Loser No. 1
Michael Davis - Commanders CB
Not having Marshon Lattimore available once again was a body blow to the Washington Commanders. The four-time Pro Bowler's hamstring remains a serious concern. This also meant others further down the pecking order needed to make a bigger impression.
The coaching staff started Michael Davis in Lattimore's place over Benjamin St-Juste. It didn't take long for the Atlanta Falcons to figure out he was the weak link.
When the Falcons needed a big play, rookie signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. often looked in Davis' direction. It didn't matter who the defensive back was up against, that's where the football was going more often than not.
Davis couldn't cope. Whether it was defensive pass interference penalties or simply being unable to keep up with the Falcons' explosive pass-catchers, it was a disaster from start to finish. Fortunately for the Commanders, Atlanta's offense didn't get the chance to do more damage in overtime.
If the Commanders want to make some noise in the postseason, they need Lattimore in the lineup. This game proved that Davis is not up to the challenge.
Winner No. 2
Quan Martin - Commanders S
One could make a strong case for anyone drafted under the Ron Rivera regime being under more pressure than most to perform. There aren't many left following general manager Adam Peters' drastic roster cull, but a couple are starting to firmly establish themselves under the new regime.
Quan Martin is one of them. The physical safety looks tailormade for Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s defensive scheme. His performance against the Atlanta Falcons was arguably his best since joining the Commanders as a second-round selection in 2023.
Martin was impactful in coverage, mirroring opposing wide receivers and tight ends well. He provided assured support to the cornerbacks on the back end, especially in the second half as Washington started to build momentum. This hasn't always been the case in 2024, but rising to the occasion on the biggest stage is going to do his confidence a significant amount of good.
This was a huge step in the right direction for Martin. He's set a new bar for himself that the Commanders' coaching staff will be expecting him to keep up moving forward.