Commander Country

3 observations from Commanders' blowout loss vs. Ravens

The Washington Commanders couldn't catch a break against the Baltimore Ravens in the preseason finale.
Jeremy Brener|
Baltimore Ravens running back Rasheen Ali runs the ball against Washington Commanders cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr.
Baltimore Ravens running back Rasheen Ali runs the ball against Washington Commanders cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are finishing the preseason winless after a 30-3 loss to the local rival Baltimore Ravens at Northwest Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Here's a look at three observations from the game between the Ravens and Commanders:

READ MORE: Commanders QB reveals injury he's been dealing with in training camp

Commanders need Marcus Mariota

The Commanders didn't have starter Jayden Daniels on the field for the finale and Marcus Mariota continues to deal with Achilles tendinitis.

Both Sam Hartman and Josh Johnson struggled against the Ravens, throwing three interceptions between the two of them.

Mariota is expected to be ready for Week 1 against the New York Giants, which should put the Commanders at ease if something were to happen to Daniels.

No Jacory Croskey-Merritt

After the Commanders traded Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers for a sixth-round pick, the team has a wide open running back race.

However, the winner of the starting job may have been revealed based on Washington's decision to sit Jacory Croskey-Merritt against the Ravens.

The Commanders sat all of their starters for the game, so considering the fact Croskey-Merritt didn't see action, his spot on the team and starting lineup should be safe. Austin Ekeler also didn't play, but Croskey-Merritt's absence is a sign of good things to come for the rookie.

Colson Yankoff makes best play of the day

Yankoff is likely heading to the practice squad for a second straight season, but the undrafted tight end out of UCLA made one of the best plays of the day for the Commanders, hauling in a 52-yard pass from Hartman.

Yankoff could find himself on the active roster at some point this season, especially if he continues to make plays like that.

The Commanders struggled mightily during the contest, but the games will begin to count on Sept. 7 when the Giants come to town. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

READ MORE: Why Commanders still need Zach Ertz to succeed

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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