The Washington Commanders are willing to try anything to fix their issues on defense after allowing the Seattle Seahawks to hang 38 points on them, marking the fifth time this season they have allowed at least 25 points.

For defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., that means getting closer to the action.

Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed on Monday that Whitt will move down to the field to call the defensive plays for the Commanders' Week 10 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Whitt, who normally calls plays from the press box, said he approached Quinn with the idea, as some of the team's defensive players had asked if he could move to the field.

The hope is that the move will both provide the unit with more energy from the sideline and help expedite any adjustments Whitt may need to make midgame.

"I think it's time for that to happen," Whitt said. "We gotta do whatever we have to do to get a win."

Washington's defensive performances over the last month, particularly in the Week 9 loss to the Seahawks, "have not been up to the standard at all," Whitt said. The unit, which had issues during the 2024 season but still managed to hold offenses at bay, has slipped in almost every metric in 2025, as it ranks near the bottom in average yards allowed per game (28th), passing defense (29th) and points allowed per game (22nd). They have also struggled to create turnovers and are tied for the third fewest in the league.

The Commanders believe moving Whitt to the field can help improve at least some of those numbers, although it will come at the cost of certain advantages. Most of the defensive coordinators that Whitt has coached with, from Quinn himself to Mike Pettine, have all called plays from the box because the vantage point allowed them to get a better view of the field and make better personnel decisions.

But with the Commanders allowing 110 points in the last three weeks, Whitt is willing to sacrifice that advantage if it means his unit can play better. The blame for how the defense has drooped this season, he said, starts with him.

"I gotta do a better job getting the coaches to get the players to understand how we're going to do it," Whitt said. "And we gotta get this thing turned. We gotta get it turned right now."

The change is the latest in a series of adjustments the Commanders have made to try and improve the defense. They have added more walkthroughs and asked the players to do more voiceovers so they can get a better grasp of the calls. The players have homework assignments so they can better execute the defensive concepts on the field.

In addition to all that, the Commanders also simplified some of their defensive calls to help players avoid confusion, play faster and execute more decisively. It seems like that endeavor is still a work in progress, as an impressive first half against the Kansas City Chiefs, during which the unit held the Chiefs to seven points and forced two turnovers, was followed by 21 unanswered points in the second half of that game and 28 unanswered points against the Seahawks.

All the changes are the result of the Commanders' defense having the same issues pop up every week, particularly in allowing explosive plays. Three of the Seahawks' first four touchdowns came on plays of at least 25 yards, resulting in a 28-0 deficit before the end of the first half. Some of those plays come from communication issues -- another problem for the unit -- which the Commanders are determined to fix.

"The amount of explosives that we're giving up in the pass game is really frustrating, because they're coming from mistakes that really shouldn't happen, and I gotta do a better job, or we gotta do a better job of getting that communicated," Whitt said.

Quinn believes exchanging the advantage of seeing the field better for Whitt being able to directly communicate with players is worth it.

"Joe's obviously an excellent communicator and teacher, and so when a play comes in and you need to go get it corrected right away, you can get right to it," Quinn said. "And so, for him being down on the field, we just felt like it's a change that needs to be made and get into that space and may not be forever, but that's what we need at the moment."

The change comes at a time when the Commanders need to alter their course if they want to get back into the playoff hunt. While they are technically not eliminated, their path to the postseason has narrowed significantly with several quality opponents ahead of them. The Lions, fresh off a loss to the Minnesota Vikings and fighting for the top spot in the NFC North, are up next. Whitt knows the Lions possess a potent offense that boasts both speed and versatility -- two areas that have caused the Commanders trouble in the past.

And the Commanders know their defense has to change in order to give themselves a chance.

"You have to adjust," Whitt said. "You can't just keep doing and giving up things."