Nobody was expecting much from the Washington Commanders in Week 10. The Detroit Lions were aiming to get their back on track and were out to avenge a stunning playoff defeat last season. What followed was an inevitable beatdown that most fans saw coming.
The Lions got whatever they wanted, cruising into an early lead and never letting up. Washington's defense waved the white flag, and the offense couldn't overcome it. The game was over in the first quarter, and it quickly became another painful afternoon at the office with President Donald J. Trump in attendance.
Head coach Dan Quinn's squad is now 3-7 heading into their international contest versus the Miami Dolphins. That's not the guaranteed win it appeared earlier in the campaign, with Mike McDaniel's squad toppling the Buffalo Bills in a shocking upset.
Where the Commanders go from here is anyone's guess. Their chances of making the playoffs are long gone. Their roster is old, ravaged by injuries, and not executing effectively enough. Fans are calling for heads to roll, and the culture shift Quinn worked so hard to build last time around is disintegrating rapidly. It's a complete mess, and there are still seven contests remaining.
Before attention turns to what comes next, here are five losers and two winners from Washington's meltdown against the Lions.
Winners and losers from the Commanders' pitiful defeat to the Lions
Loser No. 1
Daron Payne - Commanders DT
There is no doubt that Daron Payne has been a rare bright spot for the Washington Commanders this season. However, the veteran defensive tackle won't be looking back on this game with any great fondness.
Payne was bullied in the trenches right from the outset. He failed to generate any push against the run, and the Detroit Lions took full advantage. With the contest getting away from the Commanders early, the former Alabama standout lost his cool following an altercation with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Words were exchanged. Payne did not take the high road, throwing a punch. An inevitable melee followed, and the Pro Bowler was ejected.
Everyone can get caught up in the heat of the moment, and nobody likes getting beaten down. However, as an emerging leader and someone others are looking to for inspiration, Payne cannot get caught in this trap.
This is a microcosm of everything wrong with the Commanders right now. They are undisciplined, petulant, and failing to lead the right way. Payne embodied all that and more in Week 10 at Northwest Stadium.
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.
Loser No. 4
Joe Whitt Jr. - Commanders DC
The Washington Commanders moved Joe Whitt Jr. from the booth to the sideline in one final roll of the dice in Week 10. Dan Quinn wanted to keep a closer eye on the defensive coordinator, and he thought this switch would help improve the communication in the game-day pressure cooker.
Quinn's gamble backfired. The same defensive frailties emerged, and Whitt cut a dejected figure on the sidelines. He knew that his unit didn't have a chance, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.
Time is running out for Whitt. Most fans have already decided that a fresh start would be the best possible solution for all parties. Quinn's been reluctant to make any coaching changes in-season. But with one contest remaining before the bye week, that could be the time for a shake-up.
For all the Miami Dolphins' faults, their offense can put up points in a hurry when they are firing on all cylinders. That doesn't bode well for Whitt, whose job status is hanging by a thread.
Winner No. 2
Marcus Mariota - Commanders QB
Jayden Daniels will be missing for the foreseeable future after dislocating his elbow. And judging by how things are free-falling for the Commanders right now, there is a high probability that fans won't see the dynamic quarterback again in 2025.
The Commanders were relying on Marcus Mariota to keep this competitive. He's a dependable backup who can manage games effectively, but Washington's woeful defense meant he was always fighting a losing battle.
Mariota played well. It got lost amid yet another embarrassing defeat, but the former Oregon standout was way down the list of Washington's problems at Northwest Stadium.
He navigated the pocket nicely. Mariota took shots downfield with great success. While the Lions took their foot off the gas in the second half, there was a lot to like about the accuracy and velocity on his throws.
Mariota threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He secured a 133.3 passer rating, and his QBR was 82.8. And yet, the Commanders still got blown out.
Loser No. 5
Frankie Luvu - Commanders LB
Frankie Luvu's sensational impact on the Washington Commanders last season spearheaded their renaissance. He earned second-team All-Pro honors, emerging as one of the league's most imposing linebackers en route to becoming the beating heart of Joe Whitt Jr.'s unit.
This is not the same player. Luvu's role has changed, stemming from injuries that exposed Washington's lack of edge-rushing depth. It has not had the desired effect, and there is hesitancy where once there was nothing but conviction.
The Washington State product isn't operating with the same explosiveness. Luvu's angles in pursuit have regressed considerably. He's missing an astonishing amount of tackles, and the spark that propelled him to prominence last time around has deserted him.
Others in the linebacking corps aren't exactly shining either, but more was expected of Luvu. The Commanders need to get back to what made him special in 2024, which centers on operating with freedom and instinctiveness.