Hoping to extend their winning streak, the Washington Commanders came up short on Sunday, losing 30-23 to the Baltimore Ravens in the highly anticipated ‘Battle of the Beltway.’ It’s hard not to feel defeated after such a hard-fought battle, but head coach Dan Quinn offers s a different perspective, saying, “We try to take the lessons that are applied to us. What are we going to take away from this game?”
Two of the Commanders biggest challenges on defense came from Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers and running back Derrick Henry. Ravens defense stalled the Commanders offensive momentum which gave the Ravens chances to capitalize. Quinn's words couldn’t ring more true: “I think there are some specific things that we can get better at, a lot better at from this game. That’s what I expect us to do.”
Injuries also played a significant role in today’s defeat. Dorance Armstrong went down with a rib injury not returning for Sunday’s game. “Different guys had to step up,” Quinn noted. For Washington the cohesion just wasn’t there today, so the team struggled to maintain rhythm on both sides of the ball.
But it wasn’t just penalties and injuries, the mental game became a hurdle as well. Quinn highlighted the importance of keeping composure during difficult moments: “There were some guys going down, some injuries, some penalties on third down, [and] when that happens, you’ve got to go attack the next series. So even in the hardest of drives, goes the long one, they get a penalty. You can’t let that deflate you into the next drive.” Unfortunately for Washington, the long Ravens drives combined with mistakes seemed to deflate the Commanders, leading to missed chances when it mattered most.
Despite the loss, Quinn's words point to the bigger picture. It's about learning from each game, correcting mistakes, and improving as the season progresses. "You want to get better in every game," Quinn said, and for the Commanders, the path forward is all about turning those lessons into future wins.
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