Week 8 Takeaways - Washington Commanders at Kansas City Chiefs

By: Sam Myer 10/29/2025

The Washington Commanders travelled to Kansas City for a Monday night showdown with the Chiefs that they desperately needed to win. The first half was a nearly perfect performance from both defenses, with only two drives ending in points and three turnovers. Washington went into the half feeling as they had the powerhouse Chiefs exactly where they wanted them, but their inability to finish drives on offense ended up being their downfall. Kansas City shot out of a cannon in the second half letting Patrick Mahomes work his magic and the Chiefs defensive line pin their ears back and rush Marcus Mariota with ferocity. In the end, it was explosive plays on defense and injuries all over the field that continued to plague Washington to another defeat. The Chiefs ended up dominating the second half and scored 21 unanswered to win 28-7 against the struggling Commanders.

The first half was exactly what Washington needed on defense forcing two turnovers including a long-anticipated interception by Marshon Lattimore. They put pressure on Patrick Mahomes with a surprising consistency with Jacob Martin and Javon Kinlaw and really made him look uncomfortable throughout the half. The secondary played maybe their best half of football all season as Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos both did a good job in coverage and made plays on the ball. Additionally, the tackling was significantly better from the safeties Quan Martin and Jeremy Reaves. While the defense put up a spirited effort in the first half, they unfortunately didn’t get any help from the offense to take the pressure off. Explosive plays continue to be the downfall of this defense as Mahomes was consistently able to find receivers in open space with room to run. Defending the middle of the field is clearly the Achilles’ heel of their coverage as the linebackers are consistently out of position. It has been a combination of poor communication and overall poor play on the part of Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu, and Jordan Magee. The one unit on Washington’s team that has been untouched by injuries is unfortunately the worst performing unit through the first two months. Washington has yet to be able to put the pieces together for a full 60 minutes on defense and as a result, now drop to 3-5 on the season.

Offensively, the Commanders moved the ball with consistency in the first half; however, they were unable to convert on their first three drives leaving them with only 7 points going into the half. If it weren’t for the two turnovers on downs and the extremely unlucky drop turned interception by Deebo Samuel, it would’ve been an entirely different game in the second half. For the third straight game, Washington struggled to run the ball and once they got down in the second half they had almost completely abandoned the run game. Marcus Mariota led the team in rushing despite only having 28 of the teams 60 total rushing yards. Bill-Croskey Merritt led the team in carries with nine rushing attempts but was only able to muster 25 yards from these attempts. To make matters worse for offense, Laremy Tunsil and Terry McLaurin both exited the game in the second half. This is exactly the scenario Washington was hoping to avoid with the news that Jayden Daniels could possibly miss their week nine matchup against Seattle.

It is necessary to call out two players for particularly poor play tonight that made a sizable impact on the outcome of this game. First, Bobby Wagner once again struggled in pass coverage as he was directly responsible for both of Rashee Rice’s touchdowns in the second half. The signs keep pointing more and more towards his inevitable retirement at the end of this year. Secondly, rookie receiver Jaylin Lane had a rough outing muffing a kickoff that pinned Washington on their own 1-yard line to start their first drive in the second half. Later that drive, Lane dropped a 3^rd down pass that would’ve extended the drive into Kansas City territory. The rookie has certainly had his rough moments this year, but this drive was certainly his worst of his young career.

Despite all the negativity surrounding the outcome of this game and the second half in particular, there were still plenty of bright spots that point towards a potential playoff push should Jayden Daniels be able to stay healthy. While Marcus Mariota did decent job moving the ball in the first half, there were obvious moments where Washington was missing their star quarterback. If he’s able to return and stay on the field, there should be optimism regarding the potential of this offense. Wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffery both flashed tonight making some spectacular sideline catches on extended plays by Mariota. On the defensive side, there was a lot to be optimistic about after the atrocious showings against Chicago and Dallas. Marshon Lattimore had his best game as a Commanders, including a fantastic interception on the Chiefs first drive of the game. Safeties Quan Martin and Jeremy Reaves looked much improved, especially in their tackling in the run game and short passing game. Lastly, Washington’s defensive had a much better performance as they got consistent pressure on Mahomes and mostly shut down the Chiefs screen game. Jacob Martin, Javon Kinlaw, and even Johnny Newton put out solid showings as the Commanders held the Chiefs offense mostly in check. Should Washington be able to avoid further injuries, there is lots to be hopeful about for the second half of the season.

Speaking of injuries, they did not let up in this matchup in Kansas City as multiple starters left the game in the second half. It began with Laremy Tunsil, who didn’t return for the second half after suffering a hamstring injury in the 2^nd quarter. Then, wide receiver Terry McLaurin left the game late in the third quarter after a spectacular diving catch down the sideline. Lastly, on the defensive line Javon Kinlaw and Johnny Newton both suffered injuries that caused them to sit out at the end of the game. The injuries have been detrimental this season, but if Washington wants even a chance at the playoffs, they’ll need to overcome this adversity.

Next week, the Commanders will host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football as they attempt to break their 3-game losing streak. The injuries heading into this game will once again be the headline for Washington as they hope to get their full offensive arsenal back on the field together for the first time since week two.