Loser No. 2
Javon Kinlaw - Commanders DT
Let's stick with the defensive tackles, because this was another horrific afternoon at the office for prized free-agent signing Javon Kinlaw.
Eyebrows were raised around the league when the Washington Commanders gave Kinlaw a three-year, $45 million contract with $30 million guaranteed this offseason. Nobody believed he was worth that much, and things are tailing off dramatically after a promising start.
Kinlaw, like his interior partner Daron Payne, was bullied in the trenches from start to finish. He also lost control of his emotions, even putting his hands on an official who drew a flag. The former South Carolina star was lucky he wasn't ejected, but he offered almost nothing after that.
The lineman was quick to blame everyone else for what happened, failing to take accountability for his actions during his media availability. Again, this is everything that's wrong with the Commanders in their current state.
Kinlaw needs to look a little closer to home, rather than pointing the finger elsewhere.
Winner No. 1
Treylon Burks - Commanders WR
There weren't many players who emerged from this torrid performance with credit. The Commanders were outmatched, outcoached, and outworked. This is a shell of the team that reached the NFC Championship game last season, and serious questions are being asked about the project's direction.
However, wide receiver Treylon Burks displayed the flashes that suggest he could be of use down the stretch and potentially beyond.
Burks was signed recently after being cut by the Tennessee Titans. He's been thrown into the breach perhaps sooner than expected amid Washington's injury struggles. It's been a baptism of fire, especially without Jayden Daniels to depend upon, but the former Arkansas standout acquitted himself exceptionally well in difficult circumstances.
The 2022 first-round pick brought in all three of his receptions for 58 receiving yards. Burks played with urgency, created encouraging separation, and made his targets count. On a day when there wasn't much to cheer, this was a bright spot.
Loser No. 3
Commanders' run defense
The Commanders' defense is a mess. They can't stop anything or anybody, devoid of talent, decisiveness, or inspiration. It's a devastating combination that opposing teams have no trouble exploiting at will.
Fans were fearing the worst going up against the Detroit Lions. Head coach Dan Campbell took over the offensive play-calling, and his strategy was predicated on establishing a firm ground attack. Jahmyr Gibbs tormented the Commanders, who were bullied in the trenches and were a yard off the pace.
That's been the story of the campaign. The Commanders are soft upfront. Their linebackers are slow and hesitant. The secondary isn't strong enough, and they are technically deficient in tackling. Detroit blazed a trail for 226 rushing yards and two touchdowns from 33 attempts — 142 of which came from Gibbs.
Washington doesn't have the personnel or the schematic adjustments to turn the tide. That's the brutal reality facing Dan Quinn.