Commanders Instant Takeaways: Washington’s Offense Let the Rams Off the Hook

The Washington Commanders led 10-6 at halftime Sunday and scored just three points the rest of the way, losing 20-13 to the Los Angeles Rams at Northwest Stadium. The loss dropped Washington to 2-5-1.

Both Washington takeaways gave the offense the ball in Rams territory. All the Commanders got out of them was a Drew Stevens field goal. They still got the ball twice in the final six minutes with a chance to tie.

The Giants beat Philadelphia 19-11 to move three games ahead of Washington in the NFC East. The Commanders get their rematch Thursday night at MetLife Stadium.

Here are my immediate reactions in this week’s Game Pulse.

*Game Pulse collects my instant takeaways after each quarter and at the final whistle.

Final Pulse - Los Angeles Rams 20, Washington Commanders 13

- Washington needed a better answer for Myles Garrett. He finished with three sacks, and the one that hurt most came when he beat rookie center Matt Gulbin and turned third-and-5 at the Rams’ 38 into fourth-and-17. With Lucas Patrick out and a chance to tie the game, I wanted more help for Gulbin in that spot.

- I wanted to see Washington double Puka Nacua more. He caught 14 of 19 targets for 150 yards and the go-ahead touchdown. Stafford kept going back to him. At some point, you have to make somebody else beat you.

- I liked how Washington played the run late. Sonny Styles and Shy Tuttle both made stops behind the line that helped force punts with the Rams trying to run the clock. Styles finished with 13 tackles and Frankie Luvu had 15. That defense gave the offense enough chances to tie it.

- Van Jefferson gave Jayden Daniels a reliable option over the middle. He finished with five catches for 58 yards and Washington’s only touchdown, and both of his fourth-quarter catches went for first downs. He also had room on fourth-and-17. I thought Daniels left that one a little short, and Emmanuel Forbes got a hand on it.

- I wanted the ball in the end zone on the last snap. Stefon Diggs’ 42-yard catch gave Washington a real chance after it took over at its own 9 with 52 seconds left and no timeouts. With three seconds left from the Rams’ 31, the ball went to Chig Okonkwo short of the goal line, and the Rams recovered a half-hearted attempt at a lateral that ended in a fumble.

End of game sequence was not ideal.

WSH got to play he 32 and had two plays left. Neither throw was into end zone. The last play was designed to be short it looks like.

Rams brought 5, one on a delay. But looks like routes weren’t vertical. Odd. pic.twitter.com/NLcy5kXil6
— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) November 8, 2026

Third Quarter Pulse - Los Angeles Rams 13, Washington Commanders 13

- Nick Cross has been Washington’s best defensive back today. He’s had a hand in both takeaways, and he made Stafford pay for trying to force one to Puka Nacua. I liked his work against Tyler Higbee, too. That was a third-down stop Washington had to challenge to get.

- Washington went the whole quarter without a first down, even with the ball at the Rams’ 27 after the pick. Brandon Coleman’s false start helped put the offense in third-and-16. Drew Stevens did his job from 41 yards, but I wanted seven with that field position.

- Holding the Rams without a conversion on their first nine third downs was good work. What bothered me was how easily they stayed out of third down coming out of halftime. Los Angeles went 69 yards for a touchdown without facing one.

First Half Pulse - Los Angeles Rams 6, Washington Commanders 10

Nov 8, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

- I’d keep finding ways to get Rachaad White the ball. He turned a short throw into 45 yards to set up Van Jefferson’s touchdown, and he showed what he could do on the ground when John Bates opened a hole on that 14-yard run. With McLaurin out, White can take some of the work off Daniels.

- Frankie Luvu has been Washington’s best defender so far. He got to Matthew Stafford for a nine-yard sack, and I liked seeing Jer’Zhan Newton get into the backfield on a run Luvu finished for a loss. That’s the push I wanted to see from Newton in his first game back.

- Washington wasted a chance to go up two scores. K’Lavon Chaisson and Nick Cross gave the offense the ball at the Rams’ 40. Sam Cosmi’s hold wiped out a good run, and Myles Garrett forced Daniels’ first turnover of the season. A short field for Washington turned into three points for the Rams.

First Quarter Pulse - Los Angeles Rams 3, Washington Commanders 3

- That 15-yard throw from Jayden Daniels to Chig Okonkwo was textbook. With McLaurin out, I’d keep giving Daniels that option over the middle.

- Both tackles gave me reason to worry. Brandon Coleman got beat on a run that lost four yards, and Josh Conerly Jr. wound up on the ground in pass protection. Daniels got the ball out, but he’s going to need more help against this front.

- I liked how Frankie Luvu set the edge against the run. Holding the Rams to a field goal was a good result, but Washington can’t let Stafford stay on the field for 14 plays at a time.

Pregame Pulse

- Myles Garrett is back alongside Aaron Donald, and Byron Young gives Los Angeles another way to get after Jayden Daniels. I’ll be watching how Washington handles first and second down. If the Commanders keep putting themselves in third-and-long, the Rams get to rush on their terms.

- Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson are out, which is a break for Washington’s thin receiving group. I want to see Antonio Williams get work early again. If the Rams take away Williams and Stefon Diggs, where does Daniels go with the ball? Chig Okonkwo is one place to look.

- Jer’Zhan Newton is back. How much he plays is the first thing I’ll be watching. If Washington can get a push inside with four rushers, Matthew Stafford has less room to step up when Washington’s edge rushers get around the tackles.

The Washington Commanders came into Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams looking to build on their 27-10 win over Philadelphia. The Rams were missing both starting cornerbacks, but with Myles Garrett back, Washington had to give Jayden Daniels enough time to make those absences matter.

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