4 Winners & 3 Losers From Seahawks Shocking Loss to Commanders

The Seattle Seahawks were upset by the Washington Commanders, and these players stood out as winners and losers in the loss.

Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold makes a throw against the Washington Commanders in the first half at Northwest Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seattle Seahawks were 2-0 heading into the nation's capital to take on the 0-2 Washington Commanders. All the experts had Seattle winning this one, which is often the kiss of death for teams.

That proved to be the case in this one, as the Seahawks came out flat. Even the return of starting quarterback Sam Darnold couldn't help them, with Washington serving as the aggressor from the start of the game.

Seattle deserves credit for fighting back from a 24-10 deficit, but in the end, the Commanders sent them home with a frustrating 33-31 loss. With this one behind us, let's see which players stood out as winners and losers for the Seahawks.

Winner: AJ Barner, TE

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner reacts after a catch against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When you think of big playmakers in Seattle, AJ Barner isn't usually at the top of the list. He's just fine with that as he quietly goes about his job. Against Washington, that included turning a couple of screen passes into big gains. Barner caught two screen passes in the first two quarters, gaining 32 yards on the first and 15 on the second.

Loser: Jadarian Price, RB

Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles deflects a pass intended for Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seattle was by far the better team in this one, meaning the Commanders would need them to hurt themselves to stand a chance. That happened early when rookie running back Jadarian Price lost a fumble deep in Seahawks' territory.

Price lost the ball at the 21-yard line, giving Washington a short field. They took advantage by scoring a quick touchdown, with Marcus Mariota hititng Rachaad White for a six-yard score.

Winner: Eric Saubert, TE

Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Seattle down 24-10, they needed a spark to get back in the game. The man to give them that was Eric Saubert, who hauled in a pass from Sam Darnold and fought his way into the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. That was his first of the season and cut the lead to one touchdown with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Loser: Emanuel Wilson, RB

Seattle Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Emanuel Wilson had a breakout performance last week and was asked to step up against Washington after Price's early fumble. Wilson didn't answer the call, recording just 14 yards on nine attempts. The inability to get the run game going was a major issue for the Seahawks and Wilson was a main part of the problem.

Winner: Ernest Jones, LB

Seattle Seahawks LB Drake Thomas and LB Ernest Jones IV tackle Washington Commanders wide receiver Antonio Williams. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seattle fought back from a 14-point deficit to tie it up at 24, and the Commanders were driving to take the lead. Marcus Mariota was set to move them into the end zone as he had a lot of green grass in front of him on third-and-eight. Thankfully, Ernest Jones made a shoestring tackle in the open field, forcing Washington to settle for a field goal. They still scored, but 27-24 was far more ideal than 31-24 at this point.

Loser: Sam Darnold, QB

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold drops back to pass against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ernest Jones gave Seattle a chance to take over in the final minutes, but Sam Darnold couldn't take advantage. The veteran quarterback, who missed Week 2 with a glute injury, had four touchdown passes, but he also had two interceptions. The second was especially painful, with Darnold throwing a pick-six in the fourth quarter while trailing 27-24. That gave Washington a 33-24 lead with time running out.

Winner: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes a catch against Washington Commanders cornerback Amik Robertson. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jaxon Smith-Njigba entered Week 3 with four touchdown receptions and added another early in the second quarter. First, JSN gave his team a fresh set of downs when he ran a nasty route in the end zone to get open for what should have been a touchdown, if not for a penalty on Quan Martin. Just a couple of plays later, Smith-Njigba hauled in a one-yarder from Sam Darnold, giving him five of the team's first six touchdowns of the season.

He continued to be the go-to wideout, scoring another touchdown in the second half. JSN finished with 128 yards on 10 receptions. It wasn't enough to will his team to victory, but he keeps proving that his 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award was no fluke.

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