The Washington Commanders' loss to the Denver Broncos was the closest thing they've had to a win in two months. Unlike the six previous setbacks in their losing skid, this was a hard-fought effort against a quality opponent.
There were several reasons for the improved level of play, but the biggest was the long-awaited return of wide receiver Terry McLaurin. After appearing in only one of Washington's previous eight contests, he made play after play down the stretch to help keep the Commanders in the game on Sunday Night Football.
His quarterback, Marcus Mariota, made sure everyone knew it.
Marcus Mariota outlined why Terry McLaurin is so valuable to the Commanders
The Commanders missed McLaurin's presence dearly while he was out, and it was never more evident than in Week 13. His ability to produce the goods when Washington needed him was the biggest reason why head coach Dan Quinn's squad had a chance. Mariota was well aware.
"He's a special player the more that we can get him the rock... he's gonna make plays for us, and he made some big third down catches. He made an unbelievable catch to start the overtime to get us going. I mean, he's an unbelievable player and we're fortunate to have him."Marcus Mariota via Commanders.com
Without McLaurin, the Commanders had "some guys" as pass-catching options. They've had Deebo Samuel Sr. for all but one contest. Luke McCaffrey was having a breakout year before he injured his collarbone. Treylon Burks has been promising. Veteran tight end Zach Ertz remains reliable in short-yardage situations.
But none of them come close to matching McLaurin's aura or performance levels. The second-team All-Pro doesn't put up monster numbers every game, but in terms of his impact on the field, he's a complete package.
He makes contested grabs. He's a deep ball threat. He's elite in the red zone. And if you ever need a key first down, he's always there.
Even in McLaurin's brief initial return against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he wasn't 100 percent healthy, he changed the game. The former Ohio State star made two highlight-reel grabs, the second of which aggravated his quad injury, that nobody else on the Commanders would have made. Washington was in that contest during the first half and fell apart once he left it. That's not a coincidence.
Over the offseason, when McLaurin was holding out for a new contract, the argument against extending him was that his role could be replaced, which Washington was prepared to do with Samuel. This season, that idea has been put to rest.
There's no replacing McLaurin, and everyone in the locker room knows it.