The Washington Commanders traveled to Atlanta on September 28, 2025, and suffered their second road loss of the season, falling 34-27 to the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Despite a valiant offensive effort, defensive struggles defined the game, marking a disappointing performance for a relatively healthy unit. Below, we break down and grade each unit’s performance in this Week 4 matchup.

Offense

Despite missing key players like Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, John Bates, Noah Brown, and Austin Ekeler, the Commanders’ offense, led by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, delivered a commendable performance. Scoring 27 points should typically secure a win, and Washington was driving for a potential touchdown with under two minutes remaining. However, head coach Dan Quinn opted for a field goal to narrow the gap to one possession, followed by an unsuccessful onside kick attempt.

Mariota started slowly but found his rhythm in the second half, marred only by an interception in Atlanta territory—an overthrow to Jaylin Lane in the end zone, marking his first pick as a Commander. The ground game shone brightly, with Washington rushing for 147 yards at an impressive 6.7 yards per carry. Standout performances included Chris Rodriguez Jr.’s explosive run and Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s dynamic play. However, the offense ran just 49 plays—the fewest in the Dan Quinn-Kliff Kingsbury era—suggesting a missed opportunity to lean on the run game early.

Grade: B+

Defense

The Commanders’ defense, expected to be much improved, delivered a dismal performance. Atlanta dominated with 64 plays, 435 total yards, and 6.8 yards per play, and converted 6 of 12 third downs. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., previously struggling, faced minimal pressure, completing passes to wide-open receivers, including tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London. Running back Bijan Robinson added 75 rushing yards and 106 receiving yards, exploiting Washington’s porous defense. London also went over 100 yards receiving.

The Commanders recorded just one sack and two quarterback hits on Penix, while missed tackles plagued the unit, reaching double digits. No defensive player stood out positively, and fans labeled this one of the worst defensive showings in recent memory. The inability to adjust to Atlanta’s passing attack exposed significant vulnerabilities.

Grade: F

Special Teams

Washington’s special teams unit continued its solid play. Kicker Matt Gay was perfect, making all four field goal attempts, including one from beyond 50 yards and three over 40 yards, extending his streak to six consecutive makes. However, his kickoffs remain inconsistent, occasionally granting opponents favorable field position. Punter Tress Way averaged 44.5 yards on two punts, though a longer final punt could have helped against Atlanta’s relentless offense.

Wide receiver Luke McCaffrey excelled in kick returns, averaging over 35 yards on six attempts, including one that positioned Washington in Falcons’ territory. Conversely, Jaylin Lane struggled, fumbling both of his punt returns, though he retained possession. Lane must improve ball security moving forward.

Grade: B

Coaching

The coaching staff’s performance was inconsistent. The team’s recurring issue of wasting timeouts persisted, with an early third-quarter timeout burned after a long catch-and-run by Robinson. Offensively, Kliff Kingsbury underutilized the run game despite Rodriguez’s 48-yard burst and Croskey-Merritt’s electric play, with the duo combining for just 14 carries. Defensively, Joe Whitt Jr.’s unit failed to counter Atlanta’s game plan, which mirrored Green Bay’s successful strategy from Week 2. Allowing two of the last three opponents to exploit similar weaknesses highlights a critical coaching lapse.

Grade: C-