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Commanders receive positive injury update on CB Marshon Lattimore
[A]t different points in the game, cornerbacks Trey Amos and Marshon Lattimore, and wide receiver Terry McLaurin departed with injuries. None returned.
After the game, it was unclear the severity
of those injuries because Washington was so far ahead of the Raiders that it made no sense for the injured players to re-enter the game after being checked out by medical. On Monday, head coach Dan Quinn met with the media and had one positive update: Lattimore cleared concussion protocol.
As far as the other injuries, Quinn was under no [obligation] to provide any updates on Monday.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of questions regarding injuries and updates that on Wednesday. I’ll be better qualified to fill you in on where we’re at in the assessments from there. But I am more than pumped to talk about the game and what’s ahead.”
Essentially, Quinn said we’ll have to wait for the week’s first injury report. The Commanders face the Atlanta Falcons on the road in Week 4. It will be Quinn’s first game back in Atlanta since he was fired as head coach early in the 2020 season. Washington defeated Atlanta last season, but the game was in Landover.
Quinn did offer somewhat of an update on Daniels, calling him “day to day.” If Daniels sits out another week, Marcus Mariota gets a second start. Mariota also has an interesting history with the Falcons.
ESPN
Commanders’ offense remains prolific even without Jayden Daniels
Jayden Daniels’ importance to the Washington Commanders has never been in question. His dynamic ability powered the offense a year ago and remains a central reason for high expectations this season.
But this also isn’t in question: The offense can work well without him. Three teams have already discovered that since the start of last season, with the Las Vegas Raiders being the latest. Washington is 3-0 in those games, and Sunday provided a look as to how it can get it done minus Daniels, using an all-around effort to produce a lopsided win.
With Daniels sidelined by a knee injury for Washington’s 41-24 win Sunday, the Commanders gained 400 yards and scored 34 points on offense — with another seven coming on a punt return.
This from an offense also missing its top blocking tight end in John Bates and No. 3 receiver Noah Brown, both out with groin injuries. Kingsbury compensated for Brown by using backup offensive tackle Trent Scott as a second or third tight end on 19 snaps.
When you’re able to play a complete game like that in all three phases, it makes this team hard to stop.
No matter who’s at quarterback.
Washington Post (paywall)
The Commanders’ defensive front proved it can take over a game
Washington was gashed in its Week 2 loss at Green Bay but responded with an emphatic performance Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Washington manhandled the Raiders’ offensive line both in the passing and running games.
The performance was difficult to foresee. Although the Commanders were solid against the run through two games, their pass rush was clearly lacking. That made life more difficult for their struggling secondary, which got continuously gashed for big plays in Green Bay. The pass coverage was independently bad, but the inconsistent pass rush played a big hand in Packers quarterback Jordan Love connecting on eight passes that gained 15 or more yards.
Washington sacked Smith five times, which surpassed its four total sacks in the first two games. Linebacker Bobby Wagner had two sacks on blitzes. Miller and defensive ends Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Dorance Armstrong each added one.
It was difficult for Smith to get into a rhythm as he frequently had to use his legs to extend plays and evade pressure. The Commanders prevented him from getting comfortable, and Wagner made sure to credit defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
The Commanders had eight quarterback hits distributed among six players.
Meanwhile, Washington remained stout against the run. It held running back Ashton Jeanty — the No. 6 pick in the draft — to 63 rushing yards and the Raiders overall to just 3.3 yards per carry.
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Commanders Film Review: Dorance Armstrong’s hot start
Dorance Armstrong is quietly putting together a very strong start to the 2025 season. The defensive end leads the Commanders with three sacks and four tackles for loss, and is second only to Bobby Wagner with 11 solo tackles so far. His three sacks has him joint seventh in the NFL and his four tackles for loss has him joint eighth in the league for that category. For deeper analytics, Sam Monson on twitter tweeted that per NFL Pro, Armstrong leads the NFL in both pressures (18) and pressure rate (25%) through three weeks of the season.
His development this year has come as a pleasant surprise. With the Cowboys, he was always a second or third rusher behind the likes of Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. He stepped up a spot in Washington last year but played second fiddle to Dante Fowler as the team’s top pass rusher. This year though, he’s been unlocked by making more use of his versatility, putting him in positions to succeed more frequently.
