Quinn, Daniels discuss QB's throwaway on fourth-down play - ESPN

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels shouldn't have thrown a fourth-down pass away in the second quarter of Monday night's 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, coach Dan Quinn said.

On a fourth-and-2 from the 49ers' 13-yard line, Daniels dropped back to pass and left the pocket after the 49ers started to generate pressure.

As Daniels ran to his right, two defenders pursued him, including linebacker Fred Warner. A flag was also thrown in front of Daniels. He could not make the first down running and with no open receiver in front of him he threw the ball away.

Quinn said he spoke to Daniels about the play.

«Even when you know there's a penalty, you still take your shot, man, to go throw it, complete it,» Quinn said. «You don't know if it's gonna get picked up.»

As it turned out the penalty wasn't an offsides call on the defense, which would have given Washington a first down. Rather it was an illegal shift on the Commanders.

«I didn't know. It could have been offside, it could have been on us,» Daniels said if he anticipated an offsides call.

San Francisco declined the penalty because of the incompletion.

The throwaway came one week after Daniels failed to throw a pass away with eight seconds left in overtime to stop the clock. Instead, he was tackled and the clock expired, preventing a chance to attempt a game-winning 42-yard field goal.

Offensive coordinator David Blough and Quinn both blamed themselves for the play call and failure to simply call for a spike.

Daniels did complete 29-of-40 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns on Monday night. He helped Washington rally from a 20-3 halftime deficit and drove the Commanders deep into 49ers territory late in the game with a chance to take the lead.

«Like