The Commanders had three wasted drives to start the night against the Chiefs. One ended with an interception, while the other two were stalled on failed fourth-down conversions. Quinn wanted the team to be aggressive, and there was some logic to it going against a Chiefs offense that could seemingly score at will.
Although it was an admirable approach to the game, the Commanders couldn’t finish those drives. It’s an issue that has lingered all year, and it’s one that Washington needs to fix.
“I think the last two weeks, we’ve been inside the 40, the plus 40 [on] like eight trips and got seven points, zero points, something like that,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said. “So, to me, just consistently executing the routine plays isn’t showing up.”
The Seahawks, while not a perfect offense, do know how to finish drives. They rank fourth in points per play and put up most of their points early, as they rank second in average points scored in the first quarter and ninth in points scored in the second. They are tied for the third most giveaways this season, but the Commanders can’t rely on that to maintain momentum, particularly with a defense that has generated the third-fewest takeaways.
The Commanders could get a boost this weekend at quarterback, assuming Daniels is cleared after missing the Chiefs game with a hamstring injury. There is a path to the Commanders pulling out an upset at home, but they must make sure every drive ends with points.