Commanders Quarterback BLAMES Key Factor for Shocking Preseason Loss vs. Patriots, Reveals Who’s Really Responsible for the Crushing Defeat

From start to finish, the Washington Commanders were outplayed in their preseason opener against the New England Patriots on Friday night. Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and the Patriots never looked back on their way to a resounding 48-18 victory over the Commanders.

Of course, it’s worth noting that Washington didn’t play their starters in this game, but it’s never fun getting blown out, even if it is in a preseason game. After the contest, quarterback Sam Hartman revealed who he believes must shoulder the blame for this loss, which will surely catch the attention of fans everywhere.

Sam Hartman Blames Himself for Commanders’ Blowout Loss

With neither Jayden Daniels nor Marcus Mariota playing for Washington in this game, Hartman drew the start against the Patriots. After spending the 2024 campaign with the team on their practice squad, Hartman was given a shot to take command of the offense in this game, but like the rest of his team, he struggled from the get-go.

Hartman played the entire first half, throwing for 64 yards and an interception, while also picking up six yards on his lone carry. Simply put, it was an ugly showing from Hartman, as he had more incompletions (10) than completions (nine). With the veteran Josh Johnson coming in and throwing for 173 yards and a touchdown in the second half, it’s fair to wonder if Hartman’s standing on the roster will be impacted by this contest.

After the game, though, Hartman made it clear that he was not going to hide from his poor performance against New England. He placed the blame for the Commanders’ loss solely on his shoulders, saying he needs to be better if he wants to rest of the team to go out and perform at a high level as well.

“As a quarterback, you want to see a win, see good results, and so you take it as a responsibility that the mistakes and everything are just kind of on you,” Hartman said after the team’s rough preseason opener.

What Does Sam Hartman’s Future with the Commanders Look Like?

GettyWashington Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman.

Washington has a pretty good thing going at quarterback with Daniels and Mariota, so sticking around on the 53-man roster remains a tough task for Hartman, especially with this poor preseason performance in the books. He certainly has potential, but with the team investing heavily in Daniels as their quarterback of the future, they aren’t going to use a roster spot on Hartman if they don’t have to.

Hartman could always stick around on the practice squad, which appears to be his best shot at remaining with the team. In order for him to have a future with Washington, though, he’s going to need to play better in their remaining preseason contests. He will look to put together a good week of practice before the Commanders take on the Baltimore Ravens later this week, with that game being scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23, at noon ET.