent coordinators. But he risks losing some perspective by taking over the defensive play-calling, and it is hard to see how much it will really help.
In the end, this was a desperate move made by a desperate team.
Those moves rarely work because the problems usually run much deeper than any short-term fix can address. If the past is any indication, there may be a brief bump in performance, which generally results from the simple newness of the situation. But soon, things regress to where they were.
I’m glad Quinn is trying something. And I’m happy he didn’t feel like he had to fire Whitt, who has been a good coach for many years. But unless Dexter Manley, Charles Mann, and Darrell Green run out onto the field against the Miami Dolphins this week (in their prime, of course), Quinn’s latest move probably won't have any actual impact on Washington’s performance.