The Washington Commanders fell to 2-5-1 on Sunday with a 20-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. It was a game in which Washington actually led 10-6 at halftime, until the offense went missing in action in the second half.
The Rams kicked a field goal at the conclusion of the first half to make it 10-6. They opened the third quarter with the football and immediately drove it down the field to take their first lead of the game. It was all they needed, as Washington’s defense, which forced two turnovers, had no answer for Los Angeles wide receiver Puka Nacua. The Rams’ star wideout caught 14 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, and also carried the ball twice for 20 yards.
Outside of defending Nacua, Washington’s defense was fine. Unfortunately, the
offense didn’t help. You can blame injuries and missing players. It would be fair. However, there were plays to be made, and the Commanders simply couldn’t make them. One or two plays could’ve changed the result of this game. That’s how close it was.
Here are five takeaways from Washington’s loss to Los Angeles.
Jayden Daniels left plays on the field
Early in the game, it looked like Jayden Daniels was going to be a one-man show. He made some plays with his legs; he used his legs to make plays in the passing game, and he was throwing darts. However, things began to change for Daniels when he missed running back Rachaad White on a third-and-short. It was a bad miss, as Daniels threw it at White's feet.
Late in the game, down 20-13, the Commanders were driving when veteran receiver Van Jefferson got past the Rams’ secondary for what would’ve been a touchdown, or, at worst, a first down in the red zone, but Daniels underthrew it. Former Washington first-round bust Emmanuel Forbes celebrated like a bad GM picked him in the first round or something. Daniels missed it badly — and it was costly.
It’s OK to admit that Daniels did some good things, but he wasn’t perfect. It’s also true that he needs to be perfect more than other QBs, which isn’t fair. Daniels will tell you himself that he missed some throws that he normally doesn’t miss.
They missed Treylon Burks
The Commanders are far better able to withstand the loss of Terry McLaurin this year than last. While you never want to lose McLaurin, Washington felt that, for many reasons, the depth it had in 2026 could keep them afloat. Then, the depth slowly disappeared. Dyami Brown suffered a significant injury last week. Jaylin Lane was already lost for the season. The Commanders were also without Treylon Burks on Sunday. They missed him. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Burks has quickly become a key part of Washington’s passing game. With him out, the Rams simply didn't respect the Commanders’ ability to threaten them vertically. That impacted everyone, including Daniels. With a short week this week, Washington needs Burks back.
It’s also important to note that Van Jefferson played well. He took advantage of his opportunity. The Commanders will continue to lean on him moving forward.
OL was abysmal
Los Angeles held Washington to 60 yards, averaging 3.2 yards per attempt. The Rams sacked Daniels four times, hit him six times and pressured him countless other times. The Commanders simply had no plan to deal with Myles Garrett in his first game back. Look, stopping, or even limiting Garrett, is difficult, but there were ways to slow down LA’s pass rush. Offensive coordinator David Blough has shown he struggles to respond to pressure. We are about to enter Week 10, and Washington’s offense is still struggling with the most basic of concepts. That’s coaching. Of course, that’s not a defense of the offensive line. Brandon Coleman and Josh Conerly Jr. were beaten on the edge more than once. Rookie Matt Gulbin replaced Lucas Patrick at center when he left injured — not Nick Allegretti. Gulbin, as expected, did not fare well against the Rams’ terrific defensive line.
Why not challenge Puka Nacua more?
Washington defensive coordinator Daronte Jones is figuring it out. The defense continues to improve, even after losing starting defensive tackles Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw for the season. This defense is getting better each week. It’s far from perfect. The Commanders need to generate pressure without blitzing all the time. And they must also turn that high number of blitzes into more consistent pressure. On Sunday, Jones’ defense had no answer for Nacua. For the most part, Nacua didn’t beat them on any big plays. He was more or less an extension of the Rams’ running game. But at what point do you devote more resources to stopping Nacua?
At one point, it was fourth-and-3; cornerback Trey Amos played off Nacua by several yards. That’s an easy pitch-and-catch from Matthew Stafford to Nacua. Inexcusable. Amos played a solid game for the most part, and we aren’t sure if he was coached to play off, or if that’s where he felt comfortable, but Nacua isn’t going to run by you. You have to step up and challenge them in those situations.
Season is over
I don’t care how bad the NFC East is. This season is over. Washington is 2-5-1, only three games behind the Giants, whom they play this week, but does anyone have any confidence that this team, this roster, these coaches, can put together a strong nine games to finish the season?
The defense is improving, but the offense is regressing. There’s no running game. The offensive line gets worked every week. Daniels has played his two worst games of the season. Who knows what the Commanders will do at Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. It doesn’t matter. If you can get some late-round picks for guys on expiring contracts, then do it. But this team shouldn’t be giving away future assets because the 2026 Washington Commanders are going nowhere. In fact, they’re already finished.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 5 takeaways from Commanders' loss to Rams
