Washington’s second preseason game in Detroit didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard, but it did hand the Commanders a few clear winners and a few spots that need serious cleanup before the real thing starts.
The headline moment came from the defense. Washington’s first-team unit produced a touchdown, and Amik Robertson delivered the play of the game with a sack-fumble of Lions quarterback Joshua Dobbs early in the first quarter.
Joshua Josephs recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown, and the hit itself was as clean as it was violent. Josephs and Javontae Jean-Baptiste both helped create the pressure on the snap.
The offense, though, was another story. The first-team group looked completely out of sync, and the running game never really got going. Washington left with a 17-13 loss, but at least came away without any significant injuries.
Athan Kaliakmanis was the clearest bright spot on offense. He spent plenty of time under pressure, but handled it well, climbed and moved in the pocket, and still delivered several sharp throws.
He finished 11-for-14 for 162 yards and wasn’t sacked. Through two preseason games, he has very clearly outplayed Sam Hartman.
Antonio Williams also made the most of his chances with the second unit. He caught three passes for 41 yards, including the BEAUTIFUL snag below, and his route work stood out. He looked clean coming out of breaks, caught the ball naturally with his hands and showed excellent body control.
Jaden Bradley added another strong showing with a one-handed grab for 30 yards in the third quarter. He also blocked well and chipped in on special teams, making a real case for a spot on the 53-man roster.
Maurice Hurst II kept piling up good tape as well. The former Michigan Wolverine was a problem for Detroit’s backup linemen, tying for second on the team with five combined tackles and adding two sacks.
On the flip side, Washington’s interior offensive line had a rough day. The run blocking was almost nonexistent, and the group piled up too many missed assignments and errors, especially among the backups.
Rookie Matt Gulbin struggled at right guard, Julian Good-Jones had issues at center, and Foster Sarell and Nicholas Petit-Frere didn’t fare well either. The interior play, though, was the bigger problem.
Will Harris also had another shaky outing. By all accounts, his camp hasn’t been strong, and that showed again Saturday.
He was slow to react on a few throws and had a bad whiff on a screen early in the second quarter. At this point, he no longer looks like a roster lock.
Robert Henry Jr. didn’t help his case either. If he’s going to stick, special teams value is going to matter, and his kickoff fumble in the fourth quarter was a costly mistake. He finished with four carries for minus-three yards and also missed a few blocks in pass protection.
A few other defenders kept making their case. Quan Martin picked off his second pass of the preseason on a Dobbs overthrow in the middle of the field, and he has looked much better than Harris at safety so far. Ricky Barber continued his strong preseason with quick penetration into the backfield, five combined tackles, one for loss and a quarterback hit.
Tyler Owens kept showing up in different spots for Washington’s defense. He came off the edge on a blitz and totally DESTROYED Jacob Saylors in the first quarter, though he later came off that same edge and needed to throttle down on a blitz that ended up opening a big running lane.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Joshua Josephs both had productive stretches too. They generated pressure, Jean-Baptiste earned a sack, and Josephs was involved in the read-option play where Dobbs scored on the long run - a clear teaching moment for the rookie.
In Other News...
Commanders Face Tough 53-Man Calls After Surprise Preseason Risers
Two preseason games have already given the Commanders a better read on some of the roster battles they thought might take longer to sort out. With final cuts approaching, Washington has been using these games to separate the steady from the shaky, and a few competitors have clearly helped themselves along the way. Athan Kaliakmanis has been one of the more notable risers, especially after Marcus Mariotas injury opened the door for more scrutiny at backup quarterback.
Kaliakmanis has taken advantage of the opportunity, putting together encouraging recent performances that have improved his standing in the QB picture. He is not the only one making the decision harder, either, as Joshua Josephs and Kaytron Allen have also shown enough progress to strengthen their cases for the 53-man roster. For a team trying to trim the margins, that kind of late momentum can matter just as much as any early summer depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinn Sent Commanders A Clear Message After That Lions Showing
A sluggish preseason showing against the Lions was enough to prompt a noticeable change in the Commanders routine Monday, when the scheduled walk-through was bumped in favor of a full practice. Dan Quinn then met with reporters afterward, and the altered plan fit the tone of a head coach clearly trying to sharpen the edge around a team still early in its summer work.
With a joint practice against the Ravens coming up, the message from Quinn was less about easing through the week and more about raising the standard now. The switch in plans suggested he wanted his players locked in and moving with purpose, a small but telling reminder that he is not interested in letting an uneven preseason outing linger or turn into anything bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Joshua Josephs Is Making A Stronger Commanders Case Than Expected
Joshua Josephs has already done something in August that tends to get a rookie edge rusher noticed fast. The fifth-round pick for Washington found the end zone on a defensive touchdown in the Commanders second preseason game against the Detroit Lions, giving the defense a rare jolt and offering another reminder that the front seven is still trying to build its identity under new coordinator Daronte Jones.
It was also the Commanders first defensive touchdown since the 2024 divisional playoff round, which adds a little more weight to a play that usually gets filed away as a preseason highlight. For Josephs, the bigger takeaway is the way he has kept stacking encouraging moments while Washington leans into a turnover-driven approach, and that kind of early momentum can make a young pass rusher much harder to ignore when roster decisions get real. [Read more 🡒]