The Washington Commanders got the win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football because the defense set the tone, but Drew Stevens made sure the night belonged to more than one side of the ball.
The undrafted rookie kicker turned in the kind of performance that can change how a team thinks about a position. Stevens went 4-for-5, and the biggest swing came late in the first quarter when he connected on a 56-yarder.
That kick mattered even more because he had already missed from 55 yards on Washington’s opening drive. Instead of letting that miss snowball, Stevens answered when Dan Quinn sent him right back out from one yard farther later in the opening frame.
He drilled it.
From there, Stevens settled in and put together his strongest outing of the season. By the time the night was over, he had scored 13 of Washington’s 27 points, outpacing the Eagles on his own.
For a team that has often treated those situations differently in the past, Quinn’s confidence in the rookie stood out. Several of the attempts came in spots where Washington has previously chosen to go for it, but this time the kicker kept delivering.
That kind of trust doesn’t come easily at the NFL’s most unforgiving position. Stevens has already shown the kind of leg that can stretch beyond 50 yards, and this season he has been reliable from inside that range. The next step is the part that separates a promising rookie from a real answer: making the routine kicks routine.
Washington has spent years cycling through short-term fixes at kicker, and the search for a long-term solution has dragged on. Dustin Hopkins was probably the closest the franchise has come in the last couple of decades, though even he drew plenty of criticism along the way.
The Commanders finally used a draft pick on the position this year, and Stevens has given them a reason to believe that move could matter. He has had his rough moments, including three missed extra points this season, but Sunday night showed real growth.
A shaky start could have rattled him. Instead, he responded and helped carry Washington to a win.
That’s the line for any kicker: don’t be the reason a team loses. The best ones do more than that.
They help win games. Stevens was one of the reasons Washington beat Philadelphia, and after a night like this, the Commanders have to feel better about where things are headed.
In Other News...
Commanders Got Burned By Another Late Call In A Huge Spot
A promising defensive stand turned into another frustrating sequence for Washington on Sunday night when cornerback Trey Amos appeared to come up with an interception, only for the play to be erased by a roughing-the-passer flag on linebacker KLavon Chaisson. Instead of flipping possession, the penalty kept Philadelphia on the field and let the Eagles continue the drive in a game where every late snap carried extra weight.
Chaisson did not hide from the moment afterward, acknowledging the penalty and voicing frustration with some of the officiating decisions throughout the night. For Washington, it was the kind of costly break that can linger well beyond one drive, especially when a defense thinks it has finally forced the turnover it needed. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Amos Is Giving Commanders Fans A Reason To Believe In This Secondary
Trey Amos has started to look like one of the more encouraging pieces in Washingtons young secondary. The 2025 second-round pick returned from injury in Week 6 and has quickly settled back in as a steady presence, flashing the kind of coverage skills the Commanders hoped to see when they drafted him. In Sunday nights win over Philadelphia, Amos was again part of a defensive effort that gave Washington fans a little more reason to trust what this back end might become.
The bigger takeaway is not just that Amos has been active around the ball, but that he has helped limit what opposing receivers can do when targeted. Multiple pass deflections and a knack for staying in phase have made him stand out during a stretch when the Commanders are looking for defensive stability to take hold. For a team trying to build something lasting on that side of the ball, Amos is already making the case that he can be part of the answer. [Read more 🡒]
Sonny Styles Is Already Rewarding Washingtons Biggest Draft Gamble
Seven games into his NFL career, Sonny Styles already looks like the kind of rookie linebacker Washington can build around. The Commanders have seen enough to feel good about their decision to make him a centerpiece of the defense, and the early returns have matched the buzz that followed him into the league. His athleticism, feel for the position and ability to affect plays have stood out enough that he is already drawing praise as more than just a promising young defender.
The latest reminder came in a prime-time setting against Philadelphia, where Styles once again showed why Washington was willing to make such a bold draft move. For a team trying to raise the ceiling of its defense, the encouraging part is not just what he has done so far, but how quickly he has started to look comfortable in a demanding role. The bigger question now is how far that growth can go, and how soon he can turn a hot start into something even more lasting. [Read more 🡒]