“I feel like we were outcoached.” Ex-Commanders QB gets honest about key issue behind Washington’s NFC title loss
A former high-prized quarterback is pointing his finger directly at Dan Quinn for the Washington Commanders’ lopsided loss in the NFC championship game.
Robert Griffin III didn’t mince words about Washington’s coach, saying he was outduelled by his counterpart Nick Sirianni in Sunday’s 55-23 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Speaking on the "Up and Adams" show on Monday, the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft was asked what went wrong for his former team.
I feel like we were outcoached," Griffin said. "We got outclassed, and at the end of the day, it was heartbreaking to watch."
The Commanders had no answer for Saquon Barkley
The biggest criticism Robert Griffin III had for Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders was their struggles in containing Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
Barkley had another stellar performance with 15 carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns.
Two of those scores were on Barkley’s first two touches of the game. According to Griffin, the messages all week leading into the matchup about stopping him weren’t well received.
"This is what you call a gut check type of game," Griffin said. "You got to let him know on the first play of the game that it is not happening today."
It wasn’t the first time this season that Barkley was a nightmare for Washington’s run defense as he rushed for 146 yards and two scores in the 26-18 win in Week 11 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Barkley did it again to the Commanders five weeks later, running for 150 yards and two touchdowns, although Washington won the Week 16 matchup 36-33.
While it managed to get back into the game briefly, down 14-12 in the second quarter, Griffin said that turnovers proved costly and the Commanders’ star players failed to step up.
Washington’s rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels had a fumble with his team down 27-12, and the Eagles went on a pair of TD drives to put the game away.
"It just wasn’t meant to be," Griffin said. "Philly had the better roster, and their star players played better in that game."
Philadelphia QB Jalen Hurts was 20 of 28 for 246 yards and a TD pass while Daniels went 29 of 48 for 255 yards with one score and an interception.
Sunday was the first NFC championship appearance for Washington since 1991.