As mistakes pile up, Commanders’ frustration begins to lead to changes

Dan Quinn’s defense was better than Joe Whitt Jr.’s has been. Otherwise, the Washington Commanders made the sorts of mistakes that are adding up to a failure of a season — Marcus Mariota’s overtime interception, Mike Sainristil’s dropped punt and Matt Gay’s flubbed field-goal attempts.

The latter in particular, apparently, were the last straws for a frustrated Quinn and general manager Adam Peters: Gay was released a day after his two misses in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins in Spain.

Gay a former Pro Bowler, sent a 56-yard try wide right in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter that would have broken a 13-all tie and, in all likelihood, given Washington (3-8) a much-needed victory. He also was off on a 51-yarder earlier in the game.

Coach Dan Quinn said on a video call with reporters on Monday that he and Peters met with Gay to deliver the news.

Peters signed Gay to a contract with $4.35 million in guaranteed money in April.

“An all-time good dude. So, yeah really, bummed that it didn’t work out. We just felt this is the change we needed,” Quinn said about Gay.

“We’re just not making those kicks; not just the ones yesterday. We want to look at the big picture of things,” Quinn said. “At that position, the performance — got to have it.”

Washington did not immediately announce a replacement for Gay. The team, coming off six consecutive losses, is entering its bye week and won’t play again until hosting the Denver Broncos (9-2) on Nov. 30.

The Commanders’ most recent victory came on Oct. 5, at the Los Angeles Chargers. That made Washington 3-2.

A week later came a one-point home loss to the Chicago Bears, and nothing’s been the same since.

With AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels sidelined by injury, top target Terry McLaurin out, too, and plenty of other problems, Washington has seen its play become as poor as its health.

After traveling overseas for the latest bad result, linebacker Bobby Wagner said: “It’s a long way to travel to come up short.”

Quinn’s decision to step in as defensive play-caller seemed to work, though. It’s just one week, and it came against the mediocre Dolphins.

Still, the move to demote defensive coordinator Whitt paid off Sunday. It wasn’t perfect — each of Miami’s first three plays went for at least 10 yards; RB De’Von Achane gained 120 yards on 21 carries and 45 yards on five catches — but the improvement was noticeable.

That included two stops of the Dolphins on drives that reached goal-to-go situations; they had been 13 for 13 in scoring touchdowns on such opportunities.

There also was a sack on a cornerback blitz by Jonathan Jones, the type of thing that didn’t happen under Whitt.

Washington limited Miami to 13 points through four quarters and totals of 142 yards passing and 3 for 11 on third or fourth downs. “As players, we’ve got to go out and execute plays,” Wagner said. “Today we did a better job of that.”

The offense is another story.

It doesn’t help that Daniels (dislocated left elbow) missed his fifth game of the season and McLaurin missed his seventh. Or that RB Austin Ekeler was lost for the season in Week 2. Or that WR Noah Brown is on injured reserve. Long drives that ended with nothing to show for them was a big problem.

“This offense can score a lot of points,” Mariota said, “but if we’re not converting our red zone opportunities, it’s tough.”

Things do not figure to get much easier when 

Washington returns to action on Nov. 30 against the visiting Denver Broncos, who are on an eight-game winning streak and, at 9-2, are tied with the New England Patriots for the best record in the NFL. Like the Commanders, the Broncos are heading into their bye week.