The Washington Commanders began their 2025 campaign with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations after winning 12 games and making the NFC Championship game last season. Through two weeks, it's been a mixed bag of results.
After handily beating the New York Giants in Week 1, the Commanders fell to the Green Bay Packers in an ugly Thursday Night Football showing that was never as close as the final score. Everybody knew there would be some growing pains with the higher expectations, and this was a necessary reality check.
The Commanders are far from finished in 2025. Anybody suggesting otherwise can go find another bandwagon to jump on if enduring setbacks is too uncomfortable. Adversity is part of sports. You're never going to escape it.
It's all about how you respond. In that regard, the entire team can take a look in the mirror after this one.
But one person sticks out in particular.
Kliff Kingsbury's play-calling cost Commanders against the Packers
Green Bay's defense was dominant, and it looks to be perhaps the best in football. Before ravaging the Commanders, the Packers held the Detroit Lions — the top scoring offense in the NFL a year ago — to only 13 points.
The main takeaway from Washington's loss may be that the Packers are just really good. Still, the Commanders' offense hasn't looked this stale throughout the entire Jayden Daniels era. Simply put, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury must be better.
Kingsbury's play-calling was far too conservative at Lambeau Field. There were too many designed runs and quick passes, predicated on the idea that Washington's skill position players could break tackles and gain yardage after the catch.
This did not happen. The Packers immediately sniffed out the vast majority of the Commanders' plans, and Kingsbury didn't adjust effectively enough.
Daniels needed to take more shots downfield, even if the coverage on Washington's wide receivers was also sharp. It's the most surefire way to generate opportunities for the momentum-shifting big play the Commanders desperately needed. At worst, it's not hard to draw a few pass interference flags if you're aggressive enough.
Despite being visibly outmatched, this was a winnable game for the Commanders. They trailed by only one score early in the fourth quarter, and that was even after Matt Gay missed two field goals. All hope is not lost by any stretch.
A better game plan from the coaching staff could have stolen a victory in a different world. It will fall on Kingsbury to open up the offense moving forward.