The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.

I’m back for another edition of Hail Mail, and I’ve noticed that the Washington Commanders’ fan base is a little…well, perturbed following last Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

To be clear, I understand why people are upset. The Commanders are 3-4 after having high expectations in the offseason. It’s obviously not the start that the fans or team wanted, but that’s the situation they’re in with three difficult matchups looming on the schedule. Up next are the Kansas City Chiefs, who are starting to look like themselves after an 0-2 start. If the Commanders hope to get back on track, it’ll have to start against last year’s AFC representative in the Super Bowl.

Let’s get to what Commanders fans want to know this week.

— @MrEd315: What adjectives best describe the Commanders’ season so far?

This is an easy one for me: frustrating.

I think it’s a perfect word because it describes so many aspects of the issues surrounding the team. It’s frustrating that there have been so many injuries hampering this roster. Obviously, a player’s health is more important than rushing them back onto the field, but there was so much promise around the idea of Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown on the field at the same time. What’s more, injuries to Austin Ekeler, Deatrich Wise, Will Harris and Javontae Jean-Baptiste forced the team to search for other options to replace them.

Injuries aren’t the only reason the Commanders have struggled this season, but they have played a role.

It’s also frustrating that the defense has continued to give up explosive plays. I’m not a coach, so I won’t pretend to know why the problem has persisted through the first half of the season. Here’s what I will say: I think it’s clear that everyone, from the players to the coaches, are frustrated that they have struggled to find a solution. What’s more, it’s not like the defense is devoid of talent; the defense does have good players, many of whom I believe have bright futures. For whatever reason, that hasn’t resulted in significant improvement from the unit, and that is…well, frustrating to watch.

Although I don’t have the answers on how to ease that frustration, I trust Dan Quinn and Adam Peters to find them. This year’s struggles don’t wash out last year’s success in terms of building a roster that competed for a conference championship. I’m not saying fans should be content with the results from the last two months; like I said last week, I believe it’s part of their responsibility to be critical of their team when things go wrong. However, let’s see how the Commanders try to get out of this rut before we proclaim the season is lost.