Terry McLaurin’s status is coming down to the wire for Washington’s Week 5 matchup with the Giants, and the Commanders have at least some reason to think their top wideout might be out there Sunday.
ESPN’s John Keim reported Saturday that McLaurin is expected to be a true game-time decision because of the hamstring injury that already kept him out of Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts. Keim said there was a “slight lean” toward McLaurin playing, though he was clear that it was “just slight.”
That uncertainty has been building all week. McLaurin did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, then worked on a limited basis Friday before Washington listed him as questionable for Sunday. The final call is expected to hinge on how he feels during pregame warmups.
The Commanders would love to get him back. Fellow starting receiver Stefon Diggs has already been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury this week, so McLaurin’s availability would give Washington a badly needed lift at wideout.
Even so, the team is not planning to force him back before he’s ready. Washington has already ruled eight players out for the game, and the forecast could add another wrinkle. Hurricane Isaias is expected to bring rain throughout the contest, and there are concerns about the playing surface at Northwest Stadium.
Washington enters Week 5 at 1-3, with every win mattering as it tries to dig out of that start. Getting McLaurin on the field with quarterback Jayden Daniels back in action would go a long way toward helping that push.
In Other News...
Commanders Have Another Officiating Controversy Fans Wont Let Go
The Commanders left Week 5 with more than just a loss to the Giants, because the officiating became part of the conversation again. A key call wiped out an interception by cornerback Amik Robertson, turning what looked like a swing play into another sore point for a team that feels like it has seen too many of these moments already this season.
Robertson did not let the frustration sit for long, taking to social media to vent about the quality of the officiating and pointing to multiple instances this year he believes have hurt Washington. The broader backdrop only adds to the irritation, with recent NFL officiating disputes and player confrontations making every questionable flag feel bigger, and this one is sure to linger with Commanders fans for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Let A Winnable Game Slip Away With Brutal Late Mistake
For much of Sunday, Washington looked like it had done enough to leave with a much-needed road win, building a two-touchdown cushion before the game turned into a fourth-quarter scramble. The Giants, powered by Jameis Winstons 326-yard, three-touchdown outing, stormed back to force overtime, turning what had been a comfortable afternoon for the Commanders into a tense finish.
Even after the lead evaporated, Washington still had a clear path to escape with a victory, only to let the moment slip away in the final seconds. The late clock management left the Commanders settling for a tie instead of a win, an outcome that will linger because it was there to be taken. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Have One More Reason To Revisit That Giants Tie
The Giants 27-27 tie with Washington is getting another look, and not just because divisional games tend to linger. Cam Skattebo, who was at the center of the overtime turnover sequence, acknowledged that the ball security lapse was his mistake and said he has to do better moving forward. For Commanders fans, it is one more reminder that the game was there to be claimed late, even if it ended up as a split.
Skattebo framed the finish as a lesson for the Giants, stressing the need to protect the football as they move on to face the Saints. New York still sits atop the NFC East, which only adds to the sense that Washington left something behind in a game where the margin was razor thin and the ending never quite felt settled. [Read more 🡒]