The Washington Commanders lost 34-27 to the Falcons, suffering key injuries and defensive lapses despite strong special teams play.

The Washington Commanders lost 34-27 to the Atlanta Falcons, their second defeat of the season, amid growing injury concerns as Javontae Jean-Baptiste tore his pec and Deatrich Wise Jr. is out for the season. Head coach Dan Quinn criticized missed tackles, poor communication, and a lack of pressure on quarterback Michael Penix Jr., calling for improved execution and accountability. Quarterback Jayden Daniels is progressing from a knee injury, while Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown, John Bates, and Sam Cosmi continue recovery. Luke McCaffrey shined with a 199-yard kickoff return, the best in the NFL this season, and the special teams unit remained strong. The offense showed promise with a top-2 rushing average, but penalties and stalled drives limited scoring, and the defense failed to generate takeaways. The team prepares for a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.