Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn addressed the media after practice on Sept. 27. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
Opening Statement:
"Alright, what's up guys? Before we get rolling, I just wanted to thank ASU [Arizona State University], [Arizona State Head] Coach [Kenny] Dillingham and their staff. These guys are a class act and certainly wishing them to have a hell of a year. So, glad to see the guys when we got here just get right into the work. We know we had a lot to prepare for, getting into this game against a good Arizona team. So, love to focus where the guys are at. And some game captains, [G] Nick Allegretti will be one, [S] Quan Martin and [RB] Jeremy McNichols. So, those would be the captains for this week's game, and we're really pumped to get rolling. So, all that said, glad to get it rolling with you guys."
On injury updates:
"[WR] Jamison Crowder will be one that won't make it in for this week, so it was close. So, no go."
On if CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and CB Benjamin St-Juste are good for Sunday:
"Yes."
On McNichols' third-down block against the Cincinnati Bengals:
"There's a lot of things that come to mind with him. One's humility, the other one is trust. And he's somebody that when called upon, man does he deliver. And so, like for that instance and that protection, man, but there's a lot of trust with him and so that's why whatever role he's asked he usually delivers because of that mindset. Whether it's dirty work, going to pick up a blitz or covering kicks and all that goes into it. So, that's what I thought it was fitting for him to be a captain in this game."
*On lessons taken from previous games that can be applied to containing a mobile quarterback: *"Yeah, I think maybe that part, in the rush lanes, but yeah, [Arizona Cardinals QB] Kyler [Murray] has a whole another set of speed and escape ability outside the pocket that, it's pretty rare. So, it'll take really disciplined four-man rush. He picks and chooses, like any good player, when to go, when to remain a passer. But yeah, it's for sure the whole defense being a part of it."
On whom will take up return duties with RB Austin Ekeler and Crowder out:
"Yeah, not necessarily on the call up side. But yeah, [WR] Olamide [Zaccheaus] will be one. [WR] Luke's [McCaffrey] been getting back there one. On the kick return side, we've certainly worked J-Mac [McNichols] Noah's [WR Noah Brown] done that, so it's in that way, we're not going to replace Austin. How do you get different spots in different places. However, when we do have a big deep crew, we work a lot of guys, when these situations come up, you need to be ready for it. And so through practices and preseason games, gaining that experience is really important."
On bringing QB Marcus Mariota and LB Jordan Magee off of injured reserve next week:
"We'll visit on that for sure next week. The guys are hitting their strides and doing all the space, but we're also going to give them every space to get there. And so we'll have a good update for that as we head into next week."
On anything he did or said to prevent the team from riding the weekly rollercoaster:
"Well, that's a good one. I think honestly, being here helps that in a way. And the reason I say that is, we kind of just stayed in this pocket together. We had a win, we enjoyed it, got here super late, the guys had off Tuesday, and then we kind of got right back into what was at hand. And so being here alone is out there. Obviously, I addressed it to say the same way we approach the game, 'What do we want to do to get better? What are going to be the keys to this game?' So, it helped, I guess, just to get a quick turnaround to get your mind on the next opponent. And being here alone was nice to be just in this pocket, everybody together, doing our stuff."
On what he looks for to measure the temperature of the team:
"I think you're probably saying like, what's the pulse of the team and where we're at? And it helps we've got excellent leaders here. They help me look around the corners and if somebody's not meeting a standard that we set, then we address it right away. And to say, 'That's not the standard, that's not good enough.' So, lots of eyes and ears to watch, practice habits, those are the things I look for all the time. To say, 'Is somebody pressing?' If they're not performing like they want or doesn't have the right focus. And usually, if you have enough eyes and you're looking, then you'll see it."
On if there are things he looks for as positives even after a loss:
"Well, I think number one, you're going to hear me say it a lot, it's the turnover margin. And we're really committed to taking care of the ball, to making sure we get our shots to go knock it out. So, that part you'll always see me up on the top of the pile forever. The explosive play margins, can we find some ways to get some explosive runs, passes offensively, defensively the same thing. Can we limit the big plays? So, the drives, they've got to go for the long ones, they've got to get into that space. And after that, then I have some other ones. Where are we at on the penalty side? And starting field positions? So, those are the markers that I'm generally looking for, to see how we're performing. It's to me, always some things that don't show up on the stat sheet. That's our speed, the energy, the toughness, the physicality that we're playing with. That has to show up every time we go, whether we're in Arizona or playing back home, or on Monday nights and Thursday nights and whenever it is. That physicality and speed has always got to be front and center for us."
