Winners and losers for the Commanders in tough loss to the Falcons, including a struggling Pro Bowl defender
The winners and losers in the Commanders’ loss on Sunday.
The Washington Commanders’ loss against the Atlanta Falcons had a lot of lows, but also came with some impressive performances that need to be highlighted.
The defense was a clear liability, and certain players need to be called out as well, so changes can happen before the season gets away. Here’s a look at individual performances on Sunday, and who came away as a winner and loser from the game.
Loser – CB Marshon Lattimore
I can’t stress it enough, the Marshon Lattimore experience needs to end, and the Commanders need to cut their losses as soon as possible. He can run and defend on the perimeter, but his coverage is one of the team’s biggest liabilities right now. Between the penalties and the blown big plays, the defense is struggling with Lattimore leading the way.
The Falcons targeted Lattimore seven times on Sunday, and he allowed four catches for 63 yards with four first downs and a touchdown.
Winner – WR Deebo Samuel
Deebo Samuel has made the most of every opportunity since he first arrived with Terry McLaurin’s contract situation, and now, with an injury-filled wide receiver room. He’s taken over as the top wide receiver option, and he caught all six of his targets for 72 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.
Samuel showed that he can still be a top-producing option on offense while McLaurin deals with his quad injury. I expect offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to take the top off the Porsche and let Samuel thrive in his wide receiver role, cutting down on his running plays moving forward.
Deebo Samuel 2025 Season Stats
- Week 1 vs Giants: 7 catches for 77 yards. 19 yards rushing, one rushing TD.
- Week 2 @ Packers: 7 catches for 44 yards and a TD.
- Week 3 vs Raiders: 2 catches for 11 yards. two kick returns for 93 yards.
- Week 4 @ Falcons: 6 catches for 72 yards and a TD
Loser – OLB Von Miller
His snaps were limited, but the results were awful on Sunday for veteran Von Miller. He played 21 snaps on defense and didn’t log a single pass-rushing stat, missing both of his tackle attempts, which resulted in a 100% missed tackle rate. Miller graded as the Commanders’ worst defender, according to PFF, with an overall grade of 36.
He has to make his snaps count by getting to the quarterback and can’t let big runs happen when they come his way. The Commanders’ pass rush had its worst game of the season Sunday, and it showed in how well Michael Penix Jr. threw the ball.
Winner – OT Laremy Tunsil
The Commanders’ offensive line did its job against a revamped Falcons’ pass-rushing unit. The Falcons have the ninth-highest sack rate in the league, and the Commanders held them to only one sack and eight pressures.
Laremy Tunsil has been a fantastic addition this season as the stonewall left tackle, and Sunday was no different, as he allowed zero sacks, zero hits, and only one pressure and a hurry.
It was an ugly game that came with a lot of disappointing performances, but there were also some key positives to build on. Hopefully, help is on the way when it comes to injuries, but there are things the Commanders need to fix with another road game coming up against the Los Angeles Chargers.
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