A big part of unlocking him has been the improved run defense. Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw in particular, but really the entire defensive front has been very stout against the run game so far this season. That has set up a lot more pass rushing situations, which has enabled the Commanders to move Armstrong around, use his athleticism and versatility to rush from different spots and work with his teammates on a variety of stunts.
By moving him around and enabling him to rush from different spots, Armstrong gets different matchups. Sometimes he’s on the edge against tackles, but sometimes he’s working inside against slower, more powerful guards and centers. Those different matchups present opportunities for him.
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, recovering from knee sprain, remains day to day
Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Monday that quarterback Jayden Daniels remains day to day in his recovery from a knee sprain that he suffered in Week 2, leaving his status for Sunday’s game in Atlanta uncertain.
“As we get into Wednesday, I’ll be more qualified (to talk about) practice and what we can hit on. He went through some things today, some more tomorrow and that’ll lead us up to Wednesday.”
Commanders players have an off-day on Tuesdays for those needing treatment at the team facility. Wednesdays are often the first full day of practice and meetings before facing their next opponent.
When asked on Monday if Mariota’s performance affected the team’s timeline for Daniels, Quinn first lauded his backup quarterback, but assured that his play last Sunday would not factor into the team’s plans for Daniels.
Quinn said Friday that Daniels had made notable progress in his recovery, including running a bit that day, which the coach took as a promising sign.
However, he still needed to see more from Daniels before he could return. Among those things, according to Quinn, is showing he’s able to change directions without issue, being able to move in the pocket and throwing off different platforms.
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders sign safety Darnell Savage after injuries in secondary
The Washington Commanders placed safety Will Harris on injured reserve and signed veteran Darnell Savage as reinforcement, the team announced Monday. Harris suffered a fractured fibula in Washington’s 41-24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, according to coach Dan Quinn, and will have to miss at least the next four games.
Fellow safety Percy Butler left Sunday’s game early because of a hip injury, but it’s unclear if he’ll miss time.
The 28-year-old Savage, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, was a 2019 first-round pick out of Maryland who spent his rookie season in Green Bay learning under Jason Simmons, now the Commanders’ defensive pass game coordinator. Simmons was the Packers’ defensive backs coach at the time.
[B]y the fourth quarter, Mike Sainristil and Noah Igbinoghene were playing corner in place of Amos and Lattimore, and Jeremy Reaves and Tyler Owens filled in at safety alongside starter Quan Martin.
Savage joins a deep safety corps in Washington, despite the injuries, so it’s unclear just how and when he will be used.
He was a starter in 2024 but began this season as a rotational player after the team signed Eric Murray and made Andrew Wingard a starter.
Similar to Harris, Savage has played all over the secondary in his six-plus seasons in the league, spending most of his time at free safety but also working extensively in the box and in the slot. He also boasts rare speed, having run the 40 in 4.36 seconds at the 2019 combine, the second-fastest time among safeties that year. That season, with Simmons as his DBs coach in Green Bay, Savage blitzed a career-high 17 times.
Savage has started 82 of the 87 games he’s played and has totaled 353 tackles, one sack, 10 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 39 passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, per TruMedia.
Commanders.com
5 takeaways from Washington’s Week 3 win over Las Vegas
3. The ground game plan was diverse.
The Commanders’ ground game was back in a big way on Sunday with the team rushing for 201 yards on 31 carries, but it took a group effort as the team played its first game without Austin Ekeler.
Five players ended up getting at least one carry against the Raiders, who entered the game giving up the fourth-fewest yards on the ground. The Commanders set the tone on their first drive, moving into the end zone on five plays — all runs. Chris Rodriguez Jr. picked up 39 yards on 11 carries, including a 14-yarder on his second carry. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was more involved earlier in the game and provided a change of pace with 26 yards on
carries and a touchdown in the third quarter.
Some of the Commanders’ most creative plays involved Samuel, who had 18 yards on three carries. The Commanders used a wildcat formation to get Samuel a direct snap for a nine-yard gain and had him take two other snaps in the backfield for gains of four and five yards. Then there was the 60-yard touchdown run by Jeremy McNichols, who powered through multiple would-be tacklers for the longest run of his career.
