Some nights in the NFL are all about the scoreboard, while others are filled with chaos on the sidelines. Sunday definitely fell into the latter category. The Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders were in a fierce, physical battle. And just when fans thought they’d seen it all, Commanders HC Dan Quinn became the unexpected center of attention—bloodied, dazed, and staring down his own QB.

This all went down late in the first half. Raiders’ Tristin McCollum pushed Marcus Mariota as he was trying to gain a few yards, but Mariota ended up running out of bounds right into Quinn, who was standing close to the sideline. The collision was intense. Quinn took the full force of Mariota’s momentum, his head snapping back as he hit the ground. Blood started pouring from a cut on the bridge of his nose. Teammates, staff, and even rival coaches rushed over, but Quinn waved them off, insisting he was alright.

Despite the dramatic scene, Quinn managed to stay on the field, even watching Matt Gay nail a 56-yard field goal to close the half. During a sideline interview with Fox Sports’ Jen Hale, he shrugged it off: “I’m OK. Everything’s good. Just gonna be this kinda day where it’s a physical game, back and forth, and that’s what we expected coming in.” He cleaned up at halftime, returned to the bench with a less bloody face, and used the hit to motivate his team. 

And Quinn isn’t the only coach dealing with injuries in 2025. Sean McVay has his own battle scar. Last week in Los Angeles, Rams coach Sean McVay suffered a torn plantar fascia in his left foot during Week 2’s 33–19 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Despite the injury, the 39-year-old coach says he’s feeling “good” and plans to be on the sidelines for Rams vs Eagles.

So far, 2025 has been a season where coaches aren’t just directing hits—they’re taking them too. Quinn and McVay prove that in the NFL, the sidelines can be just as dangerous as the field.

Injuries and mistakes overshadow the Commanders’ early fight vs the Raiders

The Washington Commanders entered Sunday’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders looking for a reset. Last week’s loss to the Packers cost them three players to IR, including starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. That opened the door for veteran Marcus Mariota, making his first start since 2022. 

Fans were excited to see their backup quarterback, Mariota. Even analysts like Locked On Commanders host David Harrison insisted this was the kind of game Washington had to win to prove itself as a contender.

However, the first half was anything but smooth. Mariota had his moments, but Washington’s ongoing kicking struggles reared their ugly head again. Matt Gay, who was brought in this offseason with a hefty contract to fix the kicking woes, missed a 37-yard field goal attempt. This was just the latest in a series of shaky performances he’s had since the start of the season. You could feel the crowd’s frustration building.

Now, the Commanders’ front office is faced with a pressing dilemma. Gay’s contract complicates things, but there are options like the recently released Younghoe Koo on the table. Gay did manage to redeem himself with a successful kick later on, but the pressure is far from lifted. With playoff aspirations on the line, the Commanders can’t afford any more slip-ups.

On the other side, the Raiders rolled into Northwest Stadium under the guidance of their new head coach, Pete Carroll. Geno Smith, looking to bounce back from a rough game where he threw three interceptions, was eager to prove himself. Both teams were sitting at 1–1, but only one would walk away with the momentum they desperately needed.