Hogs Haven
Commanders.com
Aside from the 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Commanders stayed competitive in the second half of the season. They forced overtime in back-to-back weeks against the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos, the latter of which was in contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. They also held a 10-7 halftime lead in their first matchup with Philadelphia.
Last week’s game against the Cowboys presented bigger challenges, as the Commanders were down to third-string quarterback Josh Johnson without starters Laremy Tunsil and Sam Cosmi. Still, the Commanders fought back from a 21-3 deficit and had two opportunities to tie the score in the fourth quarter. Quinn made the point after the game and on Monday that he wanted to see better execution, but he did like how the team fought for the entire game.
“We know we’re gonna fight,” McLaurin said. “It’s just fighting isn’t enough. We’ve gotta execute at a higher level.”
Washington Post (paywall)
Washington has major needs on both sides of the ball. While the Commanders are set to have ample salary cap space, their 2026 draft capital is limited after they traded for Tunsil this past offseason. A higher selection in the first round could be used to add an impactful player or be traded to bolster their collection of picks.
But the idea of tanking just doesn’t jibe with the Commanders, even if a playoff spot has long been out of reach.
“It’s just not part of our philosophy,” Quinn said Monday.
This is a lost season, but allowing effort to slip isn’t something the Commanders view as acceptable.
“We hold each other accountable to that,” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said earlier in December. “We get 17 games for a reason. And if you are in the position to continue to fight, you need to do that. We don’t have anybody in that locker room that’s going to lay down.”
“I never want a season like this — never again — but I also know that I don’t want to waste it,” Quinn said last week. “There’s lessons that I want now that are going to carry over into next season. I don’t want to apply them then — talking about a play style and turnover margins and penalties and things like that. I want these lessons now. I want them learned now. I do think pain and adversity and dealing with those things are good. That’s resilience, and you show you have that. But on the field, man, I’m looking to see these lessons getting corrected and changed. And if we can improve upon that, then I think we’re not wasting the moments.”
The Athletic (paywall)
The Philadelphia Eagles will rest key starters in their Week 18...
