Dan Quinn: You have to work hard to develop an identity

The Bears were able to overcome a bad day for first-round pick Caleb Williams and the offense to win in Week One, but second-round pick Jayden Daniels and the Commanders could not.

Daniels ran for two touchdowns, but the offense couldn’t score consistently and Washington’s defense was shredded by Baker Mayfield in the Buccaneers’ 37-20 win. It wasn’t the result the team hoped for from Dan Quinn’s debut as head coach, but Quinn was able to use the tough outing as a learning experience that will help the team in the future.

“You need the fight to see the identity develop – you don’t want it, but you need it,” Quinn said, via Ben Standig of TheAthletic.com. “That part is tough. That battle happened tonight.”

Daniels has shown why he’s central to whatever identity the team wants to build, but Quinn and Co. must look for ways to ensure he stays on the field long-term. Daniels was hit hard while running and lost his helmet multiple times, including on a run late in the fourth quarter when the game was still unwinnable. The Commanders must balance the benefits of having Daniels running the ball with plays that ensure he can stay on the roster all season, or the battle will look a lot worse than it did on Sunday.