News Commanders Team Notes

[Washington Commanders]

Washington Commanders vs Atlanta Falcons Week 4: Five Questions with The Falcoholic

It’s week 4 of the NFL season, and the Washington Commanders will be facing the Atlanta Falcons on the road at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA this Sunday at 1:00 pm EDT. The Falcons are in many ways a foil for the Commanders, with a defensive, 2nd-chance Head Coach in Raheem Morris, a 2nd-year QB in Michael Penix Jr, and an OC reportedly sought by many teams last year in Zac Robinson, yet sporting an 8-9 record in 2024, a 1-2 record this season, and the Falcons were shut out by the Panthers 30-0 last week.

On offense, the Falcons are coached by OC Zac Robinson, former QB coach and passing game coordinator of the Rams. Although Robinson was presumably brought in to implement a similar offense to that of the Rams, a big part of the Rams success has been due to Sean McVay’s personal ability to read defenses and audible for his QB as well as McVay’s ability as a playcaller (recently voted the best offensive playcaller by NFL coaches). The results for the Falcons offense have been less impressive thus far, with the Falcons scoring the 2nd fewest points in the NFL through the past 3 weeks. The offense has been criticized for being predictable, with a high number of passing plays called out of shotgun formation and a high number of running plays called out of pistol formation, making playcalls easy to predict based on formation. The passing game also seems to rely heavily on short passes, leading to a high completion percentage without first downs. The Falcons have relied very heavily on RB Bijan Robinson in both the rushing and passing game, as he can take even a short pass for a big gain with his explosiveness and tackle-breaking ability. With 403 total yards from scrimmage, Bijan has personally accounted for a whopping 40% of the Falcons yards gained so far this season!

On defense, the Falcons are coached by DC Jeff Ulbrich, former DC and interim HC of the Jets following the firing, in 2024, of DC Jimmy Lake. Ulbrich has brought a philosophy of using multiple fronts, alternating between a 3-4 and 4-3 front and moving DL around the line to create mismatches. The Falcons also invested heavily in defense in the 2025 draft, taking defensive players with their first 4 picks (including taking two EDGE rushers in the 1st round of the draft: Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr). The Falcons defense is allowing the 2nd fewest scrimmage yards to opposing teams so far this year and held the Vikings to only 6 points in a week 2 blowout win.

I asked Saivion Mixon of The Falcoholic five questions to better understand the state of the Falcons and what to look for in this game.

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1) What’s your assessment of Michael Penix Jr and on a scale of 1-10, how certain are you he’s a franchise guy?

I’m not going to act like seeing every one of Penix’s shortcomings on full display at once didn’t make me uncomfortable. That said, I’m still optimistic about his long-term outlook. I’d put my confidence level around a 7.5 out of 10 right now. He has to get more comfortable attacking the middle of the field and navigating the pocket when pressure comes. Up until Sunday, he’d done a great job avoiding negative plays, and I believe he’ll learn from such a rough outing.

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2) Tell us about the Falcons revamped defense that was able to hold the Vikings to 6 points in week 2.

The Falcons have leaned heavily into Jeff Ulbrich’s aggressive approach. Atlanta leads the league with a 40.4% blitz rate, including 43.3% against Minnesota. They’ve also used the versatility of their defensive line to muddy protections, rotating nine different players for 13–26 snaps each, per Next Gen Stats. That group helped pressure J.J. McCarthy on 53.3% of his dropbacks, and it was a big reason why the Vikings never found a rhythm.

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3) What factors lead to the Panthers shutting out the Falcons 30-0 last week?

Honestly, it was a perfect storm of failures in all three phases. Penix struggled to push the ball, missing open reads and settling for checkdowns, one of which Chau Smith-Wade jumped for a pick-six. Bijan Robinson played well, but the run game never got fully established. Special teams were a disaster: Bad punts, two missed field goals, and multiple botched kick returns left the offense with terrible field position (an average starting spot under the 18-yard line). The defense actually held up reasonably well early, but with no help from the other phases, it eventually spiraled into a game Atlanta will want to forget.

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4) Who is one Falcons player on offense and one player on defense that Washington fans probably don’t know much about, but should?

On defense, keep an eye on the linebacker tandem of Kaden Elliss and Divine Deablo. They’ve been effective in multiple roles: Blitzing, stopping the run, and reading quick passes, and Ulbrich moves them around constantly to create mismatches.

On offense, everyone knows Bijan Robinson, but Tyler Allgeier deserves more recognition. He’s a bruiser who complements Bijan perfectly, especially in 21 personnel looks. Against Washington, I’d expect his workload to tick up as Atlanta tries to establish the run early.

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5) How should Washington go about gameplanning this matchup on both sides of the ball?

When Washington has the ball: Run it. The Falcons didn’t give up many explosive runs, but Carolina controlled the trenches and dictated the game that way. With Washington’s rushing attack and both quarterbacks being threats on the ground, that’s the best way to neutralize Atlanta’s pass rush.

When Atlanta has the ball: Make Penix uncomfortable. Before last week, he was good at avoiding negative plays, but when rattled, he sped through progressions and defaulted to checkdowns. Bijan will get his regardless, but if Washington can stuff the run early, it forces Atlanta to play left-handed and lean more heavily on a rookie quarterback still adjusting.

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A companion article to this with my answers to Saivion’s questions will be linked here as soon as it is available.

Thanks again to Saivion Mixon for taking time out of his day to answer our questions about the Falcons. Also, if you want more knowledge about the Falcons, you should check out this Q&A by Falcons beat reporter Jeanna Kelley.

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/questions...ons-week-4-five-questions-with-the-falcoholic

 

[Washington Commanders]

Commanders vs Falcons Friday Injury Report: Two players questionable

The Washington Commanders held the team’s last full practice before they travel south to face the Atlanta Falcons. Dan Quinn spoke to reporters after practice and ruled out four players for Sunday’s game. Jayden Daniels(knee), Terry McLaurin(quad), John Bates(groin/calf), and Noah Brown(groin/knee) will all miss the Falcons game. Quinn said the Daniels wasn’t quite there yet, and wasn’t cleared by the medical staff to return to play. He described McLaurin as week-to-week with the quad injury he’s suffered in last week’s win over the Raiders. Bates and Brown(along with Daniels) are missing their second straight games, while McLaurin’s streak of 72 straight games ends this week due to injury.