A to Z Sports
Jaylin Lane’s first punt return for a touchdown
The Commanders needed a playmaker on special teams, which has been lacking for a very long time, and Lane showed on Sunday that they finally have someone who is a true threat to take a punt back for a touchdown anytime he gets the chance. Lane ended a franchise streak against the Raiders and took a punt 90 yards to the house, which was the first punt return touchdown in Washington since Jamison Crowder did it in 2016.
Special teams were a massive point on Sunday around the league, with multiple games being decided in the last seconds, and having someone who can make a difference can be what decides a game throughout the season. The Commanders knew they needed a punt returner, and Adam Peters went and got whom he thought was the best.
Looking back at the 2025 NFL draft, Adam Peters had his big board built out of the players he liked, and once the Commanders were on the clock in the fourth round, he knew exactly who he wanted. Peters called his shot and said that Lane was the “top punt returner” on their board, and it only took three weeks of the season to take a return for a touchdown.
Heavy.com
Bobby Wagner : Dominant in Week 3 win
Wagner tallied 11 tackles (six solo), including 2.0 sacks, in Sunday’s 41-24 win against the Raiders. Wagner not only paced the Commanders in stops, he also recorded 2.0 sacks, equaling the amount he posted in 17 regular-season contests last year. The veteran linebacker has never recorded more than 6.0 sacks in a season, so he’s typically not prolific in terms of bringing down the QB. Wagner has continued to thrive in his age-35 campaign, registering 32 tackles through three weeks.
Riggo’s Rag
Luke McCaffrey enhanced Commanders’ claims with late Week 3 impact
With wide receiver Noah Brown missing the contest and Terry McLaurin going out late with a quad issue, this gave offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury the chance to get Luke McCaffrey more involved. The 2024 third-round pick was further down the depth chart than ever after the summer’s preparations. He’s showing the proper determination to break into the team’s plans.
Most of McCaffrey’s good work came in garbage time, but it was notable nonetheless. He brought in all three of his targets for 56 receiving yards. The former Rice prospect took his final catch all the way into the end zone to put the exclamation point on proceedings. He also gained 25 yards on his only kick return.
If there was ever a time for McCaffrey to generate some positive momentum, this was it. The second-year pro needs to build trust. He needs to prove that when his number is called, he can deliver the goods. And considering he’s yet to drop a pass this season, albeit from four targets, he’s doing enough to keep his foot in the door.
McCaffrey is a hard worker. One only has to look at how Deebo Samuel Sr. chased him down the sideline to celebrate his touchdown to see the esteem in which he is held in the locker room. He remains a work in progress, but this was the most telling sign yet that the wideout might be ready for an increased workload sooner rather than later.
Jeremy McNichols was nominated on “Angry Runs” this week
Podcasts & videos
NFL Week 3 Recap: Commanders over Raiders 41-24 | Booth Review Podcast | Washington Commanders | NFL
Las Vegas Raiders vs Washington Commanders Game Highlights | 2025 NFL Season Week 3
Logan Paulsen Loved What He Saw From Commanders In Week 3 I BMitch & Finlay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9gITZTJE2w
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
Report: Eagles could be without 2 of their top 3 outside cornerbacks against Buccaneers
The Philadelphia Eagles could be without starting cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and his top backup, Jakorian Bennett, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Both players are dealing with injuries that could rule them out of Week 4, according to a report from 6ABC’s Jason Dumas.
Jackson suffered a groin injury late in the third quarter of the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Bennett came in to replace Jackson and was on the field for the final snap of the game, so, it’s not perfectly clear when he got banged up. Bennett did notably collide with Rams punter Ethan Evans in a scramble for the loose ball following Jordan Davis blocking LA’s game-winning field goal attempt.
CB2 has been a major question mark for the Eagles in 2025. Jackson has been up and down; he really struggled in Week 1 before settling in a bit more over the past two weeks. Bennett hasn’t exactly made a strong case to overtake Jackson whenever he’s been on the field.
Nevertheless, these guys are two of the Eagles’ top three outside cornerback options … assuming Cooper DeJean remains in his nickel cornerback role. If neither Jackson nor Bennett can play against the Bucs, it could be Kelee Ringo who gets the start in Tampa. The Eagles wanted Ringo to win the CB2 competition this offseason but he struggled to establish himself and fell out of starting contention by the end of training camp. Ringo has been limited to special teams duty thus far.
