The Washington Commanders entered preseason action hoping to build momentum, test depth, and give their fan base a glimpse of promise. Instead, they walked away from a lopsided blowout loss with more questions than answers. While the final score technically won’t count in the standings, the performance on the field painted a concerning picture — and one the Commanders can’t afford to ignore.
From the opening kickoff, Washington looked out of sync. The offensive line struggled to protect the quarterback, resulting in rushed throws, stalled drives, and far too many three-and-outs. On defense, missed tackles and blown coverages allowed the opposition to move the ball almost at will. Even special teams had lapses, including poor coverage on returns and shaky execution on field goals.
It’s tempting to dismiss preseason struggles as “just getting reps,” but certain issues transcend the exhibition label. Protection breakdowns, lack of communication in the secondary, and a general absence of urgency are red flags that often carry over into the regular season if left unchecked.
Head coach Dan Quinn will need to address these problems immediately. Whether it’s reshuffling the offensive line, simplifying defensive schemes, or demanding sharper execution from veterans, adjustments must be swift. Preseason is about ironing out wrinkles, but the Commanders aren’t dealing with wrinkles — they’re facing fundamental breakdowns.
The silver lining? There’s still time. Several starters didn’t see much action, and young players gained valuable snaps under game conditions. If Washington can clean up the mental errors, reestablish rhythm on offense, and tighten its defensive discipline, this blowout can be written off as an early-season wake-up call rather than a warning sign.
Still, the NFL waits for no one. The Commanders open the regular season against opponents that will test their toughness from the start. If the lessons from this loss aren’t applied quickly, what happened in preseason could be a preview of much tougher Sundays ahead.
For now, the urgency is clear: fix it fast, or the season could unravel before it even begins.