Bill Merritt shows up on this week’s injury report with a new knee injury and he got his first practice in today. Dan Quinn said he looked good, and indicated that the rookie RB would be playing this weekend. He was at practice in uniform with a sleeve on his leg yesterday, but worked on the side field with other injured players. He was wearing a sleeve on his left leg. Percy Butler missed another practice after suffering a hip injury vs the Raiders. Bill and Percy are the only players listed as questionable for Sunday.

Rookie CB Trey Amos left the Raiders game with a calf injury. He was a full participant the last two days, and it looks like he’ playing in Atlanta vs the Falcons. TE Colson Yankoff was the only other player on this week’s report, and he’s been a full participant in practice all week with a new ankle injury.

#WASvsATL game status

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 26, 2025

OUT​

QB Jayden Daniels – Didn’t practice today, wearing a knee brace

WR Terry McLaurin – Suffered a quad injury vs the Raiders, sought second opinion

TE John Bates – Groin injury vs Packers, also listed with a calf injury

WR Noah Brown – Dealing with knee injury since June, groin injury vs Packers

Questionable​

S Percy Butler – Still not practicing from hip injury vs Raiders

RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt – Had first practice of the week, working with sleeve on his injured knee

No Injury Designation​

CB Trey Amos – Second full practice with new calf injury

TE Colson Yankoff – Another full practice with a new ankle injury

Injury Report: pic.twitter.com/4i9inEpEDM

— Washington Commanders PR (@Wash_PR) September 26, 2025

The Atlanta Falcons are also dealing with several injuries, and have ruled out three players for Sunday’s game. The big name on the list is CB A.J. Terrell who will be missing his second game in a row. The Falcons also ruled out RB Nate Carter and WR KhaDarel Hodge.

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/379043/commanders-vs-falcons-friday-injury-report-two-players-questionable

 

[Washington Commanders]

Washington Commanders Roster Moves: Two players elevated from the practice squad

The Washington Commanders are elevating CB Antonio Hamilton Sr and WR Tay Martin from the practice squad for tomorrow’s away game against the Atlanta Falcons.

They released their injury report on Friday, and ruled four players out: QB Jayden Daniels (knee), TE John Bates (groin), WR Noah Brown (groin), WR Terry McLaurin (quad). Percy Butler (hip) was downgraded to out earlier today.

The team also placed S Will Harris (fibula) on injured reserve after last week’s win over the Raiders. This led to the signing of veteran free agent S Darnell Savage, who will likely be needed tomorrow.

Washington’s secondary has been dealing with multiple injuries the last few weeks. Antonio Hamilton Sr. was called up from the practice squad last week and he played 5 snaps defense and 19 special teams snaps.

Tay Martin gets elevated for the first time this season, and, on Sunday, will join the four WRs on the roster who are healthy. Martin was signed in late July and was with the team during training camp and played during the preseason. He was elevated over Ja’Corey Brooks and Jacoby Jones who are also on the practice squad.

We have elevated CB Antonio Hamilton Sr. and WR Tay Martin from the practice squad pic.twitter.com/yzKedT57lF

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 27, 2025

The Atlanta Falcons aren’t elevating anyone for tomorrow’s game.

The Falcons are not elevating anyone from the practice squad for their Week 4 game against the Commanders.

— Terrin Waack (@TerrinWaack) September 27, 2025

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/378094/wa...-two-players-elevated-from-the-practice-squad

 

[Washington Commanders]

Daily Slop – 27 Sep 25 – Commanders tried out an Australian punter on Thursday

Commanders links​

Articles​

Washington Post (paywall)

The secret to the Commanders’ special teams: Players truly care​

Led by ‘The Flagship,’ Washington is getting big returns on its investment in the often-overlooked phase of football.

Larry Izzo is a special teams lifer. From his experience as a player and coordinator, the difference between a poor and great special teams unit is simple: players buying in.

“I mean, everyone has the ability,” Izzo said. “The thing that separates guys a lot of times is the buy-in and the understanding of: ‘This is my role. I’m owning that role and then trying to master that role.’ That’s what we have here is guys that have done that.”

The Commanders are so bought in they have a nickname for special teams: “The Flagship,” as Coach Dan Quinn calls it. A flagship is the lead vessel in a naval fleet that carries the commander. For Quinn, it’s a metaphor that drives home the importance of the unit to the Commanders’ overall success.

Washington is allowing just 23.1 yards per kick return allowed (fifth), and opponents have had an average starting field position of the 29-yard line after kick returns (10th).

The punting and punt coverage has been even better: Way has landed 58.3 percent of his punts inside opponents’ 20-yard line (fourth) and 33.3 percent of his punts inside opponents’ 10-yard line (second). When teams field his punts, they have hardly been able to go anywhere; the Commanders are allowing just 4.4 yards per punt return (fourth).

That has often forced opponents to put together lengthy drives. Opponents’ average starting field position after Commanders punts is the 17-yard line (second).

And that helps an injury-ravaged defense, which is allowing 19 points per game (12th).

And on kickoffs, the Commanders have no equal. With Samuel and McCaffrey splitting duties, Washington is averaging a league-best 34.1 yards per kick return. Their average starting field position after a kick return is their own 36.4-yard line (first).

What makes the Commanders’ feats on kick returns even more impressive is that opposing teams have done a good job of pinning them deep on kickoffs without committing touchbacks. On average, the Commanders field a kickoff around their own 3-yard line.

“It’s want-to,” Reaves said when asked about the key to their return exploits. “Kickoff return or punt return is very little scheme. Everybody runs the same stuff: middle returns, sideline returns, bounce returns. It’s want-to and a sense of my guy is not going to make the play. When you’ve got 10 guys that think like that, like, ‘I’m not going to let my guy make the tackle,’ then you get lanes like you did.”

