Nobody gave the Washington Commanders much hope of pulling off a significant upset against the Kansas City Chiefs. They were more competitive than expected in the first half, but a second-half meltdown condemned them to a third straight defeat.
It was yet another frustrating outing from the Commanders. They are constantly shooting themselves in the foot through lapses in concentration and poor communication in key moments. Jayden Daniels masked a lot of these issues last season, but the signal-caller wasn't around to save them this time.
The Chiefs completely overwhelmed Washington as the game went on. They controlled the tempo, made every big play count, and emerged as comfortable winners. As for the Commanders? They are now 3-5 with some tricky-looking games upcoming before their bye week.
A season that promised much is falling by the wayside, and there is plenty of blame to go around. Where the Commanders go from here is anyone's guess, but a massive effort is required to avoid things spiraling further.
That's for the not-too-distant future. For now, here are two winners and five losers from Washington's loss to the Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
Winners and losers from the Commanders' prime time meltdown against the Chiefs
Loser No. 1
Preston Smith - Commanders DE
The Washington Commanders needed one of their pass-rushers to raise their influence in Week 8. Breakout edge rusher Dorance Armstrong Jr. was ruled out for the entire campaign with a knee injury, leaving Joe Whitt Jr.'s defense with just three typical defensive ends to call upon.
This looked like a good opportunity for Preston Smith to cement his importance to the Commanders this season. A larger role was expected, but the veteran player once drafted by Washington didn't meet the required standards.
Smith failed to create pressure. Everything seems complicated for him at this stage of his career. His gap discipline against the run was poor, and at times, he overcommitted, leaving his side of the field exposed.
The Commanders had seen enough. They deployed Frankie Luvu more on the edge at Smith's expense. That is a damning indictment of how his performance was being perceived, and it remains to be seen what role he'll have in Washington moving forward.
In truth, the Coommanders don't have much choice other than to keep Smith on the rotation. Their options are threadbare at best, and general manager Adam Peters isn't in a position to be making bold trades before the deadline.
Smith had a massive opportunity in Week 8. He fluffed his lines.