The Washington Commanders are no longer winless. In a game where literally no one believed they could win, the Commanders defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks 33-31 on Sunday.
In a game where Washington was without quarterback Jayden Daniels, right guard Sam Cosmi, linebacker Frankie Luvu, safety Nick Cross and tight end Chig Okonkwo, the Commanders never flinched. In the first half, Washington lost another starting linebacker, as Leo Chenal was carted off with a neck injury, leaving second-year special teams standout Kain Medrano as the proverbial next man up. More on Medrano later.
To defeat the Seahawks, the Commanders needed a complete team effort. That’s what they got. Before we turn our attention to Week 4 and the Indianapolis
Colts in London, here are Washington’s top five standouts from Week 3.
QB Marcus Mariota
Stats don’t always tell the entire story. Seattle QB Sam Darnold passed for 379 yards and four touchdowns. Mariota passed for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Which quarterback do you believe played the better game? That would be Mariota. Despite a patchwork offensive line, Mariota was sacked only twice, one of which was more of a scramble where he was tripped up. Mariota changed numerous plays at the line of scrimmage, and he always seemed to make the right call. He was accurate. He was tough. Whenever the Commanders needed a big play, Mariota delivered. The most underrated play of the game was the third-and-7 run with 1:36 remaining. Mariota took the zone read nine yards for the first down to clinch the win. Mariota played almost a perfect game.
WR Terry McLaurin
Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs played well. Treylon Burks got in on the fun, too, catching his first touchdown pass of the season. But after a shaky couple of weeks, most of which wasn’t McLaurin’s fault, he showed everyone why he remains this team’s No. 1 wideout. McLaurin caught six passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Most of his receptions were contested catches. He won every single time. He also had another huge fourth-down conversion. It was a gutsy throw from Mariota, who had complete trust in McLaurin. Terrific play by both. He also had another sideline play that was ruled a catch but was overturned. It was very close. Had that counted, he would have 100 yards. The Seahawks hadn’t allowed one play of 20 yards or more all season. McLaurin had two by himself.
LB Sonny Styles
Washington fans were excited about rookie linebacker Sonny Styles. They should be. He showed a little bit of everything in his third NFL game. He finished with five tackles, two passes defensed, one interception, one quarterback hit and two forced fumbles. Perhaps his best play of the game came when he ran down the right sideline with Seattle running back Jadarian Price and broke up what would have been a long completion. Styles has flashed each week, but Sunday was his best game. The Seahawks didn’t make mistakes with their turnovers; Washington's defense forced them, namely Styles.
Sonny Styles was EVERYWHERE in Washington’s win over Seattle.
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) September 27, 2026
4 TKL, 1 INT, 2 PD, 1 FF, 1 QBH vs Seahawks
The rookie came away with his first career interception and forced a fumble against the defending champs. https://t.co/UMG5nOAliR pic.twitter.com/H3zRDCHDxE
CB Amik Robertson
Through three games, it’s not even close; Amik Robertson is Washington’s best defensive back. On Sunday, Robertson had the best game of any Washington cornerback in years. He finished with six tackles and four passes defensed. He was terrific. He brings physicality on every play, despite his size. His attitude is infectious. Robertson allowed only three receptions. One was a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, where Robertson had perfect coverage. It was a perfect throw to the NFL’s best wide receiver.
Per @EliasSports, CB Amik Robertson is the first player to record 4+ passes defensed and a forced fumble in a single game since CB Joe Haden in 2019. pic.twitter.com/OjAbpYGOVD
— Commanders PR (@Wash_PR) September 28, 2026
LB Kain Medrano
We told you there would be more on Medrano later. The second-year linebacker has played exclusively on special teams since arriving in the 2025 NFL Draft. With injuries to Frankie Luvu, Leo Chenal and Jordan Magee, the Commanders were down to the last active linebacker on the 53-man roster besides Styles. Medrano, who is known for his outstanding speed and athleticism, missed a sack early. He also missed a tackle. But he kept battling, finished with five tackles, including three solo, and then had the play of the game. Check it out:
KAIN MEDRANO PICKS OFF SAM DARNOLD FOR A PICK SIX!@Commanders extend their late lead
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 27, 2026
📺: FOX/FOX One pic.twitter.com/R4di9f5PoL
What a tremendous play by Medrano. You can bet he earned himself some more playing time, even when Luvu and Magee return. Unfortunately, Chenal will miss the remainder of the season.
Next up: the Indianapolis Colts.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' top 5 standouts from Week 3 win over Seahawks