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The Athletic (paywall)

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin ruled out for Week 4 vs. Falcons​

The team ruled out four players, including quarterback Jayden Daniels and leading receiver Terry McLaurin, for Sunday’s game against the Falcons. Marcus Mariota will get his second start in Daniels’ place, and his first in Atlanta since his acrimonious exit from the team in 2022. Wideout Noah Brown and tight end John Bates will also both miss their second game because of groin injuries.

Without their top two guys, Washington will have Deebo Samuel, Luke McCaffrey, rookie Jaylin Lane and veteran Chris Moore, plus a potential practice-squad elevation (Ja’Corey Brooks, Tay Martin or Jacoby Jones) on Sunday.

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ESPN

Commanders have 4 players “out” and 2 “questionable” for Sunday’s game in Atlanta​

Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (knee) was at Friday’s practice after not practicing Wednesday and Thursday. Quinn said he had a good practice, and the team later listed him as a full participant, giving him a questionable tag for Sunday’s game.

“He’s working incredibly hard round the clock to get back,” Quinn said. “Ultimately doctors haven’t cleared him just yet. He’s absolutely doing everything he possibly can.”

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Commanders.com

3 keys to Washington getting a win in Atlanta​

1. The defense must have a good day.

The Commanders’ patched-up offense ended on a good note last week against the Las Vegas Raiders, but it took them some time for the unit to find its footing. The defense gave them that luxury in Week 3, and they’ll need another solid performance from that side of the ball to win this week.

The Falcons have been a perplexing team to start the season. They have the firepower to be one of the best offenses in football with Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Bijan Robinson, and yet they are tied for 20th in yards per play. They clearly move the ball, as they rank 11th in first downs per game, but they’re also last in average points per play.

2. More contributions from depth players at receiver.

The Commanders are thin at receiver right now with Terry McLaurin dealing with a quad injury and Noah Brown still out with a groin issue. Regardless of who starts at quarterback, the Commanders need to get more out of their depth players to keep the offense running smoothly.

3. Give the offense short fields.

Deebo Samuel’s 69-yard kickoff return set the tone for the rest of the afternoon, and Washington’s special teams unit might have to provide that spark against the Falcons.

The Commanders currently have one of the best special teams units in the NFL. They’re first in punt return yards and kickoff return average. Samuel already has 221 yards on six returns, while Lane leads the league in punt return yards with the second-longest punt return of the year through three games.

Both units will need to deliver another solid performance against the Falcons, who have a strong group of their own.

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A to Z Sports

Bijan Robinson is one of the best, but the offense isn’t​

Robinson has already made his mark in the league as a top running back and even an offensive weapon, and it makes preparing for him a real headache. Commanders’ defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. praised the running back on Thursday when he spoke to the media.

“You know, we put up the key players each week,” Whitt Jr. said. “And you put your strengths and the weaknesses. And I didn’t have any weaknesses for the guy [Robinson], man. I was just like, man, he can do it all. He can run inside or outside. He can catch, he can block. He can run the screen game. He does it all very, very well.”

If you can stop Robinson and force a struggling Michael Penix Jr. to throw more than he’s comfortable doing, you have a real shot to win this game. The Commanders’ run defense has improved drastically compared to last year, and they’re ready for the challenge.

Robinson is clearly the best option for the Falcons’ offense right now, who can’t throw the ball to save their lives, and the Commanders can make this game a lot easier on the offense if they can get the Falcons off the field quickly by shutting down the run game.

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Riggo’s Rag

Commanders need safety help to contain Darnell Mooney’s downfield threat​

They got some help when Commanders general manager Adam Peters signed former first-round pick Darnell Savage Jr. to cover injuries at safety. The newcomer may have arrived at the perfect moment to help Washington’s paper-thin secondary keep Mooney at bay.

What the Commanders can’t do is fall into the same trap with Mooney, which they fell for against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. When a defense naturally focused on containing All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers and tough and resourceful wideout Jakobi Meyers, it forgot about Tre Tucker’s deep speed.

Mooney has the skills to inflict similar damage if the Commanders commit too many resources to keeping Pitts and London under wraps — any plan must involve making concessions for his speed.

They’ve travelled with a lot of man coverage on the back end so far this season, but the Commanders may need to adjust things this week. Starting with keeping two safeties deep.

[The Commanders] will miss injured Will Harris, but his perfect replacement is better suited for bodying Pitts down close to the line of scrimmage. Instead, the Commanders need Quan Martin and Savage to form a two-deep shell and take away the vertical strikes Mooney loves.

He’s averaged an impressive 10.7 yards per reception and 8.3 yards before catch per reception through two games. The former Chicago Bears playmaker’s potential to go downfield is obvious, especially now that he’s fully healthy for the first time this season. However, Mooney needs to see the last third of the field taken away from him this week.

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Heavy.com

Commanders Try Out Intriguing Australian Punter Oscar Chapman​

On Thursday, the Commanders [brought] in undrafted Australian punter Oscar Chapman for a tryout, even though the team already has a Pro Bowl-caliber punter, Tress Way, at their disposal.

You can never be too thorough in the NFL, and the Commanders are illustrating that by taking a look at another punter, despite having Way at their disposal. A two-time Pro Bowler who also earned a spot on the All-Pro Second Team in 2019, Way has spent his entire 12-year career with Washington, and he remains one of the top players at his position in the league.

If something happens to Way, though, Washington doesn’t have anyone on the depth chart who could come and fill in for him. That led to the team checking out Chapman, a former punter for the Auburn Tigers in college who is looking for his start in the NFL. Chapman didn’t get selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, and while he spent time with the Minnesota Vikings over the summer, he ended up getting released in August.

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NFL.com

NFL Week 4 picks & predictions​

The most interesting question: What are the Falcons?

