Was that one of the worst preseason performances you’ve ever seen? The Washington Commanders were slow, lifeless, and got drilled by the Ravens 41-3 in Baltimore on Friday.
With about eight roster spots up for grabs, how is it that the Commanders came so ill-prepared? Yes, I get that they declared 41 players out for the game in the hours before kickoff. But what about the other 49 guys who were playing, wearing burgundy and gold?
From the first snap, the Commanders were a step slow, getting blown off the ball, couldn't get the Ravens offense off the field, and by halftime (30 minutes in), the Commanders offense had produced only a first down. One half of football and one first down by your offense?
Even former Commanders receiver Chris Moore played
much better in a Ravens uniform. Moore caught three passes in the opening drive, including a difficult touchdown grab down the right sideline.
Chris Moore DIVES for the 25-yard TD from Tyler Huntley 🤯
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 28, 2026
The Ravens score on their first drive vs. the Commanders 🔥
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/kpRFnLsMsL
It didn’t get any better in the third quarter. When that quarter ended, the Ravens had produced 24 first downs, while Washington had only three. As a result, the Commanders trailed 34-3. Watching the Ravens offense do what they wanted on the Commanders defense, former Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher, a part of the Commanders radio broadcast team, had enough. “This is gross right now, quite frankly,” said Fletcher.
Fletcher was frank; he was also correct. Fletcher is hired by the Commanders to work the broadcast, to provide commentary. Would most announcers say something so blunt as calling the Commanders’ performance “gross?” Of course they wouldn’t. But Fletcher had a very high standard for what a player is supposed to do and how much effort he is supposed to exert. It’s what made him a great NFL linebacker. So he called out the Commanders... “gross.”
How must new offensive coordinator David Blough feel? His offensive line again produced little to nothing on Friday. Then the Commanders’ third-down offense was absolutely impotent, going 0-11. No, that is not a misprint, 0-11. They did get one late, making it 1-12.
Sorry to all the Washington fans who planned the trip, paid for a ticket, and drove to Baltimore to show support for your team. But your team, for some reason(s), simply didn’t come prepared mentally. We know this because there was no fire; there was little intensity. Third-year safety Tyler Owens seriously appeared to be the only exception. He had two very intense hits, and they stood out in dark contrast to the rest of the team’s effort on Friday.
For a team with so many questions coming into this game, they certainly didn’t answer any positively.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington legend describes Commanders' performance in one word
