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Washington Post (paywall)
In rout by Lions, Commanders can’t stop anything — including their skid
Depleted Washington loses its fifth in a row, 44-22, and looks as hapless as ever on defense in the process.
The play encapsulated what has been a miserable season for the Washington
Commanders. Just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Washington’s defense crumbled — literally and figuratively — again in a lopsided 44-22 loss to the Lions on Sunday. Without quarterback Jayden Daniels (dislocated elbow) and Terry McLaurin (quadriceps), the Commanders’ offense couldn’t keep up. The rematch of last year’s divisional-round matchup was pretty much over by halftime.
Washington’s defensive staff changed the structure of its meetings, added more walk-through time, had players listen to voice-overs breaking down plays and tasked them with homework assignments. The hope was that all would lead to improved play.
None of it made a difference because the defense couldn’t slow down the Lions. Washington allowed 546 total yards, 8.0 yards per play and 30 first downs.
This came 10 months after the Commanders forced five turnovers in their playoff upset in Detroit.
Commanders.com
Instant analysis | Commanders drop 5th straight with 44-22 loss to Lions
Jahmyr Gibbs weaved through Washington Commanders defenders before breaking loose down the right sideline.
The 44-yard touchdown — Gibbs’ third of the night — was the punctuation mark on what was a frustrating night for the Burgundy & Gold. The Commanders needed a complete game to compete with the Lions’ high-powered offense, but while there were spurts of success that helped keep things manageable for two quarters, a mixture of mistakes and injuries ultimately served as their undoing in a 44-22 loss — their fifth consecutive defeat after starting the year 3-2.
Heavy.com
Zach Ertz : One of Mariota’s favorite targets
Ertz recorded four receptions on five targets for 54 yards in Sunday’s 44-22 loss to the Lions. Ertz was among Marcus Mariota’s favorite targets, tying for the team lead in both targets and receptions while finishing second in yardage. He accounted for most of his production with the Commanders chasing the score, including long catches of 30 and 12 yards. This was Ertz’s best performance with Mariota under center, though he’ll head into a potentially high-scoring matchup against the Dolphins in Week 11.
ESPN
Commanders’ Daron Payne ejected for throwing punch vs. Lions
Washington defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw said after the game that St. Brown had punched Payne.
“Yeah for sure, and they (saw it), too,” Kinlaw said of the refs. “It’s some bulls—- . 100 percent.
“Daron retaliated. The refs literally saw the first punch. I don’t blame him for the way he reacted. Tempers got to flaring.”
St. Brown told reporters after he game that “two plays before that we got into a little scuffle, back and forth. Then we end up scoring and I go up to him. I say a little something, nothing crazy, and then he decides to swing on me.”
Washington’s defense has struggled all season — in the past four weeks, the Commanders ranked 31st in the NFL in both yards and points allowed — but its main strength was the interior of the defensive line led by Payne and Kinlaw. Payne’s five tackles for a loss are third on the team.
Kinlaw earned an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty one play after Payne’s ejection following the conversion.
Washington safety Quan Martin also was flagged on the next drive for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that he said was unwarranted.
“I’m not sure why I was flagged,” Martin said. “I was pulled to the ground, kicked in the nuts and it was a flag on me. You could tell I was upset from being kicked in the nuts, intentionally, right in front of the refs.”
ESPN
NFL Week 10: Biggest questions, takeaways for every game
Commanders
When will the losing streak end? According to ESPN Research this is the second time in franchise history that Washington has lost four straight by 20+ points (1954). It’s also the most points they’ve allowed over a four-game stretch since 1954. Injuries and ineffective play have wrecked them. They have a chance to end the streak next Sunday against 3-7 Miami, but the Dolphins just upset the Bills. The Commanders still have games left versus Denver, at Minnesota and versus Philadelphia (twice). They should get help on offense if and when receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown return from injury. That could provide the boost they need against the 2-8 Giants (away on Dec. 14) or 3-5-1 Cowboys (home on Dec. 25). But the schedule looks bleak the rest of the way.