In Week 1, they barely lost to the back-to-back-to-back-to-back NFC South champion Bucs. In Week 2, they completely overwhelmed J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings. And then, this past Sunday, they were absolutely blown off the field by the Panthers. Michael Penix Jr. was benched; it was bad. So, what’s in store for Week 4? It’s important to note that Washington’s health issues go beyond Daniels. If Terry McLaurin (quad) is unable to go, that helps a Falcons secondary that’ll likely be missing CB1 A.J. Terrell (hamstring) for a second straight game. And while the Commanders’ defense looks pretty good on paper, I think the stats are inflated by lackluster offensive competition in two of the first three weeks. With Atlanta’s early bye on tap right after this game, Raheem Morris rallies the troops, gets the response he’s anticipating from Penix and denies Dan Quinn the satisfaction of beating his old team.

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Podcasts & videos​

Falcons vs Commanders Week 4 game preview ft. George Carmi: Atlanta must get back on track​

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Luke McCaffrey on Year 2, First TD & Falcons Game + Ricky Ervins’ Washington Legacy | Next Man Up​

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Five thoughts: on the Commanders’ injuries, Jacob Martin the unsung signing; good insight from Tress Way on punting to Jaylin Lane; Marcus Mariota; on the Falcons and what to do vs Michael Penix. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/afeNz4v8S3

— John Keim (@john_keim) September 26, 2025

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🎙On how the Commanders can down ATL without Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin and other offensive pieces. At least Bill Croskey-Merritt should be active. Also, hear from safety/special teams ace Jeremy Reaves on finally having his shot on defense.https://t.co/MaQBxAuDFN

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) September 27, 2025

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NFC East links​

Bucs Nation

Buccaneers vs Eagles Q&A with Bleeding Green Nation​

Which team will remain undefeated?

[W]here would you say the Eagles are the most vulnerable?​

“Assuming the offense has legitimately turned a corner (TBD), the Eagles’ biggest concern right now is the CB2 spot. The Eagles cut Darius Slay and let Isaiah Rodgers (reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Week) walk in free agency with the idea that Kelee Ringo was ready to take over as a starting cornerback. Unfortunately for them, Ringo struggled in training camp practices and preseason games to ultimately fall out of starting contention. He lost the battle to veteran Adoree’ Jackson, who didn’t even play well but managed to look less worse than Ringo. Jackson is now dealing with a groin injury but it seems like he might be able to play in Week 4. Jackson was already struggling prior to injury; he was a liability in Week 1 before settling in a little bit more in Week 2 and Week 3. If Jackson isn’t able to make it through the game, the Eagles won’t have their top backup cornerback available since they just placed Jakorian Bennett on injured reserve. And so it might be Ringo who has to play against the Bucs. The Eagles are lucky that Mike Evans won’t be playing in this game but Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. still figure to challenge this secondary.

The Eagles’ run defense has also been more leaky than expected but I’m looking to air it out if I’m the Bucs (though I’m also not privy to the extent of Baker Mayfield’s right biceps injury).“

The Eagles are currently road favorites. What is your score prediction for this one?​

“That’s interesting, right? The Eagles have consistently struggled to beat the Bucs since the Nick Sirianni/Jalen Hurts era began in 2021. And yet the Eagles opened as three-point road favorites and the line has since shifted to Philly being favored by 3.5 points. Call me a sucker for believing things will be different this time but it’s hard to bet against the Birds since they simply do not lose when Hurts starts and finishes the game. And whereas the Eagles have been “the hunted” in the sense of teams wanting to get revenge on them each of the past two weeks, now they’re in a spot with something to prove.

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Blogging the Boys

Costly turnovers are making the Cowboys appear worse than they really are​

The Dallas Cowboys are not doing so well. After three games, the team sits with a 1-2 record, coming off an embarrassing showing against the Chicago Bears. The defense has looked atrocious over the last two games and the offense just doesn’t seem to have enough firepower to keep up. Adding insult to injury is, well, injury, as the offense has lost three key starters in CeeDee Lamb, Cooper Beebe, and rookie Tyler Booker. Coincidentally, all three are out with high ankle sprains.

With problems on defense and injuries on offense, the word “bleak” has forced its way into our minds. Is this a team that’s in a lot of trouble? Are we witnessing what will become a common theme for this team, where close battles will become losses and losses will become blowouts?

Possibly.

With so much uncertainty with this football team, it’s hard to know how this one will play out. The team is not playing well, and there are no assurances that things will improve once the players become more acclimated to the teachings of the new coaching staff. Better health could be around the corner, but again, it’s a long season. It could get worse before it gets better.

One thing that does offer a glimpse of hope is that in all three games, the Cowboys have played well enough throughout the game to give them a fighting chance to win; however, self-inflicted miscues have derailed scoring opportunities. The team has turned the ball over in every game so far, and in many cases, those turnovers have proved costly. Let’s examine each case and try to understand its implications.

BEARS

The Cowboys lost to the Bears by 17 points, and there isn’t a play or two that would have changed that; however, the Dallas offense gave the ball away four times in this game, and each time they were in scoring position. Javonte Williams fumbled the ball on the Cowboys’ opening series. Instead of first-and-10 inside Chicago’s 30-yard line, it was the Bears’ ball.

View Link

Not only did it start off bad, but it ended poorly as well, as the Cowboys’ last three offensive possessions ended in interceptions, two of which were picked off in the end zone. If the Cowboys don’t turn the ball over and get into the endzone on half of those possessions (the ones there were deep in Chicago territory) and kick field goals on the other two, you’re looking at 20 more points on the scoreboard. They lost by 17. That’s a different ballgame.

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Bolts from the Blue

5 Questions with Big Blue View: Talent not enough for Giants thus far in 2025​

What are some silver linings you can pick out from the Giants’ 0-3 start? Are they as bad as their record suggests? Have you seen anything that makes you believe they could turn their fortunes around this season?

In all honesty, I believe this is the most talented Giants roster in the four years of the GM Joe Schoen/head coach Brian Daboll era. They are 0-3 and deserve to be because they have had opportunities to win all three games and missed them. But, the Commanders, Cowboys and chiefs are all quality teams. The Giants schedule is ridiculously hard, on paper.