Inside the Star
Dak Prescott Should Not Be the Scapegoat of the 2025 Cowboys
The blame can be spread across many people, but this team reads like a carbon copy of the 2020 squad: no defense, and usually not enough offense, despite the best efforts of an All-Pro quarterback and his star wide receivers.
If yesterday’s game and these first three weeks in total have taught us anything, it should be to stop the blame and focus on Prescott in favor of the real problems facing this slumping franchise. Let’s get serious, folks.
Simply put, when your defense is bad enough, it really does not matter what the offense does; you are not going to overcome the weak unit all the way to the playoffs.
That is what the 2025 Dallas Cowboys are running into.
At the end of the day, the defense on this team is so poor that the rare 40-point game will need to become commonplace if the Cowboys want to come away with wins. Unfortunately, that’s just not realistic in the NFL.
Dallas got lit up by Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson on Sunday
NFL.com
Jerry Jones says Cowboys not planning video tribute for Micah Parsons’ return to Dallas in Week 4
It should come as no surprise that the Cowboys don’t plan to honor a player who was with the club for four years. Jones stunningly traded Parsons to Green Bay in late August after contract talks broke down.
Jones has been steadfast in his belief that the Cowboys are better off after trading Parsons — saving money and netting draft picks. The relatively short time in Dallas, coupled with the acrimonious end, underscores the decision not to compose a tribute video.
“I don’t think that’s appropriate this way,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News. “Emmitt [Smith] was a different story. That’s not to diminish Micah. I think Micah has enough welcome out there and we just need to show that we’ve got antidotes for that.”
Big Blue View
Giants lose Xavier Gipson to Eagles
Xavier Gipson’s brief odyssey as a member of the New York Giants is over. Gipson, a kick returner/wide receiver was claimed on waivers Monday by the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Giants claimed Gipson, 24, from the New York Jets on Sept. 11. In need of a roster spot for Sunday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs due to injuries at other positions, the Giants waived Gipson on Saturday.
It is likely that the Giants were hoping to pass Gipson through waivers and re-sign him to their practice squad. Like when the Giants cut seventh-round pick Korie Black a few weeks ago and he chose to sign with the New York Jets practice squad rather than stay with the Giants, they ended up losing Gipson.
Upcoming opponent
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The Athletic (paywall)
Is Texans’ C.J. Stroud playing his way out of extension?: NFL QB stock report, Week 4
Editor’s note: This article is part of our NFL QB Stock Report series. Every week, Jeff Howe notes who’s rising and falling at starting quarterback (and why) for all 32 teams.
Like everyone on the NFL’s lowest-scoring offense, Stroud has underwhelmed during the Texans’ season-opening, three-game losing streak. He’s completed 64 percent of his passes for 599 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 76.9 passer rating that’s the sixth worst among QBs who have started all three games this season.
And with Stroud eligible for his first contract extension in the offseason, the Texans have a lot to sort through before navigating their strategy at the negotiating table.
Namely, is this a Stroud issue or a Texans issue? And is the root cause going to be fixable with a $50 million quarterback on the payroll for several years?
