The Washington Commanders came crashing back down to earth with a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football. It's early days, but these two clubs are clearly on different levels right now, and it showed during a one-sided affair that could have been won by a much wider margin.
Dan Quinn's squad just weren't at the races. They were lackluster in almost every phase, everything looked disjointed, and the Commanders couldn't generate any momentum whatsoever. Some soul-searching is needed over the mini-bye week to ensure this squad is capable of meeting lofty expectations.
If that wasn't enough, the Commanders are also dealing with major injury concerns after the clash. John Bates was ruled out during the game. Deatrich Wise Jr. had to get carted off with a quad problem. Austin Ekeler's season is probably over with a suspected torn Achilles. These are concerns that need contingency plans if the worst news arrives.
The Commanders have some time to put things right. We are only two games into the campaign, and Washington fought back from adversity plenty of times in Quinn's first season. Doing the same again is imperative.
That's for the future. For now, here are two winners and five losers from the Commanders' disaster at Lambeau Field in Week 2.
Winners and losers from Commanders' disaster at the Packers
Loser No. 1
Marshon Lattimore - Commanders CB
Hopes were extremely high that the Washington Commanders would see the best out of Marshon Lattimore this season. The four-time Pro Bowl cornerback looked healthy and explosive over the summer. His accomplished performance against New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers only raised expectations heading into Week 2.
It was a completely different story with the primetime spotlight glaring. Lattimore was targeted as a weak link by the Packers. Lattimore was burned almost constantly early on, failing to cope with pre-snap motions and giving up several big plays. His holding penalties were an ongoing frustration that cannot continue moving forward.
The former Ohio State standout needs to step things up. Lattimore's performance won't have gone unnoticed by others around the league, so the pressure is on to make the improvements needed. He's not the force of old, that much is obvious, but the Commanders need him to at least be competent enough to hold his own against top-level opposition.
This game exposed Lattimore. How he responds will go a long way to determine his future in Washington beyond the current campaign.
Loser No. 2
Josh Conerly Jr. - Commanders OT
Josh Conerly Jr. had a daunting task ahead of him. The No. 29 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft was once again starting at right tackle against the vaunted Green Bay Packers' pass-rush, which now includes All-Pro Micah Parsons after his bombshell trade from the Dallas Cowboys.
Parsons has tormented the Washington Commanders throughout his career. It came as no surprise to see him do the same again, and mostly at Conerly's expense.
The former Oregon star just couldn't cope with the firepower being thrown at him. Conerly got beaten consistently, looking slow off the snap and unable to hold down a core base to counteract oncoming rushers. Once blocking tight end John Bates left the game due to injury, there was no help. This only made matters worse.
With Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders next up, the Commanders need to take a different approach with Conerly. He just doesn't look ready.
Winner No. 1
Commanders' special teams gunners
It wasn't all bad. The positives were extremely hard to find, but there were one or two areas that deserved credit from an otherwise woeful evening for the Commanders.
Arguably, the most positive element to emerge from the clash came from Percy Butler and Tyler Owens. Washington's two special teams gunners caught the eye throughout, displaying their explosiveness, straight-line speed, and tackling prowess to leave a considerable impression on proceedings.
Butler, who got a new one-year deal from the Commanders ahead of time this offseason, flashed enormous promise. The defensive back might be a liability on the defensive rotation, but he's carving out a niche for himself on special teams. This is the best way to enhance longevity.
The same goes for Owens, whose athleticism and physical attributes need no introduction. There was real urgency from the duo. If everyone else had followed suit, the result might have been different.
Loser No. 3
Will Harris - Commanders S
Not many players covered themselves in glory. The Commanders didn't look ready to play, outcoached and outclassed by a team perceived to be one of their playoff rivals. If they do end up meeting again in the knockout stage, that might be the end of the road for Washington.
Will Harris didn't exactly shine. The veteran safety played well on his debut for the club in Week 1. That was against the lowly New York Giants. When the competition increased, he struggled to make the same impression.
Harris failed to provide adequate coverage support on the backend. When he came to the second level to assist against the run, he couldn't get off blocks effectively enough. That's a dangerous combination that made the free-agent signing a non-factor.
There is a lot of pressure on Harris to deliver the goods. The Commanders are expecting him to fill the void left by Jeremy Chinn, and the standards have slipped on this showing.
Loser No. 4
Laremy Tunsil - Commanders OT
With Josh Conerly Jr. expected to get all the help, the onus was on Laremy Tunsil to perform to his Pro Bowl-caliber standards. The Washington Commanders didn't have any real concerns, especially after his dominant showing against No. 3 pick Abdul Carter in Week 1.
Sadly, Tunsil was unable to maintain this high performance level. The left tackle looked like a shell of his former self. He was exposed by Micah Parsons and even Lukas Van Ness on occasion. There were more penalty issues, which isn't what the Commanders envisaged when they allocated significant draft capital to acquire him via trade from the Houston Texans.
Tunsil is experienced enough to shake this off. The Ole Miss product wasn't alone in failing to meet expectations. But if this becomes the start of a concerning trend, the Commanders have a major problem on their hands.
Hopefully, this is just a blip, and Tunsil can get back to his usual elite production next time out.
Winner No. 2
Zach Ertz - Commanders TE
Jayden Daniels couldn't get anything going. The quarterback was under constant duress, the wide receivers weren't getting open consistently enough, and the Green Bay Packers had no trouble generating pressure with just four guys. They also took away his running lanes to further complicate matters.
There was one shining light. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was once again tight end Zach Ertz.
The three-time Pro Bowler provided Daniels with some slight relief over the short-to-intermediate areas of the field. Ertz was the only player seemingly capable of catching the football under pressure, bringing in six receptions from eight targets for 64 receiving yards and one touchdown. This was positive, but the Commanders cannot keep relying on a 34-year-old veteran to get the job done.
Ertz is not interested in individual praise. He wants the team to win, but his performance was a flicker of positivity amid the chaos.
Loser No. 5
Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr.
The players didn't perform up to their required standards. But make no mistake, the Commanders were convincingly outcoached by the Packers to rub further salt into their wounds.
Kliff Kingsbury called a very strange game. The offensive coordinator refused to establish the run. The route concepts were bland, with go routes and screen plays seemingly all he could come up with versus a high-octane Green Bay defense. There were no positive adjustments, and Jeff Hafley had his number from start to finish.
Kingsbury's decision to give the ball to rookie Jaylin Lane on a slant route with man coverage on the outside on a late fourth down magnified how poorly things went.
Things weren't much better on defense. The Packers picked apart Joe Whitt Jr.'s soft zone scheme whenever they liked. He was reluctant to send more than four players to generate pressure, which played a leading role in Washington's demise. By the time changes were made to his approach, it was too late.