They have a defense that has the talent to be a top 10 group in the NFL. They have the talent to be a middle of the pack team on offense. They “should” be a team that no one really wants to play. They quite simply, though, don’t seem to know how to win games.

If you were Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, how would you game plan against Dart and the Giants offense? Are there any other players aside from Malik Nabers that you would have to account for?

Well, first of all I think you look at the film from the first three games and throw most of it out. I think you game plan for the reality that the quarterback run game with zone reads and RPOs will be a big part of what we see. I think we will see a lot of shotgun, and a fair amount of hurry up/no huddle. Those are things Dart did a lot at Ole Miss, and they should be staples as he gets his feet wet.

The Commanders and Chiefs had success dealing with Nabers by playing a lot of two-high and not letting him get over the top. I think you want to see if the Giants have an answer for that. They did not last week. I think the Giants will target Nabers early and often. This will be a 12-15-target game for him.

If you are Minter, you want to try to confuse Dart. You want to stress the offensive line, especially the questionable interior of it, with stunts, twists and blitzes to see if you can break the Giants; offense down.

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Upcoming opponent​

The Falcoholic

Is the Falcons season on the line in Week 4?​

It’s easy to be swept up in the moment, but are the Falcons really in that much trouble?

The Atlanta Falcons lost 0-30, the offense is flailing, and coaches are being fired.

The special teams unit can’t make a kick or field a kick.

Zac Robinson and Raheem Morris provided differing quotes when asked about the offense’s predictability in their press conferences, which were held only minutes apart.

The team has set a must-win precedent against the Washington Commanders with its behavior. It’s only Week 4.

It’s the fourth week of the NFL season, and Flowery Branch is operating like it’s December. The loss to the Panthers was embarrassing, but does the season really hang in the balance against Dan Quinn and his team? That depends on your perspective.

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The Falcoholic

Offensive Failure: Why the Falcons fired their wide receivers coach​

In Penix’s three starts in 2024, the team generated 11 explosive passes of 20 yards or more, ranking third in the NFL during that span. 10 of which were produced by wide receivers, with Mooney and Drake London producing eight combined. However, that has dropped to just six explosive plays through the first three games in 2025, with only half provided by the wide receivers and one each for Mooney and London.

The team’s efficiency on third downs and in the red zone has also dipped dramatically. In 2024, when Mooney or London were targeted on third downs, the Falcons converted them into first downs at a 46 percent rate. That matched the sixth-ranked third-down offense in 2024, as seen in the Washington Commanders. However, when both receivers have been targeted in 2025, they only convert 29 percent of the time, which is equal to 2024’s worst third-down offense, the Cleveland Browns.

London was also the team’s primary red-zone threat in 2024, accounting for over 40 percent of the team’s throws in that area. When targeted, London scored about 25 percent of the time, a significant uptick from the 15 percent red-zone conversion rate when targeting any other receiver. Unfortunately, London has been a non-factor thus far in the red zone in 2025. He’s been targeted just twice and has yet to catch a pass, let alone convert one into a score.

Unsurprisingly, the Falcons’ red-zone offense has dipped to start the year. After converting 75 percent of their red-zone trips into touchdowns to close out the 2024 season with Penix at the helm, the team is only converting on 29 percent in 2025.

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Discussion topics​

NFL.com

NFL Week 4 picks & predictions​

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aBit o’Twitter​

Get ready. #Vikings vs #Steelers. The first ever NFL regular season game in Dublin!

MINvsPIT– Sunday 9:30am ET on @nflnetwork
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4dY90nGzGJ

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) September 27, 2025

Atlanta continued to send their blitz to the back vs Carolina.

Bill Croskey-Merritt has good tape from last week. McNichols is known for his pass pro abilities.

How will Washington handle the pressure on 3rd downs vs the Falcons?#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/jd5jLVQvgy

— Anthony Armstrong (@ratedarmstrong) September 27, 2025

He’s been WHAT?? pic.twitter.com/BwFPN9GUsO

— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) September 26, 2025

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/daily-slo...rs-tried-out-an-australian-punter-on-thursday

 

[Washington Commanders]

Game Recap: Falcons lead from start to finish as they drop Commanders to 2-2

Washington is 19-10-1 against the Falcons, all-time, in a rivalry that dates back to 1966. Washington has won all four matchups with Atlanta in this decade, and are hoping to make it five-in-a-row this afternoon. History seems to be on the Commanders’ side — they have dominated the Falcons for decades aside from a 5-game losing streak from 2006 to 2018 — but the injury situation seems to favor the home team.

Washington will be without:

• QB Jayden Daniels
• WR Terry McLaurin
• WR Noah Brown
• TE John Bates
• S Percy Butler

Of course, the Commanders have already lost two starters for the season — RB Austin Ekeler and DE Deatrich Wise. They also have CB Jonathan Jones and S Will Harris on short-term IR and have been without RG Sam Cosmi since he injured his knee in the playoff win against the Lions in January.

The most significant injury for the Falcons is CB A.J. Terrell.

The Commanders come into Atlanta hot off of a dominating win against the Las Vegas Raiders in which backup QB Marcus Mariota and the Commanders running attack made Jayden Daniels’ absence seem to be of no real consequence. The Falcons, on the other hand, were shut out by division rival, the Carolina Panthers, and starting QB Michael Penix was benched in the 4th quarter for former Redskin and the NFL’s highest-paid backup, Kirk Cousins, who was tasked with handing the ball off 7 straight times on Atlanta’s final drive, possibly to avoid the possibility of the veteran leading a scoring drive that could have thrown gas on a possible QB controversy. Instead, head coach Raheem Morris threw cold water on it immediately after Sunday’s loss by proclaiming that Penix remains the Falcons’ starter.

The one aspect of the Falcons team that is crystal clear is the play of RB Bijan Robinson. He has been outstanding as both a ball carrier and receiver. He has accounted for 40% of Atlanta’s offensive yardage in the first 3 weeks of the season. Washington’s biggest challenge defensively will be to contain him — no small feat.