On what he wants to see from the defensive line:
"Number one, I think obviously we all have a lot of respect for [Arizona Cardinals RB] James Conner and then he's a factor. And they've got a good run game and the play passes that go off it. So, being stout and being physical up front, that's going to be a real key. And then finding ways to on third down, to make our presence felt to when we can get the individual rushes to go. Playing a mobile quarterback like Kyler presents its own challenges, so having the discipline to do that from them will be front and center for us."
On keeping a player's confidence up after injuries throughout a career:
"Yeah, I think the first thing you want to do is check on the man before the ballplayer. And know that the type of injury, where they're at, how long that process will normally take. The longer you've been in the league, the more you have recognition for that. When the guys are on the way back after an injury, a lot of times what you'll recognize is the gratitude to be back in the arena. And sometimes that alone, of being back in the fight, back in the arena can feel that belonging and the hope again when you're knocked out for a while, because that's some of the things that you miss. And so having the joy to be back in the fight and be in the arena, be in the locker room, those are small things that you need. So, for guys that have been knocked out for a significant time, when you do work hard to get back into that spot, usually there's a lot of gratitude for it."
On the tough conversation with older players that their career is coming to an end based on performance:
"No, I would say at all things, and we're all on the performance side of things, so if something I would see that I liked or didn't see, I would bring up to a player. That's what I've done in the past when that has happened. So, you'd never want a player to feel surprised about something that would take place, that meant you probably weren't communicating to a level that you'd want to be."
On confidence building for QB Jayden Daniels with receivers:
"Yeah, I think confidence and belief are a really big thing. Belief is probably even more powerful, to know that, that play can be happening sometimes just for a quarterback and receiver, putting it in the right spot in a practice. Although it's not at the game, but saying like, 'Hey man, I know this is what we are capable of.' So, I know what the possibilities can be. So, not everybody gets that pass or that route, but for the ones that do, like, 'Hey, this can absolutely go my way.' Yeah, you do stand a little taller and a little stronger knowing when that play gets called, this is one of those moments that I got a real shot to go get it."
On McNichols' ability to adapt quickly:
"Yeah, I think probably the word that comes to mind for me is resilience. And Jeremy, one, he is a fantastic teammate but because he's capable of whatever job he's thrown at you, 'I can do that, I can do that.' You can see now why a team would say, 'Okay, he can add a little more.' And sometimes you have to go through those hard ones to realize, 'Man, I was this close, I was right there, and my next stop I'm not going to miss it.' And he is absolutely nailed his ops here and no surprise that a big block or a big block on some of the returns were led by him, because he's just not going to miss those chances."
On if the team is doing anything differently to try and force turnovers:
"No, you don't try to do anything different, but it does have to be the way you practice, the way you live. So, although we've seen them in practice, obviously we had chances for them in the game. We just haven't nailed them yet. So, it's part of who we will be. We're just not there in terms of taking it away yet. But that does not mean you over try or take a shot at the ball instead of tackling. You have to do your job first, but when there's a 50-50 ball, or you knock one out to scoop it, those are the big things and the speed and the running. If you knock a fumble out, you don't know who's going to recover it. You don't know when it's going to happen. But if you run and you haul ass full speed when it does come out, you'll be there. And most times when you're not running full speed is when it comes out. So, you want to make sure, 'I'm always digging for it.'
*On TE Ben Sinnott and on him being close to big opportunities in games: *"Yeah, I think you're on the right track. We felt that way too. And sometimes a play is called and then, different coverage or a different play that would happen. But he has really been putting in the work and I've been pleased with what we've seen from him. All of us are kind of ready for that because we've all seen it. So, he is too, he's itching and he's really ready to perform for this weekend. So, he's had a good week. And with [TE] Zach [Ertz] and [TE] John [Bates], sometimes those ops aren't there as much as you'd like in Ben's instance, but when they're there, I certainly know he's ready to take advantage of it."
