Hogs Haven
For what we all deemed a wasted season, Washington actually showed some fight in this game. Dan Quinn taking over defensive play calling had made a HUGE difference, and players are now able to not overthink things and just go out and play football.
Despite the 27-26 overtime loss, I was very proud of this team. They looked the part on both sides of the football, and certainly have not packed it in.
It is definitely a wasted season at this point, but there is a glimmer of hope that this team is still not that far from competing with a strong offseason and healthy roster.
Below are my Studs and Duds, followed by some notes.
Washington Offensive Line: I know this group often gets overlooked, but they were really good all game. Tunsil was a rock at left tackle and Conerly has been steadily improving on the right side. Cosmi and Paul were paving the way on inside zone runs, consistently getting to the second level defenders and Biadasz did a nice job adjusting protections. This unit put up 143 rushing yards against a very good Denver defense and kept Mariota clean most of the night. Watch the block of Sam Cosmi on the second clip below…
Marcus Mariota: I understand he had a HORRIBLE interception, but I have to look at his entire resume here against an elite NFL defense. If it wasn’t for Marcus’ play all evening, Washington would have never been in this game with a legit chance to win it in overtime. Mariota accounted for 349 yards of offense (294 passing and 55 rushing) and continued to make big plays when the team needed them most.
Zach Ertz: Ertz came up HUGE all game. He was getting open in zones and was even showing some RAC ability – something we haven’t seen much of this season. He led the team with 10 catches for 106 yards.
Terry McLaurin: Terry started off slowly in his first game action in weeks since being sidelined with a leg injury, but he heated up when the team needed him the most. He came up huge in overtime and scored a touchdown that would give Washington a chance to win the game. He finished with seven receptions for 96 yards and the score.
Treylon Burks: This was the catch-of-the-year in the NFL, so I HAD to give him stud status! I hope we bring this man back for 2026!
Daron Payne: I thought Payne played really well on the inside. He was getting into the backfield on multiple occasions and tallied five total tackles, one for a loss, and multiple pressures.
Mike Sainristil: It’s clear that Sainristil plays much better on the outside and is more comfortable in zone than man. Kudos to Dan Quinn for making this change. Mikey had a nice game both in run support and coverage. I thought it was the best he’s played all season....