The Commanders enter the game with a ton of defensive metrics that indicate that Joe Whitt’s crew is doing its job the right way. For example, the Commanders defense leads the league in limiting opponents’ 3rd down conversion percentage. They are also getting pressure on the passer; per Ben Standig, Washington’s defense ranks 6th in sacks, 3rd in total pressures, and 1st(t) in total pressure rate.

The burgundy & gold defense may have an opportunity to lead Washington to a win by clamping down on an Atlanta offense that has scored only one touchdown in its past two game, and rattling a young quarterback who looked frequently confused last week against the Panthers.

Washington’s wounded offense may struggle against a solid Falcons defense that is ranked 2nd in the NFL in total yards per game surrendered, and 13th (right behind Washington) in points allowed per game.

The Commanders advantage could come down to special teams, which are at or near the top of the NFL rankings in a host of special teams metrics.

The Commanders' special teams (save for place-kicking) are crushing it.

*WAS field position after punts: own 35.1-yard line (3rd)

*Tress Way has landed 58.3% of his punts inside the 20 and 33.3% inside the 10 (4th and 2nd in NFL).

*WAS yards per punt return: 17.7 (3rd)…

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) September 22, 2025

The 2-1 Commanders are looking to close out the month of September with a win that will keep them in the hunt for the NFC East division crown and among the shrinking pool of NFL teams with a winning record. The 1-2 Falcons are fighting to avoid a loss that would bury them in 3rd place in a relatively non-competitive NFC South division and possibly seeing their season begin to unravel. It feels like the keys to the game will be the Commanders ability to pressure and harass Michael Penix on defense, and to find a way to move the ball against an extremely stingy Falcons defense. More explosive plays from Washington’s special teams unit could be what’s needed to tip the balance in favor of the visitors in what shapes up to be a fight between two tough defensive teams.

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First Quarter​

The first possession belonged to the Falcons at the 35-yard line following the opening kickoff which went into the end zone for a touchback.

After a Bijan Robinson run and an dropped pass, it was 3rd & 5. On the 3rd down play, Penix hit a wide-open Kyle Pitts who ran the ball to the Commanders 34-yard line. Not good from the NFL’s top 3rd down defense.

Michael Penix finds Kyle Pitts for the big gain on 3rd down

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/kJI5mmYgUf

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

A pair of Robinson runs added another first down. Two plays later, Daron Payne forced a fumble, but it went straight to Penix, who recovered for a loss of 6 yards.

Daron Payne with the textbook Peanut Punch on Bijan Robinson to force the fumble, but Atlanta recovers.

Close one.#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/TVoz0Zt2Cg

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

On 3rd down, Lattimore stretched out for a near interception to force the 38-yard field goal attempt, which Parker Romo converted easily. Atlanta 3 – Washington 0.

Marcus Mariota led the offense out for the Commanders first offensive drive, which began at the 33-yard line after a Luke McCaffrey return.

With about 10 1/2 minutes to play in the opening period, the drive starts with a 4-yard loss when the Falcons swarm Deebo behind the line. On 2nd down, things got a bit worse with a sack of Mariota. On 3rd & 16, Mariota’s throw deep downfield hit the grass. 3 & out. Tress Way on to punt.

The Falcons took over at the 27-yard line with 9 minutes left in the 1st quarter.

Bijan Robinson got his 7th & 8th carries of the game to earn another first down — Atlanta’s 3rd. Two plays later, he ran for the team’s fourth 1st down of the game across midfield.

Penix then hit Drake London for another 1st down on a 15 yard completion against Mikey Sainristil.

Tyler Allgeier came on the field, earning 9 yards on 2 carries. On 3rd & 1 at the 25-yard line, Allgeier was stuffed for no gain.

On 4th & 1, Raheem Morris kept his offense on the field. This time Allgeier got the needed yard to earn a fresh set of downs at the 22-yard line.

The Falcons tried a gimmicky play that was read perfectly by Javontae Jean-Baptiste, and Wagner made the tackle for a loss of 7 yards. One play later, it was 3rd & 3 after another completion to London. On 3rd down, Penix hit Robinson for an easy thrown & catch on the sideline against Lattimore.

It was now 1st & goal from the 9-yard line. On 2nd down, Drake London caught a TD pass from Penix to stretch the home team’s lead to two scores. After the PAT, the score was 10-0, Atlanta in front. The drive covered 73 yards in 14 plays in 8:13.

Penix London for the TD!

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/hUd16gTzhl

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

With less than a minute left to play in the first quarter, the Washington offense needs to get on track. So far, the Falcons have out-gained the Commanders 118-6; Penix is 7-9 for 68 yards and a TD.

On the Commanders’ 2nd drive, the first running back carry of the day went to Chris Rodriguez.

On CRod’s 2nd carry of the game on 2nd & 7, he broke loose for a 49-yard run to end the quarter, setting his tam up at the Atlanta 19-yard line.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. rips off a 49-yard run for the @Commanders

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/z875X7V00w

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Second Quarter​

Kliff Kingsbury stayed with Chris Rodriguez. After a CRod run and a Zach Ertz catch, it was 3rd & 1 at the 10-yard line. Rodriguez got stuffed for no gain.

Dan Quinn, of course, never hesitated. On 4th & 1 (almost 2), Mariota hit Deebo Samuel on a sideline pass for the 1st down at the 6-yard line.

The #Commanders offense picks up the 4th down conversion deep in the redzone to keep this drive alive.

Deebo Samuel with the sideline catch. pic.twitter.com/iim8autYJx

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

McNichols came on the field and carried for a yard; then it was back to the passing game. Mariota hit Luke McCaffrey in the back of the end zone on a touchdown reception that looked exactly like several I’ve seen Jayden Daniels throw to Terry McLaurin! McCaffrey had his 2nd TD catch in as many weeks.