Stat to know: 8.8 yards per play. That’s what Detroit’s starting offense averaged before quarterback Jared Goff was pulled with 6:56 left in the game. That’s the most Washington’s defense has allowed since Nov. 30, 2014, when the Colts averaged 9.9 yards per play. On Sunday, the Lions gained 546 yards overall. — John Keim
Next game: vs. Dolphins in Madrid (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
NFL.com
NFL Week 10 takeaways: What We Learned from Sunday’s 12 games
Commanders might not be in spot that makes sense for Daniels’ return. The news following Jayden Daniels’ elbow was about as positive as it could be. He won’t need surgery, isn’t expected to go on injured reserve and will be re-evaluated following the team’s Week 12 bye. The only problem is the situation the Commanders might be staring at when it comes time to weigh Daniels’ return.
They are now 3-7, above only the Saints and Giants in the conference. Backup Marcus Mariota hung tough against Detroit, but it wasn’t enough to even create the mirage of a close contest. No one has emerged in the running back room and the wide receiver position is so depleted that recent addition Treylon Burks led the team with 58 receiving yards.
Washington’s defense allowed Detroit to score at will, helpless to stop Jared Goff’s passing operation or the dynamic duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The Lions had 289 total yards by halftime and coasted to 546 by game’s end, over 100 yards more than Washington had given up (435) in a game this season.
How willing should the Commanders be to put Daniels, who has now missed time this year due to hamstring, knee and elbow injuries, back in harm’s way? Winning out from Week 13 onward wouldn’t guarantee playoffs, considering the strength of the NFC.
Washington Post (paywall)
Jayden Daniels has never faced football adversity like this
The Commanders quarterback had spent his career avoiding getting hurt. The inherent violence of the NFL changed that in his second season.
ESPN analyst Herm Edwards, who coached Daniels at Arizona State, knew that last question would be coming.
“That’s the first thing people are going to say,” he said with a sigh. “And I get it. But the guy’s been playing football his whole life, and he doesn’t miss a lot [of games]. He’s just had one of those seasons so far, you know?”
Daniels’s track record going back to high school backs that up. Despite long-standing concerns about his slight frame, the 24-year-old rarely has been sidelined by injury. He has missed more starts because of injury this season (three) than he had in his nine previous years of football combined (one).
Daniels has not been made available to speak with reporters since he suffered the elbow injury, but he was seen smiling and talking with injured wideout Terry McLaurin as they walked out of the team’s practice facility Friday. A person close to the quarterback, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose private conversations, said Daniels remains “in good spirits” and has been a constant presence at the team facility, still arriving at 6 a.m. and participating in meetings.
Yet Daniels also has privately acknowledged that, given his injuries and Washington’s losses, the adversity of this season has been unlike anything he has dealt with in football. Before 2025, every team he had quarterbacked since his high school days finished .500 or better.
“He hates to lose, and he hates not playing,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said. “So that’s a tough combination for him.”
Riggo’s Rag
Dan Campbell’s postgame quote embarrassed Dan Quinn without even trying
As if the game wasn’t embarrassing enough, these comments from Campbell are absolutely disheartening for Washington. Of course, the head coach wasn’t saying it to disrespect the Commanders, he was just trying to accurately detail his experience in the game as Detroit’s offensive play caller. Campbell’s truth is that he felt like anything would’ve worked, and that looked to be the case on the field as well.
Riggo’s Rag
Commanders are reluctant to take the training wheels off Kain Medrano
There was no sign of sixth-round rookie Kain Medrano in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions. He was a healthy scratch once again. Considering the complications being endured by the linebackers and safeties this season, the fact that he is not getting an opportunity to shine speaks volumes.
Medrano became Washington’s final selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Most fans thought general manager Adam Peters would take a developmental edge rusher, but the UCLA product’s athleticism was too tempting to ignore. He made the 53-man roster as expected, but it’s clear he has a lot of hard work ahead of him to improve his chances of involvement.
The athleticism is absolutely off the charts. Medrano’s numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine were sensational, but to say he is raw technically would be an understatement. There is also a question of where he is best suited. Is he an off-ball linebacker, or would his skills be more beneficial in the secondary?
