The Washington Commanders fell to 3-9 after a heartbreaker on Sunday Night Football, dropping their seventh straight game - and for the second week in a row, they lost in overtime. This time, it was to a Denver Broncos team tied for the league’s best record.
But don’t let the result fool you - this wasn’t a team rolling over. The Commanders came out swinging, and if nothing else, they reminded us that pride still matters, even in a season that’s slipped away.
Dan Quinn’s squad showed the kind of grit you want to see from a team trying to build something, even if the wins aren’t coming. They battled a top-tier opponent down to the wire and forced overtime for the second straight week.
But once again, they came up just short. And that, in a nutshell, has been the story of Washington’s 2025 season - a year where the margins have turned cruel.
Losing the Edge in the Margins
This loss marked the third time this season the Commanders have been beaten on the final play. Week 6 saw them fall to the Bears on a walk-off field goal.
Two weeks ago, it was the Dolphins in overtime. Now, it’s Denver.
Three gut-punch losses. Zero wins in those types of games this year.
Compare that to last season, when Washington thrived in the chaos. They pulled out six close wins in the regular season - seven if you count the wild-card stunner over Tampa Bay.
They edged the Giants, Bears, Saints, Eagles, Falcons, and Cowboys in games that came down to the wire. They even survived a couple of coin-flip losses to Dallas and Pittsburgh.
Flip those eight results, and the 2024 Commanders would’ve finished 8-9 instead of 12-5.
Now flip this year’s three heartbreakers into wins, and suddenly Washington’s sitting at 6-6 instead of 3-9. That’s the razor-thin difference between playoff contention and a top-five draft pick.
And it’s not just the scoreboard - the injury bug has bitten hard this year, and the schedule hasn’t done them any favors either. But even with those setbacks, this team isn’t all that far off from where it was a year ago.
A Season Defined by Bad Breaks
What we’re seeing is a case study in variance. In 2024, the Commanders caught nearly every break imaginable. In 2025, they’ve caught none.
Last year, they won a game on a Hail Mary. Another because the Giants didn’t have a kicker.
Another because DeVonta Smith dropped a routine pass that would’ve iced the game for Philly. In the playoffs, they beat the Bucs after a fluky fumble deep in Tampa territory and a missed field goal that clanged off the upright.
Those are the kinds of bounces that occasionally fall your way. But they don’t show up every season.
This year, the breaks have gone the other way - every single time. And when you live on the margins, that’s the difference between winning and losing.
It’s not always about execution or talent. Sometimes, it’s about when the ball bounces your way - or doesn’t.
The Truth Behind the Record
So, what do we make of a 3-9 team that’s played three overtime games and pushed a top contender to the brink? The truth is, the Commanders aren’t as bad as their record says they are. Just like last year, they weren’t quite as good as their record suggested.
The NFL can be a cruel league. It rewards execution, sure.
But it also rewards timing, health, and a little bit of luck. Right now, Washington’s on the wrong side of all three.
But the fight is still there. And in a season where the standings don’t tell the whole story, that’s something worth holding onto.