“Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.”
I don’t know who first said it or wrote it, but the Washington Commanders certainly reminded me of this quote very early in Saturday’s road game against the San Francisco 49ers.
On the third offensive snap of the game, the Commanders broke the huddle and came to the line of scrimmage, their own 21, facing a 3rd & 6. The snap to Taylor Heinicke was low, at his shoelaces, yet he was able to control without difficulty.
Heinicke first looked left, then back to his right and deep. He delivered his pass to the 49ers 45-yard line where Jahan Dotson was breaking on a post pattern. The pass was behind Dotson who was being guarded closely by the 49ers Deommodore Lenoir.
Lenoir entirely overran the ball, but Dotson having made visual contact with the ball earlier, knew to stop sooner, and suddenly the ball bounced off of his hands, and he kicked the ball in disgust with himself. Even Logan Thomas came over and topped Dotson on the top of the helmet.
Lenoir’s momentum had carried him five yards further inside the field than Dotson who, had he made the catch, there is no reason to believe he would not have scored an easy touchdown on the play. Wouldn’t it have been nice for the Commanders to have captured an early 7-0 lead after only three snaps from scrimmage?
On the Commanders third offensive possession and the game still scoreless, Washington started at their own 15-yard line and found themselves after 15 plays facing a 3rd & goal from the one.
Heinicke handed to Brian Robinson Jr to go behind the left tackle. However, right guard Trai Turner allowed inside penetration which made contact with Robinson and slowed him, and he was too erect losing all leverage when he arrived at the line of scrimmage.
On fourth down, Heinicke turned to his left, and handed to Antonio Gibson who headed behind center Wes Schweitzer and Turner. However rather than getting low to bull his way into the end zone, Gibson appeared to hesitate, then attempt a late leap, he too losing any leverage or force at contact.
Following a 37-20 loss to the 49ers, it may be hard to recall, but the Commanders actually had the opportunity lying before them to be up 14-0. Know one knows how 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy would have responded to being down 14 points.
However, this is the Commanders in summary. Perhaps they are only an average team (7-7-1) because, for one reason, they simply don’t know how to seize the opportunity, such as the two opportunities they were presented early against the 49ers.