The Washington Commanders fell to 1-1 after Thursday’s 27-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers. If you look at the score, it doesn’t look too bad. It appeared to be a competitive game. It wasn’t. Green Bay dominated from start to finish.
Of course, after the game, it was time for overreactions. It happens every year. When one team is dominant, social media is ready to crown them the best team in the NFL, with the best player at every position. Meanwhile, for the team that loses, they’re immediately a fraud. Their young quarterback is beginning his sophomore slump.
Does that sound familiar?
The reality is the NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. Every season is full of peaks and valleys. After the Commanders finished 12-5 last season and shockingly reached the NFC Championship game, expectations were unreasonably high for 2025.
After Washington’s loss, Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports wrote a story regarding overreactions from Thursday’s game. One in particular was, will Washington’s aging core keep it out of the playoffs? Kerr called it an overreaction. We agree. Here’s what Kerr wrote:
Even though the Commanders looked lost against the Packers, Washington is still a good football team. Yes, the Commanders have the oldest roster in the NFL (28 years, 266 days) — the oldest roster in the league since the 1997 49ers — but there is enough talent to get Washington to one of the best seven teams in the NFC.
Even with the injuries, the Commanders still have one of the premier young quarterbacks in Daniels. Terry McLaurin will eventually get going and Deebo Samuel has shown the impact he’s had on the group through two games. There are concerns with the aging defense (Von Miller, Bobby Wagner), but Washington has enough veteran leadership to weather the storm.
The NFC North and NFC West are tough and the Commanders have a rough schedule, but Washington should be good enough to win 10 games. The aging roster is a concern, but there’s enough talent to overcome it.
As far as being a Super Bowl contender, that may be another story.
Everything Kerr said is accurate. Thursday night doesn’t change the expectations for the final 15 games. Is it fair to say Thursday’s loss exposed some concerns? Absolutely. The offensive line, lack of pass rush, a lack of aggression, Marshon Lattimore’s continued decline, and another bad kicker are also problems the Commanders must answer.
But let’s talk about quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels had his worst NFL game against the Packers and still did not turn the ball over. He’s been so good that he’s set unrealistic expectations. That’s good and bad. Daniels will be fine. He does need more help from his coaches, offensive line, and receivers. He was under serious duress against the Packers, which he’ll most certainly see in future weeks, too, until he proves he can beat it.
So, for those writing off the Commanders after a bad night against a potentially dominant team on the road, relax. The season isn’t over after one loss. Sure, it’s OK to be concerned about some of the things we mentioned. But this is where head coach Dan Quinn and his coaching staff will earn their money.
As for those writing off Daniels, they’re mostly Eagles and Bears fans anyway.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Overreactions to first loss