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For 30 minutes, it looked like the Washington Commanders might actually pull off the unthinkable. They hung toe-to-toe with the four-time Super Bowl champions on national television. As has become the story of the Commanders’ season, though, promise turned into punishment. The Kansas City Chiefs flipped the switch in the second half. They stormed past Washington for a victory that laid bare just how far this Commanders team still has to go.
The Commanders fell to 3-5 after another humbling prime-time showing. Despite getting top receivers Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel back from injury, the offense sputtered under backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. He struggled to move the ball and threw two costly interceptions.
The defense stood stout in the first half. However, they also collapsed down the stretch as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense scored on three straight possessions. A game that was tied 7-7 at halftime ended in a blowout. With it, Washington’s fading playoff hopes took another major hit as they lost, 28-7.
Here we’ll try to look at the Washington Commanders most to blame for blowout loss to Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
Marcus Mariota stepped in for the injured Jayden Daniels. He was supposed to manage the game, keep mistakes to a minimum, and give Washington a fighting chance. Instead, Mariota’s night perfectly summed up the Commanders’ season. They showed flashes of potential drowned out by poor execution and untimely errors.
Mariota’s final stat line had him completing 21-of-30 passes for 213 yards. He also tallied one touchdown and two interceptions. Those numbers only tell part of the story, though. The turnovers were backbreakers. His first interception came when he tried to force a throw to Deebo Samuel, only for it to be tipped and picked off. His second was an ill-advised deep shot into double coverage that set up a Chiefs touchdown.
He was also sacked three times and looked uncomfortable in the pocket. Mariota failed to diagnose blitzes and often held onto the ball too long. Even when given short fields, the offense couldn’t sustain drives. They punting three times total. Washington’s lone scoring drive came in the second quarter. It was capped by a quick strike to McLaurin. After that, the offense completely vanished.
Mariota’s performance wasn’t entirely his fault, though. The offensive line struggled, and the Chiefs’ defense deserves credit for its pressure and coverage. Still, the Commanders needed their veteran quarterback to stabilize the offense. Instead, his turnovers and missed reads gave Kansas City every opening they needed. To make matters worse, McLaurin also left the field with an apparent injury.
Beyond Mariota’s struggles, Washington’s offense as a whole looked disjointed and uninspired. The game plan lacked rhythm. Every time the Commanders had a chance to seize momentum, they self-destructed.
Failed fourth-down conversions loomed large. These came on predictable short-yardage plays that were stuffed with ease....
