The Washington Commanders are one of the NFL’s most aggressive — and most successful — teams on fourth down. On a down most teams would opt to punt the ball, the Commanders like to dial things up in an attempt to extend their drives.
In fact, the Commanders went 20-for-23 on fourth downs in the regular season, with a NFL-leading conversion rate of 87 percent. It’s a statistic that is pretty bonkers on its own, but it’s one that leads the NFL all-time for a team with over 10 attempts in a season.
But why do the Commanders go for it so often? Well, according to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, Washington weighs the risks and executes in accordance to their aggressive strategy.
“We’re going to be bold, but not reckless. I think that’s who we are, the whole season. When you do get stopped early, you just have to stay the course, knowing that, Hey, keep your chin tucked and keep swinging, knowing that this is going to be a game that’s going to go all the way down to the end.”
