INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Washington Commanders’ trudge to the end of the season continued Sunday afternoon in a 28-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams — a loss that was close only because of two fourth-quarter touchdown passes by Jacoby Brissett. The backup quarterback took over in the final quarter after the team sat starter Sam Howell in an effort to protect him; Brissett promptly connected with Terry McLaurin on a 29-yard touchdown and Curtis Samuel for a three-yard score.
Washington
Analysis | Commanders’ 28-20 loss to Rams exposes more issues in all three phases
The rally from a 28-7 deficit came up short but was impressive enough to raise more questions about the team’s future as it dropped to 4-10 and was eliminated from playoff contention with three games left.
So what now for Howell, the young quarterback Coach Ron Rivera has stood staunchly behind throughout the season? And what about the injuries that cropped up in the loss? Left tackle Charles Leno Jr. (calf), center Tyler Larsen (knee) and running back Jonathan Williams (concussion) were ruled out early, and punter Tress Way was nearly taken out while scrambling to recover a botched snap.
More significant: What is actually salvageable from Sunday’s loss — and for this team after its fifth consecutive defeat? Here are three thoughts:
The defense is still a mess.
Washington’s defense is simply confounding. In the first half, the Commanders held the Rams to one touchdown on three trips to the red zone and forced two fumbles. Yet they let the Rams convert 7 of 9 third-down attempts. So while they stepped up late in drives, they were a mess early, allowing five explosive plays in the first half alone.
It got worse early in the third quarter when Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford capitalized on a busted coverage, which the Commanders seem to have at least one of each game.
Taking a page from the Miami Dolphins, who put Tyreek Hill in motion before sending him outside for a touchdown in Week 13, Stafford went deep to Cooper Kupp, who crossed the formation and ran a go route down the left side for a 62-yard touchdown just 53 seconds into the second half. Cornerback Benjamin St-Juste shifted inside on wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and safety Kam Curl hung back in the box, perhaps thinking he had help over the top — but deep safety Percy Butler had moved inside and was in no position to sprint back to the outside and cover Kupp.
As the Rams (7-7) celebrated, Butler stood at the goal line with his arms raised as if to say, “What just happened?”
Washington’s secondary has been out of sync for much of the season, and despite Rivera’s attempt to simplify the defense after firing coordinator Jack Del Rio, the same issues persist.
But the offense with Howell was worse.
The defense gave Washington a chance, but the offense went three-and-out after both first-half takeaways and was a disaster for most of the first three quarters. It wasn’t until Howell sat in the fourth that the offense moved the ball.
In the first half, the Commanders went 1 for 7 on third down, had just 83 yards (44 passing) compared to the Rams’ 242 and mustered three first downs. The Rams had 14.
Worse: The Commanders had four three-and-outs in the first half and squandered their lone trip to the red zone. Washington made it to L.A.’s 12-yard line late in the first quarter, but Howell’s pass to tight end Logan Thomas on fourth and one was batted away.
Washington finally got on the board in the third quarter, when Howell threw a 19-yard dart to Samuel. But any momentum was fleeting; the Commanders went three-and-out on their subsequent drive, and the Rams padded their lead in the fourth quarter before Howell sat.
Rivera said after the game that Howell would remain the starter. The second-year quarterback flashed enough potential to maybe warrant a longer look in 2024, but amid the team’s spiral over the past six weeks, his consistency has taken a hit.
Early against the Rams, he appeared to miss at least two opportunities to connect on deep plays — McLaurin seemed to have his defender beaten on Washington’s opening drive, and Williams was open another time. Howell has thrown at least one interception in four consecutive games; he tossed one Sunday in the fourth quarter when he sailed a pass to McLaurin that the receiver tipped before the ball landed in the arms of safety John Johnson III.
Brissett took over on Washington’s next drive, quickly connected with McLaurin for a score, then found Samuel for another. Joey Slye’s extra-point attempt was blocked, but it was still a one-score game. After an onside kick went awry, the Rams sealed the win by getting a first down.
Howell finished 11 for 26 (42.3 percent) for 102 yards and a 50.5 passer rating. He took one sack (his 59th of the season) and ran for 22 yards. Brissett was 8 for 10 for 124 yards, two touchdowns and a 157.9 passer rating.
Long snapping is a major issue.
The good news is that Way is fine. Or, at least, he was good enough to finish the game after getting clobbered late in the second quarter. Long snapper Camaron Cheeseman, who has been inconsistent since training camp, botched the snap so badly that it rolled to Way. As he scrambled to cover the ball, Rams linebacker Troy Reeder came down hard on him.
Way was evaluated for a concussion and a back injury, prompting kicker (and emergency punter) Slye to begin taking snaps from Cheeseman on the sideline at halftime to prepare for the worst-case scenario. But when the Commanders returned, Washington announced that Way was cleared to play, and to quash any doubt he dropped a punt at the Rams’ 8-yard line minutes later.