[Marcus Mariota was ranked 27th this week; Jayden Daniels was not included in the Week 3 rankings]
Discussion topics
ESPN
NFL Week 4 Power Rankings 2025: How all 32 teams stack up
1. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)
Week 3 result: Beat the Rams 33-26
Week 3 ranking: 2
Biggest issue on defense: Defensive rush success rate
The Eagles are last in the league with a 45.1% success rate against the run this season. They are yielding a first down or a touchdown on over 34% of the opponent’s attempts, which also is a league low, and they are 25th in rushing yards allowed (133.3 per game). Philadelphia has a quality interior front led by defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. It also has two good linebackers in Zack Baun and rookie Jihaad Campbell, who is developing on the job. So, this seems like a fixable problem for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. — Tim McManus
5. Green Bay Packers (2-1)
Week 3 result: Lost to the Browns 13-10
Week 3 ranking: 3
Biggest issue on defense: Lack of takeaways
A season ago, the Packers tied for fourth in the NFL with 31 takeaways and ranked third in interceptions with 17. They have a grand total of two takeaways this season: an Evan Williams interception in Week 1 against the Lions and an Xavier McKinney interception on Sunday. McKinney’s pick was essentially a punt by the Browns, who threw a deep shot on fourth-and-8 with just 12 seconds left in the first half. The Packers spent training camp stressing punching the ball out and causing fumbles, but they haven’t forced one yet. — Rob Demovsky
9. Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)
Week 3 result: Beat the Giants 22-9
Week 3 ranking: 8
Biggest issue on defense: Pass rush surrounding Chris Jones
The Chiefs have struggled to be consistent at pressuring the quarterback without blitzing, an issue that could plague Steve Spagnuolo’s unit all season long. The Chiefs have just seven sacks, and most offensive lines are doubling Jones often, which leads to several one-on-one opportunities for edge rushers George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu, Mike Danna and rookie Ashton Gillotte. One of those players needs to elevate his performance to be a consistent threat alongside Jones. — Nate Taylor
10. Washington Commanders (2-1)
Week 3 result: Beat the Raiders 41-24
Week 3 ranking: 9
Biggest issue on defense: Big plays allowed
Washington is tied for second in number of pass plays allowed of 15 yards or more (20). There have been too many coverage mishaps, sometimes stemming from aggressive safety play to stop what appears to be a run only for the opposition to pass. The Commanders allowed eight pass plays of 15 yards or more versus the Raiders, which too often was due to blown coverage and not just getting beat. The secondary needs to play with more eye discipline in coverage. — John Keim
19. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
Week 3 result: Lost to the Panthers 30-0
Week 3 ranking: 15
Biggest issue on defense: Overreliance on the blitz
Overall, there isn’t much to complain about. Atlanta is eighth in the league in QB pressure rate (40.4%), and opposing quarterbacks have the fourth-worst rating in the league (76.0) against the Falcons. But D-coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s system is relying quite a bit on the blitz, as no team has a higher blitz rate in the NFL (44.7%). So far, the metrics say it’s working. But that might not last forever, considering the next quarterbacks the Falcons will see are Washington’s Jayden Daniels (if he returns from his knee injury) and Buffalo’s Josh Allen. — Marc Raimondi
23. Chicago Bears (1-2)
Week 3 result: Beat the Cowboys 31-14
Week 3 ranking: 26
Biggest issue on defense: No pass rush despite low blitz rate
The lowest blitz rate in the league (4.0%) seems to highlight the Bears’ determination to get pressure with their four down linemen, but the lack of results are concerning. They are tied for the fifth-fewest sacks (five) and are third worst in pass rush win rate (23.3%). After recording zero sacks and four QB hits against Detroit, the Bears came away with two sacks against Dallas, including the first of the season for defensive end Montez Sweat. But it hasn’t been enough to consistently affect opposing quarterbacks. — Courtney Cronin
24. Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
Week 3 result: Lost to the Bears 31-14
Week 3 ranking: 19
Biggest issue on defense: Too many big plays
It’s really everything, but the most egregious part is the number of big pass plays allowed. The Cowboys have given up 13 pass plays of 25 yards or more, including five touchdown passes of 25-plus yards. Whether it is communication or execution issues, it doesn’t much matter. Twelve of those big plays came in the past two games with Russell Wilson and Caleb Williams at quarterback. The Micah Parsons-less pass rush has been nonexistent, and quarterbacks have found gaping holes in the secondary. For those who wonder if the pass rush makes a secondary or the secondary makes a pass rush, the Cowboys are showing it’s the former. — Todd Archer
30. New York Giants (0-3)
Week 3 result: Lost to the Chiefs 22-9
Week 3 ranking: 29
Biggest issue on defense: Not enough sacks
It’s easy to sit there and talk about the Giants’ run defense, which ranks 31st in the league. But the pass rush is supposed to be the strength of this team. The Giants are getting pressure, but they’re 20th in the league, averaging a sack on 5.9% of opponent dropbacks. That’s not good enough for a group that has Brian Burns playing at an All-Pro level and with Kayvon Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter and Dexter Lawrence II on the roster. — Jordan Raanan
