Washington walked out of Lambeau with a 27–18 loss that didn’t feel as close as the score suggested. On a short week, the Commanders looked flat, out of rhythm, and at times overwhelmed. That said, September football is also about growth as much as results — and this game gave Washington plenty to chew on. Here are 8 Burgundy thoughts:
1. Give Credit Where It’s Due
Before pointing fingers at Washington, let’s be honest: Green Bay looks like one of the best (if not the best) teams in the NFL right now. They were faster, sharper, and more physical. Jordan Love was in command, their defense was flying around and they outclassed Washington in every phase.
Sometimes it really is that simple — the other team was better. The Packers aren’t just good; they look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. That context matters when measuring this loss.
2. Green Bay’s Pass Rush Was the Secondary’s Best Friend
Green Bay’s secondary isn’t bad — but compared to the rest of the defense, it’s the weakest link. They don’t have a true shutdown corner, and they’re not on the same level as the defensive line or the linebackers. With Micah Parsons added to that front, life got a lot easier for the guys on the back end.
Jayden Daniels rarely had time to set his feet. The Packers’ pass rush forced him to get rid of the ball quickly, which meant Washington’s receivers couldn’t work into deeper routes. Knowing they weren’t going to get beaten over the top, Green Bay’s corners sat on short and intermediate throws, jumped routes, and played aggressively. When the rush dictates the timing, the coverage can play downhill.
Noah Brown had a rough night — one catch for 9 yards, two costly drops, and eventually leaving with a groin injury. It’s easy to pick on him and label him a dud, but that misses the bigger picture: when a secondary can squat on routes without fear of the deep ball, it makes life hard for every receiver. On Thursday night, the Packers’ defensive front dictated the game, and their secondary benefitted.
3. Balance Starts with the Run Game
The offense looked too one-dimensional against Green Bay. Washington ran the ball 19 times for 51 yards (a meager 2.7 yards per carry), while Jayden Daniels dropped back 42 times. That’s a near 70/30 pass-to-run split — way too lopsided. It let the Packers’ front pin their ears back and go hunting.
To be fair, it’s hard not to heavily rely on your passing game when the run is nonexistent. Austin Ekeler was the main back, but he never found any rhythm before exiting with an Achilles injury, finishing with 8 carries for 17 yards (2.1 yard per carry). His absence now opens the door for a true committee approach moving forward.
Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt looks like the best bet to handle early downs, with Chris Rodriguez Jr. rotating in to provide power and efficiency. Jeremy McNichols can slide into Ekeler’s old role as the third-down and passing-game option. None of them has to carry the load alone, but together they can keep Washington from being one-dimensional and give Jayden Daniels the balance he needs.
If the Commanders want Daniels to survive four quarters and grow into the quarterback they drafted him to be, the run game has to matter every week.
4. The Short Week Caught Up to Washington
It’s tough enough playing clean football in September when Dan Quinn’s philosophy leans toward protecting starters through camp and letting them knock off the rust in real games. Add a four-day turnaround from Sunday to Thursday, and you’ve got a recipe for sloppiness. That’s exactly what we saw at Lambeau.
The lack of prep time showed up everywhere — from an offense that looked out of rhythm to a defense that never quite found its footing. It’s not just the players; quick weeks also handcuff the coordinators. You can’t build a deep game plan on two real practice days.
The silver lining? Now Washington gets a mini-bye — ten full days before their next matchup. That’s where the rust excuse has to end. The extra time should mean sharper execution, fresher legs, and a staff that has no shortage of film to fix what went wrong.
5. Josh Conerly Jr. – Growing Pains Are Part of the Deal
Josh Conerly Jr. is being asked to do a lot. He’s played left tackle his entire career and now being asked to play on the right side — and anyone who says it’s the same job doesn’t know line play.
To make things tougher, Washington lost one of its best blocking tight ends when John Bates left early with a groin injury. Bates is the steady presence you want chipping edge rushers and holding up the run game. Without him, the burden on Conerly grew heavier. And when the guy across from you is Micah Parsons — a once-in-a-generation pass rusher who makes even elite tackles look bad — that’s almost an impossible assignment. Still, give Conerly credit: he stayed in the entire game and battled.
It’s not that Washington “left him on an island.” The plan was for him to have help, but circumstances changed. And the reality is this: there are going to be growing pains. Week 1, Conerly drew Brian Burns. Week 2, Micah Parsons. Next week, Maxx Crosby. That’s a gauntlet of pass rushers for any tackle, let alone a rookie just two games into learning a new position
Conerly is going to be an excellent tackle — the tools and talent are obvious. But to expect him to be perfect and play like a finished product is unrealistic. The goal right now isn’t perfection — it’s steady growth, getting better each week, and weathering the storm until the game slows down for him.
6. Marshon Lattimore Had a Rough Night
The Commanders didn’t trade draft capital for Marshon Lattimore just to get inconsistency. He’s a Pro Bowl corner, and when healthy, he was once one of the league’s premier shutdown players. But Thursday night at Lambeau raised a harder question: is he still that guy?
Green Bay clearly thought he wasn’t. They schemed at him with motion, forced him to chase across the formation, and attacked him with quick timing routes. Dontayvion Wicks in particular got free multiple times, and Jordan Love wasted no time going right at Lattimore.
While Washington’s younger corners — Mike Sainristil in his second year and rookie Trey Amos — by no means had perfect games, they definitely performed better than Lattimore. It felt upside down, like the young corners were the seasoned vets and Lattimore was the struggling rookie who was being picked on.
Maybe this is just one bad game. Or maybe it’s a sign of decline. Lattimore is no longer the same Pro Bowl force he was a few years ago, and asking him to shadow WR1s every week might not be realistic anymore. If that’s the case, then maybe it makes more sense to reduce his role — matching him up on No. 2 or No. 3 receivers instead of forcing him into top assignments.
The Commanders don’t need him to be perfect. But they do need him to be reliable. If he can’t consistently anchor one side of the field, this defense has a hole it didn’t plan for.
7. Where’s Frankie Luvu?
Last season, Frankie Luvu was everywhere — 99 tackles, 8 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and a Pro Bowl nod. I’m so used to hearing his name called on nearly every play that at one point Thursday night, I honestly wondered if he was even in the game. But he was — in fact, he played 100% of Washington’s defensive snaps against both the Giants and the Packers.
Through two games, Luvu has just one solo tackle, no sacks, and no tackles for loss. He’s still around the pile, but the splash plays that made him such a force last season haven’t shown up in the last two games.
I know it’s early so I’m not pressing the panic button just yet. But Frankie Luvu needs to be more of a presence going forward. This defense is at its best when he’s flying downhill, finishing plays, and forcing offenses to adjust to him.
8. Sometimes You Need to Get Punched in the Mouth
The scoreboard said 27–18, but anyone who watched knows it felt more one-sided than that. Green Bay controlled the game. And maybe that’s not the worst thing. Sometimes you need to get your butt kicked to see where you really stand.
Washington can look back just one year for proof. The team that played in the NFC Championship wasn’t the same group that opened against Tampa Bay. Growth came through adversity, setbacks and learning what didn’t work. This feels like one of those moments.
Facing a tough opponent on a short week, the Commanders got exposed. But that’s how you find out who you are. The hope now is that Washington takes the lessons from Lambeau and uses them to fuel the climb.
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