This is an awful lot like the Commanders’ decision to draft Dominique Hampton in 2024. He spent a season as a healthy scratch more often than not, and he was released before his second campaign. It appears as if Medrano is on a similar trajectory.
Riggo’s Rag
Commanders need to fire Joe Whitt yesterday after Week 10 debacle
Everything has been done. All the cards have been played. There is nothing left for Quinn to do but remove Whitt from the equation.
It’s not ideal. The pair developed a close working relationship on the Dallas Cowboys, and there is a deep mutual respect. At the same time, this is starting to reflect poorly on the head coach’s leadership, and that is a massive problem with much graver ramifications attached.
The Commanders have one more game before their bye week, an international clash with the Miami Dolphins in Spain. The time constraints alone might dictate that Whitt remains in post. But make no mistake, Washington’s extended rest period in Week 12 should be the end.
The players are demoralized, waving the white flag as Detroit ran riot. They were the latest in a long line of teams that have had their way with the Commanders’ defense this season.
Podcasts & videos
Daron Payne EJECTED in Total Collapse; Mariota’s Offense Shows Life in Lions Loss
NFC East links
Blogging the Boys
The Cowboys put a ‘poison pill’ in the Micah Parsons deal
The Cowboys really did not want Micah Parsons back in the NFC East.
Unbeknownst to everyone except the few who crafted the August blockbuster trade that sent Parsons from Dallas to Green Bay was a “poison pill” condition that, according to sources involved with the deal, prevents the two-time All-Pro from playing for Philadelphia in the immediate future.
The previously unreported condition states that if the Packers decide to trade Parsons to a team in the NFC East — the Eagles tried to trade for him last summer before being rebuffed — then Green Bay would owe Dallas its 2028 first-round draft pick, sources involved in the trade told ESPN.
The front office is not naive to the impact Parsons could have on a game. They watched him wreck shop for their defense for four seasons. Even when facing the Packers this season, the Cowboys could have won the game if not for Parsons chasing Dak Prescott down in the red zone at the end of the game.
If Parsons were dealt within the division, that would mean Dallas would be matched up against their former All-Pro twice a year in the regular season, and then potentially in the playoffs. The language was not just for the Eagles, but for the entire NFC East. Schefter also says that “the poison pill conditions apply to this season and 2026, according to sources, meaning the Packers don’t have a clear path to trade Parsons to another NFC East team until 2027 at the earliest.”
Conversely, the Packers front office made sure to include the same “poison pill” language for defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who cannot be traded from Dallas to any team in the NFC North. Otherwise, the Cowboys would surrender their 2028 first-round pick.
The reason this information came to light after no one discussed it publicly since the Parsons trade went down this summer is that the Cowboys traded for Quinnen Williams and gave up a 2027 first-round draft pick. There was specific language attached to their 2028 first-round pick stating that it cannot be traded due to the poison-pill conditions.
Bleeding Green Nation
Jaire Alexander will not travel to Green Bay with the Eagles
The Eagles’ latest CB addition won’t get the opportunity to face off against his former team on Monday night.
The Eagles are heading to Green Bay on Sunday for their Monday night game against the Packers, but their newly acquired cornerback, Jaire Alexander, won’t be traveling to face off against his former team. The team announced the decision, citing a knee injury/coaches decision for keeping Alexander in Philadelphia.
While it was nice that the Eagles traded for Alexander during the bye week, those extra few days weren’t enough for the CB to be ready to take the field. Reports suggest that this decision was made to give him more time to get caught up to speed with the new defense and give his knee more time to heal.
Big Blue View
Giants-Bears instant grades: Once again, Giants fail to protect a lead
The New York Giants seem to find their way into the most creative losses in sports. This team cannot finish; it is unable to make clutch plays, and coach Brian Daboll’s cautious approach bit the team in the rear end once again. The Giants kicked a 19-yard field goal with 10:19 left in the fourth quarter to go up 20-10.
