Broncos backup quarterback Chris Simms was unable to lead the Broncos to any second-half points against the Redskins. He completed 3-of-13 passes for 13 yards, with an interception.
"I would love for him to have played better, but I think there are some other things that happened during the course of the second half that affected his play or would have affected Kyle's play," McDaniels said. "We got into some long-yardage situations. We obviously had two 2-minute drives at the end. We're behind and we have to throw, and they know it and they're pass-rushing us.
"The game plan was not necessarily designed to have a bunch of drop-back passes where we just stand there in a gun like a sitting duck and let them come after us."