PHILADELPHIA — Dan Quinn didn’t hesitate.

Not on the “bold” decision midway through the fourth quarter to go for it on fourth-and-2 when he was within field goal range and the scoreboard showed a two-point deficit. The same thing happened when the Washington Commanders head coach opened his postgame presser by explaining where it all went wrong.

“We were prepared for this moment,” Quinn said. “I didn’t think the performance was great.”

The specific play — quarterback Jayden Daniels tackled for no gain on an outside run — involved the rookie not shouting loudly enough before the snap as 70,000 opposing fans roared. Offensive linemen weren’t on the same page, and there was general awkwardness among a group that has been a model of efficiency all season.

Give the Philadelphia Eagles credit for making another big play late, and then several more to cap off the 26-18 win and extend their lead in the NFC East division over a Commanders team that season has a first: a losing streak.

“This is new,” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said.

New, but inevitable. Maybe not the specific circumstances, like Eagles running back Saquon Barkley rushing for touchdowns of 23 and 39 yards in the fourth quarter against a defense that thrived early and faded late. Or Daniels suffers his toughest performance in an otherwise sublime season and McLaurin finishes with just one reception.

SAQUON AGAIN! The @Eagles subtract on TNF.#WASvsPHI on PrimeVideo
Also streams through #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/pnyd9XtzBk

—NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2024

The season seemed dreamlike for nine games. These last two woke everyone up to reality, starting with Sunday’s one-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“We knew there would be setbacks. It just does. Tonight is hard,” Quinn said.

The Commanders (7-4) fell 1 1/2 games behind the Eagles (8-2) with the loss. Without a doubt, the play-offs remain a tangible achievement. For the first time, the commanders must face the fact that this decline is not automatically a blip if Thursday’s performance reflects which team they are.

“It’s a tough stretch of four or five games, whatever it is. To be the team we can be, these games have to be on our terms,” Quinn said. “We are getting there, but over the past two weeks we have not been able to express that.”

Many on both sides of the ball and the coaching staff were responsible for this defeat.

Washington’s defense roared in the first half under sustained pressure — two sacks from Frankie Luvu — and a coverage scheme that frequently left Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looking confused. That’s not a reference to Hurts being checked for a concussion in the final moments of the second quarter.

The Eagles became difficult. The @Commandants said 🙅‍♂️#WASvsPHI on PrimeVideo
Also streams through #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/VdShjflUHt

—NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2024

As the game progressed, the defense began to fade. The offense’s inability to sustain drives — 3 of 12 on third-down attempts — led to tired bodies worn out against the Eagles’ offense. Philadelphia scored on consecutive possessions to take a 12-10 lead as Quinn faced a decision he had been preparing for this short week.

“We’ve been an excellent fourth-down team. Going into the game, we knew we would have to shoot against a strong defense on the road,” the coach said.

The best laid plans are tested by circumstances.

The running back tandem of Brian Robinson Jr. (63 rushing yards, one touchdown) and Austin Ekeler (89 receiving yards) were the only productive parts of the offense. Washington’s offensive line lost the battle of the trenches decisively. Philadelphia had a whopping eight tackles for loss. Rookie left tackle Brandon Coleman surrendered two of the Eagles’ three sacks.

McLaurin is on pace for the best season of his career, but Eagles rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and the Philadelphia secondary held Washington’s top receiver to 10 yards on one reception. The first of McLaurin’s two goals came with 11:11 remaining in the third quarter.

“It happens,” McLaurin said. “I can only control what I can do, and I will continue to focus on that.”

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Daniels hasn’t been his playmaking self since the Hail Mary win over the Chicago Bears, which came a week after a rib injury. Through weeks 8 through 10, the early-season rookie who led the league in completion percentage has completed 56.4 percent of his attempts.

Suffering a cut on his throwing hand, which required super glue to close the wound, didn’t help, although Daniels denied that the injuries – including the ribs – affected his performance.

Late-game production, trailing 26-10, helped Daniels finish 22 of 32 for 191 yards and one touchdown. His third interception of the season followed Barkley’s first touchdown run and led to the second of the night for the two-time Pro Bowl running back, who finished 198 yards from scrimmage.

“I have to play better,” the stand-up rookie said. “There are some pitches I definitely want back. I think we all just need to look at ourselves in the mirror and say, ‘How can we be better in the future?’

Taking all that evidence into account and knowing that Eagles kicker Jake Elliott had missed two field goals and an extra point, Quinn opted for the bold. He kept kicker Zane Gonzalez on the sideline instead of attempting a 43-yarder with 8:01 left in the game. In place of the injured Austin Seibert, Gonzalez had already scored one of 45.

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s play call seemed to set Daniels in motion. The result was messy across the board.

BAUN TRIP😏@zackbizzun | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/oNVxwYBR3h

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 15, 2024

Daniels said center Tyler Biadasz’s delayed snap was a result of the quarterback “having to be louder with the cadence.” On the bumpy snap, several linemen went to the right. Right guard Sam Cosmi turned left.

The open lane allowed penetration by Eagles tackle Jalen Carter, forcing Daniels to make a wider turn. As he approached the sideline, defenders were waiting. Washington is now 12 of 14 on fourth-down attempts this season.

Daniels later threw a touchdown pass to ex-Eagle Zach Ertz and Washington converted the two-point conversion, but playing that drive slowly left little time on the clock.

As the team retreated to the locker room, questions arose about what had gone wrong and how the problems could be resolved. Daniels acknowledged that he couldn’t get much out of the situation.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had a two-game losing streak,” he said, “but I know it’s ups and downs, and you have to learn different things during the rookie year. You have to go through some things. You have to go through setbacks. It’s how you respond. So, you know, I feel like we’re going to respond great, rest up and get back to it.

Unlike his quarterback, Quinn knows those downs are part of a team’s journey. The good ones find their way out. Washington will have a short break and then return to shed light on the issues.

“A game like this takes you through the resilience,” Quinn said. “And I’d like to say the season will go smoothly, but you know, the setbacks come and hit.”

(Photo: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)