Mariota throws a dart to Luke McCaffrey to get @Commanders on the board

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/CR8Z4zwbNi

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Score: 10 – 7 with 11:31 left in the half. The Washington drive covered 70 yards in 8 plays.

Kick returner Natrone Brooks was injured on his return (he left the game with a concussion and never returned). There was a penalty on the Commanders on the kickoff to force a re-kick.

Penix and the Atlanta offense took the field at the 37-yard line for their 3rd offensive drive of the game having scored on each of the first two possessions.

The Commanders blitz on 1st down resulted in a 6-yard Frankie Luvu sack of Penix.

SACK

Frankie Luvu gets Penix from behind and brings him down hard. #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/m1DWWI7XiJ

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

Penix had plenty of time on 2nd down, and hit London 43-yards down field on a double move. Falcons set up at the WAS 26-yard line.

Penix goes deep to London for the big pickup!

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/Axai2Dsb4Q

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Two plays later, Penix hit Mooney for 15 yards and another 1st down. Penix looks very good.

On the next play, Bijan Robinson ran right through the middle of the Commanders defense to score another Falcons touchdown.

Terrible tackling efforts here from the #Commanders. This felt like the kind of touchdown that Washington would give up under Jack Del Rio pic.twitter.com/cJDLF2ceZA

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

After the PAT, Atlanta led 17-7.

Washington’s defense simply isn’t getting the job done. The Falcons have been moving the ball at will on the ground and through the air.

Luke McCaffrey broke a huge 58-yard kick return across midfield to the Falcons 41-yard line.

Luke McCaffrey break out month?

Two games in a row he's made huge plays. #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/HrEuZ0c1I1

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

For the 2nd week in a row, Mariota and his offense have great field position after a great return. The offense needs to score a touchdown here.

A pass to Jaylin Lane on 1st down was followed by a run by Bill Croskey-Merritt to earn a 1st down at the 29-yard line.

A penalty for intentional grounding pushed the ball back 10 yards — 2nd & 20. On the subsequent play, Mariota scrambled; hit Deebo for a completion. Deebo fumbled, but then recovered the ball himself.

Almost sacked.

Almost fumbled.

Short gain on 2nd and 20.

Annnndddd exhale.#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/urgP4MzkYi

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

On 3rd & 17, Deebo had an 11-yard catch & run. Matt Gay came on the field for a 43-yard field goal attempt that split the uprights. New score: 17-10, Atlanta in the lead.

The Falcons offense returns to the field at the 33-yard line with about 5 1/2 minutes left before halftime. It’s time for Washington’s defense to force a stop.

Tyler Allgeier was stuffed for a loss by Javon Kinlaw, but on 2nd down, Drake London had another catch near the line to gain, earning a 1st down. Allgeier lost 2 (again) on 1st down with the clock ticking down towards 3 minutes. Penix hit Mooney waaay downfield, but the receiver bobbled it and went out of bounds. A defensive holding call against Trey Amos on the play gave Atlanta a fresh set of downs a their own 45 yard line.

Penix went deep again, but couldn’t complete the pass against tight coverage by Lattimore. London, however, took an underneath pass to the 46-yard line, where Eddie Goldman stopped Bijan Robinson cold on 3rd & 1 as the officials gave the 2-minute warning.

How about Eddie Goldman?!

The #Commanders D-Line stops Bijan Robinson on 3rd and 1 to force the 4th down.#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/iL6zJdt88m

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

Following the time out, on 4th & 2, Atlanta’s offense lined up but took the delay of game penalty before punting.

Mariota would have the opportunity to tie the game by halftime, and Washington’s offense will get the ball to start the 2nd half.

Jaylin Lane muffed the punt, but fell on it. Washington’s drive would start at the 8-yard line with 01:51 on the clock.

Mariota completed passes to Ertz and Lane before nearly throwing an interception with about 01:20 to play.

McNichols carried the ball for minimal yardage and the clock kept ticking under 60 seconds. On 3rd & 8, Mariota was sacked inside the Washington 30-yard line to force the punt with 35 ticks on the clock.

This was almost a huge opportunity for Washington, but the #Falcons recovered this touched punt. pic.twitter.com/sKJfxcsct7

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

After the punt, Atlanta had the ball with 22 seconds on the clock at their own 25-yard line. They couldn’t move the ball, and the half ended with the Falcons punting the ball away on 4th & 7 with 00:07 on the clock. Lane didn’t handle the punt cleanly and took a huge hit, but the Commanders did not lose possession of the ball as halftime arrived.

Jaylin Lane has officially muffed two punts in the first half today.

Not ideal.#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/7NtWjERUTx

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

Our ball after the break pic.twitter.com/XoL563WUw4

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 28, 2025

Halftime Stats​

Statistics via ESPN​

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Third Quarter​

The Commanders defense stopped Atlanta twice in the closing minutes of the first half; now, the Washington offense will open the second half with the ball at the 30-yard line, hoping to tie the game. Another Falcons player —- Xavier Watts — was shaken up on the kickoff return.

The Commanders attempted only 8 running plays, gaining 58 rushing yards in the first half. Perhaps the number of attempts can change with the team facing a deficit of just 7 points with the ball in hand.

Bill Merritt opened the half with a 16-yard run on a toss play. Mariota hit Jaylin Lane on the sideline for 31 yards, but a holding penalty on Ben Sinnott erased the play. It was now 1st & 20 at the WAS 35-yard line. Offensive pass interference against McCaffery made it 1st & 30. Goiong backwards is not good.

M1st & 30 – 16-yard completion to McCaffrey in the middle of the field

On 1st and 30 (yes, you read that correctly), Mariota connects with McCaffrey for 16 yards to make a more managable 2nd and 14.#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/6fMlLmQtQY

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

2nd & 14 – Incomplete pass as Mariota barely escapes a sack by Kaden Elliss

3rd & 14 – Mariota scrambles for 22 yards and a 1st down

Marcus Mariota picks up 22 yards with his legs on 3rd and 14

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/BFlDw5XdAv

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Two plays later, on 3rd & 2, Ertz was flagged for a bad false start penalty to bring up 3rd & 7 at the ATL 34-yard line. On 3rd down, Mariota was unable to complete the pass to Chris Moore.

