The Washington Commanders walked into Week 9 with a chance to land another big upset, but the night quickly turned into another reminder of how thin the margin is against a team built to punish mistakes.
Coming off a win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Dan Quinn’s group had some momentum. But the Los Angeles Rams were a different kind of problem.
Even at 4-4, they came in looking dangerous, with Matthew Stafford in the mix as the reigning NFL MVP and All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett back after a long injury absence. For Washington, already dealing with its own injury issues, the challenge was obvious: survive with the next man up and make the most of every opening.
That didn’t happen. The Commanders couldn’t cash in on their chances, and the same issues that have followed them all season showed up again in their fifth loss.
Before the football even took center stage, the organization had a moment worth savoring. John Riggins finally had his No. 44 retired, a long-overdue honor for one of the franchise’s defining figures.
The celebration carried extra weight because of his rocky relationship with the team during the Dan Snyder era, but majority owner Josh Harris worked to repair that bridge. Riggins, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, took in the tribute with the same gratitude fans have always associated with him.
There will never be another No. 44 again. And there will never be another Riggins.
Once the game got rolling, Washington’s offensive line had its hands full. That was never going to be a clean matchup against a Rams front that gives everybody trouble, especially with Garrett back in the fold.
The Commanders had some decent moments, but the bigger story was the same one that keeps popping up: hesitation before the snap and trouble anchoring against power. With Garrett, Aaron Donald, and Byron Young coming after them, the Commanders were forced to get the ball out fast.
That approach made sense, and it also put more pressure on the backs and receivers to create something after the catch.
Rachaad White was one of the few bright spots. There’s been plenty of talk about Washington possibly adding a running back before the deadline, but White may have given Adam Peters something to think about.
This looked like his best showing since signing in free agency. He played with more burst and conviction, even if the lanes were tight.
His biggest impact came in the passing game, where he gave Jayden Daniels a reliable outlet and a real problem for the Rams to account for.
White’s early 45-yard screen helped set up a Van Jefferson touchdown, and even when the ball wasn’t going his way, he kept drawing attention. That kind of presence mattered in a game where Washington needed every small advantage it could find.
In Other News...
Commanders Face An Awkward Mike Sainristil Question At Trade Deadline
The trade deadline always creates a little noise around players who are not quite fitting the way the team hoped, and Mike Sainristil has become one of those names in Washington. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently pointed to Sainristil and Dorance Armstrong as possible candidates to watch, a reminder that the Commanders could face some uncomfortable roster decisions as the deadline approaches.
Sainristil, a 2024 second-round pick, has seen his role and production dip this season, and he has spent most of his time on special teams lately. Even so, the Commanders have not opened trade talks involving him, and the current plan is to keep working with him rather than move on from a player they still believe can be part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinn Addressed The Final Play Commanders Fans Are Still Questioning
The Commanders 20-13 loss to the Rams at home left plenty to sort through, especially with Jayden Daniels working behind a depleted offense and trying to keep Washington afloat against a defense that kept pressing. Even in defeat, there was some encouraging resistance on the other side of the ball, with Matthew Stafford limited to 228 yards, but Puka Nacua still found enough room to hurt Washington with 150 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, Dan Quinn was asked about the final play that had fans buzzing, a short throw that became the subject of immediate second-guessing. Quinn pointed to the Rams blitz as the reason the ball came out where it did and made it clear he was not pleased with how the play was carried out, leaving the late-game sequence as one more painful detail in a loss that already had enough of them. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Peters Faces A Defining Call As Commanders Hit A Crossroads
The Commanders are approaching a stretch that could shape how aggressively Adam Peters works the trade market, with the front office watching closely as the team tries to steady itself before the 2026 deadline. Injuries have thinned the roster and complicated the depth chart, leaving Washington in a spot where every game now carries extra weight for a team trying to stay in the playoff conversation.
A key matchup with the Rams looms as a useful checkpoint, not just for the standings but for the bigger question of what Peters should do next. If Washington can keep its record moving in the right direction, the deadline could become a chance to add help rather than simply endure the attrition, but a setback would only sharpen the pressure on a general manager already facing one of his most consequential calls. [Read more 🡒]