Commanders WR Terry McLaurin said it best after loss to Cowboys

The Washington Commanders entered Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys as 10.5-point favorites. For the first time in years, Washington had the better team between the two longtime rivals.

Yet, somehow, the Commanders looked nothing like the team that put the NFL on notice through nine weeks and played their worst game of the season in a 34-26 loss. It was Washington’s third consecutive loss.

It was an embarrassing performance for the Commanders, who made mistakes in all three phases. They turned the ball over three times on offense, and failed to consistently move the ball until late in the fourth quarter.

The defense allowed a beat-up Dallas offense full of backups to have too much success. And then there were the special teams. It was an epic performance from Washington’s special-teams units, not in a good way.

After the game, Commanders WR Terry McLaurin spoke to the media and said Washington’s failure to play complementary football cost them against the Cowboys.

“We just didn’t play our best,” McLaurin said. “We didn’t play complimentary football. When you’re playing division games it’s going to come down to the four quarters. We knew that going into the game. We didn’t underestimate them at all, but it’s just unfortunate when you can’t help each other on offense, helping out on the defense.”

McLaurin is correct. This team still hasn’t gotten all three phases on the same page consistently. Yes, there have been flashes, but recently, if the offense struggles, the defense plays well. Early in the year, it was the offense carrying the team. Lately, the defense has improved and the offense is regressing.

On Sunday, special teams reared its ugly head.

When quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Commanders on a 60-yard touchdown drive to begin the second half, it looked as if Washington’s offense had woken up. Unfortunately, kicker Austin Seibert missed the extra point, and the Cowboys immediately scored their first touchdown of the day to take a 10-9 lead, and they’d never look back.

Just before halftime, Benjamin St-Juste allowed the Cowboys a 41-yard reception to put them in position for a field goal to put Dallas on the board.

It was one of those days.

“They were doing a great job, and we just really couldn’t get it going,” McLaurin said. “We have to find a way to start faster and stay in the drives. That’s everybody, our whole coaching staff and offensive players, going out there and figuring out ways that we can stay on the field and help the defense and vice versa, all of us.”

As usual, McLaurin is correct.

Now, the Commanders must get ready for the Tennessee Titans next week before finally getting to their bye week in Week 14.