The Washington Commanders had a chance to lay down their biggest marker yet during their trip to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football. This was billed as a mouth-watering clash between two teams vying for NFC East supremacy. It didn't live up to the hype.
More importantly for the Commanders, it ended with defeat.
If last weekend's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers could have been avoided, head coach Dan Quinn's men didn't deserve anything from this one. Their spark was missing despite an improved defensive effort, leaving them at 7-4 on the season with two games remaining until their long-awaited bye week.
They've come a long way in a short space of time. This disappointing reverse was more proof of how far away the Commanders are from those with legitimate Super Bowl credentials. That's the hard truth, even if it stings more amid increased expectations following Washington's incredible start.
There is still all to play for. The Commanders might have fallen behind within the division, but a wildcard berth is still well within their capabilities. Washington's schedule isn't especially daunting moving forward, so hope is far from lost.
That's for the future. For now, here are three winners and four losers from the Commanders' defeat at the Eagles in Week 11.
Winners and losers from Commanders' defeat at the Eagles
Loser No. 1
Commanders offensive line
It's been an encouraging campaign overall for the Washington Commanders offensive line. This fell flat versus the Philadelphia Eagles with the national spotlight glaring.
The Eagles' defensive front seven had their way with Washington's protection. Brandon Coleman and Andrew Wylie had a rough evening on the edges. Things weren't much better on the interior, with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis dominating proceedings from the outset.
Washington's offense was disjointed. The short week and conservative scheme weren't a recipe for success. It didn't help that the protection in front of Jayden Daniels was subpar, which is something that factored into the signal-caller's inability to get into a rhythm.
Hopefully, this is merely a blip rather than the start of something more concerning. Washington's offensive line is beaten up and in dire need of a break. They have a mini-bye before taking on the Dallas Cowboys, so one would expect them to respond positively despite coming up against the likes of Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.