The Washington Commanders (2-3) dropped their third consecutive game Thursday after a humiliating 40-20 beatdown at the hands of the formerly winless Chicago Bears.
There was a sense of excitement entering the game, with a third consecutive sellout, fans were hoping the positive momentum from Washington’s performance in a heartbreaking loss to the Eagles would carry over on a short week.
Buy Commanders TicketsInstead, the Commanders looked flat, unprepared, and like they didn’t belong on the same field with a team in the middle of a 14-game losing streak.
Were there any standout performers on Thursday? Yes, we found four.
Who struggled?
Here are the studs and duds from Washington’s ugly loss on Thursday Night Football.
Stud: QB Sam Howell
Don’t blame Sam Howell for Washington’s latest loss. Howell wasn’t perfect. He missed a wide-open Dyami Brown for a touchdown in the first half that cost the Commanders four points. He was also intercepted in Washington territory, setting up another Bears score.
But how bad would this have been if Howell hadn’t battled back? Howell led some positive drives. His scoring drive to begin the second half was efficient, ending with a touchdown pass and two-point conversion. The Commanders had a chance to cut it to a one-score game on the next possession, but Logan Thomas fumbled trying to pick up extra yards.
Down 30-20 late in the fourth, Howell threw a dime to Terry McLaurin for 32 yards. Unfortunately, the drive fell apart, and that would do it for the Commanders.
Howell made his mistakes, but he brought the Commanders back. There were multiple times when he appeared down in the backfield, but Howell somehow escaped to make plays. It was all effort, such as his run on the two-point conversion. Howell continues to show growth, even if his team lets him down at times.
Dud: Head coach Ron Rivera
This goes without saying. It was another game against a beatable opponent where the Commanders played down to their competition. They didn’t even look prepared. Don’t blame a short week. Don’t blame the officials. The Commanders got whipped by a team that had lost 14 straight games. That starts at the top.
And can we please retire the “Riverboat Ron” nickname? With the Commanders down 27-11 in the third quarter, Howell scrambled away from defenders to make it fourth-and-2. Howell really put himself in danger to avoid a sack. Surely, the Commanders would go for it, right? No, Rivera chooses to kick the field goal. Some will agree with his decision here, as it cut Chicago’s lead to 13 points.
However, the Commanders had the momentum. They needed touchdowns. It was getting later in the game. Had Washington gone for it and converted, we could be looking at a different outcome. Maybe not. But there was no reason to kick there because a field goal was not guaranteed points, as we learned later.
Stud: TE Logan Thomas
Much like Howell, it wasn’t a perfect game for Logan Thomas. He had a critical fumble that ended a promising Washington drive. Had Thomas not fumbled, the Commanders would have been in Bears territory, driving and down 16 points. While the fumble didn’t cost them points, it stalled momentum.
But enough about that. Thomas caught nine passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. He fought for every yard. He was diving, taking shots in an effort to move the chains. Thomas was a reliable weapon for Howell and caught another touchdown pass. Thomas played hard and was productive in the loss.
Dud: DC Jack Del Rio
Through five games, the Commanders are allowing 32 points per game. With so many resources spent on the defensive side of the ball, that’s inexcusable. The Bears had little respect for Washington’s run defense Thursday, running it down their throats on third and long — multiple times — and succeeding.
Then you watch Chicago’s defense, which was already working with a talent deficit. Yet, as players kept getting hurt, coach Matt Eberflus didn’t change his game plan and kept attacking the Commanders. He coached to win the game. While defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio did blitz Thursday, it was almost like it was too late.
Why is this unit underperforming so badly? There’s only so much blame that can be placed on rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. The entire secondary struggled. The linebackers are nonexistent, and the defensive line disappointed yet again. Slow starts are the norm for Del Rio’s defense.
Stud: WR Curtis Samuel
Don’t look now, but Curtis Samuel has emerged as one of Howell’s favorite targets. He caught a touchdown for the second consecutive game. Samuel gets open, and Howell puts the ball on him to make an impact after the catch. He caught six passes for 65 yards on Thursday.
Dud: Run defense
Did you see the holes Chicago RB Khalil Herbert was running through? Washington’s defense allowed 178 rushing yards, an average of close to six yards per attempt. There are many reasons for these struggles, such as Chicago’s offensive line winning up front and the linebackers were nowhere to be found. This defense can’t hang its hat on anything right now. The pass rush isn’t consistent, the pass defense is bad and the run defense is being gashed — on multiple third downs, nonetheless.
Stud: DE Chase Young
Chase Young had another solid performance on Thursday. Much like Howell and Thomas, he wasn’t perfect, but he was relentless, chasing Justin Fields everywhere. Young recorded at least seven pressures, finishing with a half sack and remained active throughout the game. Young continues to look more comfortable in his return to action. Young was the best of Washington’s defensive linemen against the Bears.
Dud: The secondary
The Commanders continue to get burned by the big play. On multiple occasions Thursday, DJ Moore caught the ball short, turning away and running untouched down the sideline. Kendall Fuller and Emmanuel Forbes had tough days. Benjamin St-Juste played well. As a whole, the secondary is a weakness right now. Forbes was benched again. The Commanders need more from their pass rush, which would help the secondary. Nothing on defense appears to be clicking right now.