Predictably, with this iteration of the Giants, the Bears remembered how to play football and scored 14 points on their final two drives, defeating the Giants, 24-20. Another catastrophic meltdown. It’s inexcusable at this point.
Excuses will include Dart’s injury; is it viable to a certain extent – sure – but what is one to expect when the team’s rushing attack is the quarterback? Injuries are bound to happen with that approach. The Giants’ offense is uber conservative anytime Russell Wilson is behind center. Jameis Winston should receive future looks in future situations. Here are the grades from the game.
Quarterback
Dart left the game with a concussion. Russell Wilson relieved Dart and led a field goal drive. Wilson did valiantly attempt with his legs on third down from the 4-yard line, but was thrown to the deck by a Bears’ defensive lineman; the Giants kicked a 19-yard field goal.
Wilson looks so uncomfortable when he’s the signal caller. Every time Dart has left play, Wilson has looked overmatched.
Upcoming opponent
The Phinsider
Bills vs. Dolphins final score, immediate reaction: Miami dominates division rivals
The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills met for the second time this year, finishing their annual home-and-home series between the two AFC East rivals. Buffalo won the first meeting back in Week 3, continuing a streak of dominating the Dolphins in seven-straight wins.
But it was the Dolphins who came out dominating on Sunday. Despite starting the game with an interception, Miami controlled the game for all 60 minutes, scoring first and scoring often as the routed the Bills.
Buffalo never looked comfortable in the game, with Miami’s defense forcing three turnovers and sacking quarterback Josh Allen three times. The Dolphins smacked their rivals in the mouth and the Bills, who have won the AFC East each of the last five seasons, did not have an answer on Sunday.
Final score: Bills 13 – 30 Dolphins
NFL league links
Articles
Front Office Sports
Paul Tagliabue, Who Oversaw Massive Growth of NFL, Dies at 84
Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue died Sunday from heart failure, leaving an extensive and complex legacy as one of the most influential figures in league history. He was 84.
Tagliabue held the NFL’s top position from 1989 to 2006, overseeing a period in which the league built and and then immutably solidified its position as by far the top entity in all of North American pro sports.
Discussion topics
The Athletic (paywall)
When Giants’ Jaxson Dart exited loss vs. Bears, he took Brian Daboll’s job with him
The last time the New York Giants played a game in Chicago, Joe Judge all but ended his own coaching career. Brian Daboll’s head-coaching tenure could meet the same fate four years later in the same spot.
Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Bears was the Giants’ third fourth-quarter collapse of the season. It’s the newest low point in a season that keeps sinking to new depths.
Daboll kept his postgame news conference answers typically brief on Sunday, but the product on the field was so much worse than even the Judge days. Daboll has a .185 winning percentage over the past two seasons.
Dart represented Daboll’s last chance to save his job, and the coach has acted accordingly. That has mostly produced promising results, but there has been a caveat to Dart’s early success: He was taking too many hits.
Daboll was finally burned by playing with fire with Dart’s health. The quarterback left Sunday’s game with a concussion between the third and fourth quarters after Daboll said he alerted trainers that Dart, “just didn’t seem right.”
Managing Dart’s rushing ability has always been a fine line, but Daboll has shown no interest in toeing it. Dart had five designed runs for 62 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. That success was too intoxicating for Daboll to consider the potential for injury for the 6-foot-2, 223-pound Dart.
Dart’s 25 designed runs are the most among quarterbacks despite him not taking over as the starter until Week 4. There was no way of knowing what hit would be the one to get Dart injured, but there was mounting evidence that he was taking too much of a beating. Sunday was his third concussion evaluation in seven starts (he had a fourth in one of his preseason appearances), and he also has dealt with ankle and hamstring injuries.
“I’m concerned for the kid,” Daboll said.
Judge survived another week after his meltdown in Chicago, sealing his fate with ill-conceived quarterback sneaks in an embarrassing loss to the Washington Commanders in the season finale.
Giants ownership has mostly resisted in-season firings. But another collapse paired with Dart’s injury could spur action. Even if Daboll survives the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s debacle, Chicago will once again be the place a Giants’ coaching tenure ended.