Matt Gay nailed the 52-yard field goal to make the score 17-13.

The drive covered 37 yards in 8 plays with, I believe, 4 penalties against Washington’s offense.

Atlanta began their first possession of the second half at the 24-yard line leading by 4 points.

The first play was spectacular for the Falcons. Penix hit Bijan Robinson out of the backfield for 69 yards. Only a huge amount of hustle by safety Jeremy Reaves saved the touchdown.

Touchdown saving tackle from Reaves, on an inexcusably long catch and run from Bijan Robinson.#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/tDIhpUM0il

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

Kyle Pitts scored a touchdown on the second play of the drive with Darnell Savage in coverage.

Penix. Pitts. SIX.

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/069pLA4C2V

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

With 9 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter, the Falcons led 24-13. The Commanders need to change the direction of this game in the remaining 24 (or so) minutes.

This key offensive drive for the Commanders opened with Deebo following Ben Sinnott around the end for 5 yards; on 2nd down, Samuel caught a pass for 14 yards to set the offense up with a fresh set of downs near midfield.

Rodriguez was next runner up with a 6-yard gain followed by an 8-yard Deebo run.

Mariota was intercepted in the end zone on the next play trying to hit Jaylin Lane on a 40-yard pass. Xavier Watts came down with the INT. This was a devastating turn of events on a drive that was going pretty well prior to the deep shot.

Xavier Watts picks it off for the @AtlantaFalcons

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/hzjo2Odcdt

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Starting from their own 20, the Falcons moved the ball to the 38-yard line before Mikey Sainristil came up with Washington’s first turnover of the season with an interception!

Mikey Sainristil picks off Penix

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/piI4pxW1hx

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Starting at the ATL 25-yard line, the offense now has a chance to make a game-changing score. It doesn’t really happen, though. Washington can’t move the ball, and Matt Gay comes out for his 3rd field goal attempt of the day. The 41-yard attempt slipped inside the left upright to make the score 24-16 with about 4 1/2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The scoring drive covered 2 yards in 4 plays.

Good kick coverage gave Atlanta the ball near the 28-yard line on a ST tackle by rookie Ale Kaho.

Penix continues to play well. Under heavy pressure, he hit Casey Washington for a 19-yard gain.

Two plays later, on 3rd & 2, he completed a 16-yard pass.

This coverage has simply not worked today. The #Falcons are picking it apart with ease and getting guys open.
Joe Whitt Jr needs to make an adjustment fast. #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/9QZOdPpXf9

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

On 1st down from the 15-yard line, Tyler Algeier made it to the end zone to open the lead up to 31-16 as the game starts to feel like it’s getting out of hand.

What an effort by Tyler Allgeier for the @AtlantaFalcons TD!

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/F2tpqHHwsl

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

After the kickoff return (holding call on Ben Sinnott) the Commanders got the ball at the 24-yard line with 6 second left in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter​

There seems little reason for optimism as the Commanders take the field to open the final stanza of the game. Trailing by two scores, they’ve appeared outmatched for most of the game.

For a moment, it looked like Chris Moore had a long reception, but the Falcons DB punched the ball out; a flag for defensive holding on 2nd down gave Mariota a fresh set of downs to work with.

Tay Martin caught a 14-yard pass on 2nd & 12 to get the ball across midfield, and then Chris Moore added another 9 yards on the next play.

Bill Merritt earned the first down with a good run, then, bulled for another 9 yards on the next 2 plays.

On 3rd & 1, Chris Rodriguez lost 2 yards.

On 4th & 3, Mariota hit Deebo in the back corner of the end zone on a fade for the essential touchdown!

MARIOTA. DEEBO. TD.

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/VcvP6C7px5

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

On the subsequent 2-point play Mariota made a great play, hitting Zach Ertz in the end zone to close the deficit to 7 points.

Mariota finds Ertz for the 2-point conversion.

WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/0andLH0u2H

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

The score is now 31-24 with the Falcons in the lead with 8:48 to play.

Atlanta started their next drive at their own 24-yard line. The Commanders defense must get a stop here!

Two plays later, the Falcons faced 3rd & 4; Penix scrambled and reached the line to gain for a crucial first down.

Two more plays and it was 3rd & 6 at the 37-yard line. Penix hit Kyle Pitts for a first down with a DPI penalty declined. Atlanta had the ball at the Washington 40, approaching field goal range with 4 1/2 minutes.

How do you commit DPI and still give up the catch like this?

Sigh. pic.twitter.com/ihGLXEc9aU

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 28, 2025

Tyler Allgeier was stuffed to bring up 3rd & 7; Drake London made a wonderful catch on an out route for 9 yards and it began to feel like the score and clock were unbeatable.

https://t.co/ZaiOlCxDZ0 pic.twitter.com/3gdwaGhUbB

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Allgeier added another 19 yards on the ground. The Commanders will need to force a turnover if they hope to find a way to win this game.

Instead, after a 3rd down stop as the 2-minute warning arrived, the Falcons kicked a field goal to open up a 10-point lead with just 01:57 left in the game. The scoring drive to ice the game covered 69 yards in 14 plays and burned nearly 7 minutes of game clock. Score: 34-24.

Things looked grim for the good guys.

A DPI penalty against the DB covering Deebo Samuel gave the Commanders a huge gain to the ATL 40-yard line.

When they got to the 25-yard line, Dan Quinn sent Gay out for a 42-yard field goal attempt to cut the lead to 7 points.

The Commanders will need to recover the onside kick in a last-gasp attempt to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Atlanta recovered the kick, and the game was over except for Penix kneeling out the final 86 seconds.

Not our afternoon pic.twitter.com/hFh2t9Velo

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 28, 2025

Full Game Stats​

Statistics via ESPN​

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/washingto...eek-4-final-score-results-statistics-analysis