Washington averted a crisis but has to decide what to do for the final three games. The botched snap was the second bad one from Cheeseman in the half but not his last on the day. He added a third on the extra-point attempt in the third quarter and a fourth in the final two minutes, leading to Slye’s try being blocked.
The issues that hindered Cheeseman in camp are clearly still there — and now they’re putting one of Washington’s best players at risk. So does Washington bring in long snappers for a workout and a possible signing early this week? Or does it continue with Cheeseman and hope he’s able to fix his issues without getting a teammate seriously hurt? Rivera said after the game that he’ll evaluate the situation before making a decision.
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Washington
Washington vs. Weber State Game Thread
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In roughly 30 minutes, a new era of Husky football kicks off on the Big Ten Network. As noted in the open thread posted earlier, this is your spot to comment on the game and follow along during all of the action with your fellow Husky fans.
We will be extremely loose with the definition of trolling and any offenders will be banned. Also, any comments directed at other posters will be deleted and the offenders may be placed on pre-moderate mode.
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Make sure you didn’t miss our week of scouting the Wildcats.
Weber State Offensive Preview
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Weber State defensive Preview
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Q&A with Wildcats beat reporter Brett Hein of the Standard-Examiner
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The Prediction
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Washington
Tim Walz has 'gilded his record for political gain,' Washington Post columnist says
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Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for exaggerating elements of his career for “political gain” in an op-ed published on Friday.
“I’m not saying that Walz lies, precisely,” Parker wrote in an op-ed headlined, “Tim Walz isn’t exactly what he seems.” “But he tends to gild his résumé for political gain.”
Walz has been forced to defend a number of controversies that have emerged following Vice President Harris’ announcement that he would be her running mate. In particular, Walz has had to explain his record in the National Guard and his 2006 congressional campaign’s statements on his 1995 drunk driving incident.
‘MASTERFUL SHAPESHIFTER’ WALZ GETS POINTED MESSAGE FROM MINNESOTA VOTERS AT STATE FAIR BOOTH
Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for exaggerating elements of his career for “political gain” in an op-ed published on Friday. (Scott Eisen)
Parker called out Walz’s statements about his 1995 arrest for drunk driving.
“Walz, then a 31-year-old high school teacher, was clocked at 96 mph in a 55-mph zone in Nebraska,” Parker wrote. “He was pulled over by a state trooper, who, upon smelling alcohol, asked Walz to take a field sobriety test, which he failed. Walz then submitted to a hospital for a blood test, which revealed his blood alcohol level to be 0.128, well above the state’s legal limit.”
While that info is verifiable by police records, Walz’s 2006 congressional campaign staff told the press that the candidate was not drinking and actually failed to understand the police officer’s directions because of hearing loss, blaming an injury relating to his time in the National Guard.
Parker also responded to Walz’s interview alongside Harris with CNN.
WALZ ON ABORTION, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IS ‘ON PAR WITH CHINA AND NORTH KOREA,’ SAYS PARENTAL RIGHTS ADVOCATE
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Veterans who served alongside Walz in the same battalion when he was in the National Guard have spoken out against his honesty about his service record. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“Morning show softballs may give comfort to the ill-prepared, but they deny viewers the content they need to be better-informed voters,” Parker wrote. “Nothing about the pair’s first (taped) interview Thursday night, with CNN’s Dana Bash, satisfied that imperative. Although Harris handled the interview relatively well, Walz seemed to be a mixed-up mess.”
“He answered none of the four questions he was asked, including whether he had misspoken when he said he had carried a gun ‘in war’ when he never was deployed to a combat zone,” Parker wrote. “A simple ‘yes’ might have sufficed, but instead he sputtered evasive nonsense and, to be rhetorically accurate, gobbledygook.”
Veterans who served alongside Walz in the same battalion when he was in the National Guard have spoken out against his honesty about his service record.
The Harris-Walz campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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Top prospects for Washington Capitals | NHL.com
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How acquired: Selected with No. 20 pick in 2022 NHL Draft
2023-24 season: Washington (NHL): 21 GP, 2-4-6; Hershey (AHL): 47 GP, 9-16-25
Miroshnichenko adapted well in his first season in North America, getting experience in the NHL and American Hockey League. After playing one game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Washington, the 20-year-old native of Ussuriysk, Russia, helped Hershey win its second consecutive Calder Cup championship with 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 20 AHL playoff games.
Miroshnichenko (6-1, 185) will compete for an NHL roster spot in training camp but could return to Hershey to begin the season.
“We would like to see ‘Miro’ become a quality, well-rounded player,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said, “but also someone that can produce in the NHL and can be a potential 25-, 30-goal scorer. So you want to make sure we’re taking the necessary steps to enable that inside of him, and not putting him in a scenario where he’s playing 10 minutes and playing on the fourth line.”
Projected NHL arrival: This season
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