There are nine of them to choose from, and a lot of ways to go. You’ve got the 40-20 loss to a previously-winless Bears team, two losses to a Giants team that has two other wins all season, and three waxings from Buffalo, Dallas, and Miami – but also two close losses, one in OT, to the NFC-leading Eagles, and a three-point heartbreaker in Seattle.
What do YOU think is the worst Commanders loss of the season? The Junkies took some calls on the subject, and then, Eric Bickel chimed in with multiple answers.
“The loss that started the debacle was that Bears loss, because that was a team that hadn’t won IN A YEAR!” EB exhorted. “I don't care what you say about Justin Fields - great athlete, but he is not a great quarterback, so to lose 40-20 to that team, which hadn't won in a year, was devastating.”
As Mr. Bickel explained, he was annoyed that the team squeaked out two wins to start the year but excused it due to a new system, then was okay by getting crushed by the Bills and thought the Eagles loss was a “moral victory” – but how can you lose to a winless team at home on a short week?
“The real eye opener for me was that Bears game, when I realized early in the season the secondary was a way bigger problem than I ever thought,” Cakes said. “The alarm bells should have gone off in April when they drafted two guys in the secondary with the first two picks, but after watching DJ Moore just light them on fire in that game, I was like, they're not gonna be able to stop any premier wideouts they face, and this is gonna be the key to unlock beating the Commanders. We’ve now seen it week in and week out, and that was the one that really opened my eyes.”
“And let me just add to that, it was a game in which they faced a Bears defense that couldn't get after the quarterback, and then Sam Howell was on his back over and over and over,” JP Flaim added.
EB also hated the 14-7 ‘embarrassment’ to the Giants, where he ‘couldn’t believe how bad both teams played,’ and it’s gotten worse from there…and the Seahawks loss ‘ended the season for me.’
“We were 4-5 going into it, and that’s a good team, not a great team, and it was a very winnable game, so losing that game ended the season for me,” EB said. “After that, it just became humiliating. What happened with the Giants, Cowboys, and Dolphins just adds insult to injury, but the season was over when we lost to Seattle.”
Bish actually chose that next game, though.
“The first Giants game, they haven't had success with the Giants against Brian Daboll since he's been hired, and Tyrod was playing that game, not great but an experienced veteran backup,” Jason said. “But the second game, at home, to Tommy DeVito? I loaded up, put my whole FanDuel account on the Washington money line, they were our survivor pick…that was the game. If I was a huge Commanders fan, that’s the one that was most disgusting.”
And, so did JP.
“The worst, most embarrassing loss is the Giants loss. They were probably the heaviest favorite, there was absolute disrespect for Devito, and Cakes said it was impossible for them to lose,” JP said. “That’s the most surprising one, but the last two losses have been flat out embarrassing.”
Drab and Valdez behind the glass were on the last two losses (in order, respectively), which the Junks had answers for, but you can take a listen to it all above!
