The Washington Commanders came into Lambeau Field on Thursday night hoping to break a decades-long losing streak. Instead, they left with more questions than answers. Hosts Green Bay controlled the game from start to finish, beating Washington 27-18 and outgaining them 404 to 230 yards. It was a physical, fast-paced matchup, and the Commanders simply couldn’t keep up.

This loss continues Washington’s winless streak at Lambeau, which dates back to 1986. Their last win in Wisconsin came in 1988, but that was at Milwaukee County Stadium, not Green Bay. After the game, head coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels spoke to reporters and gave honest reactions to what went wrong.

Quinn blames injuries, missed execution in Commanders’ loss

Dan Quinn didn’t sugarcoat it. From the start of his press conference, he pointed to injuries and lack of execution as key reasons for the loss. “Just starting off, just tough night, honestly, from an injury standpoint and in game,” Quinn said.

Washington’s injury list grew with three players carted off: Deatrich Wise (quad), Noah Brown (groin), and Austin Ekeler (suspected Achilles). They also lost Trey Amos and Brandon Coleman to shoulder injuries, leaving the team short-handed on both sides of the ball.

Quinn mentioned the loss of Deatrich Wise, a veteran defender who left the game early, as a major blow to the defense. Without him and other key players, Washington struggled to contain Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs, who led a balanced and aggressive Packers offense.

Commanders’ head coach also gave credit to Green Bay, saying, “Give credits to Green Bay, they played hell of a game,” acknowledging how the Packers controlled the tempo from beginning to end. He even admitted that his team didn’t play with the style or identity he expected.

“Overall tough night in terms of style and attitude of how we want to play, identity, we just missed the mark on those,” he stated, adding, “We didn’t find the rhythm we needed to.” When asked if Green Bay’s speed caught them off guard, Quinn said, “Not more than we anticipated, we’ve seen that on tape. They played fast, they played aggressive….just didn’t hit the mark we wanted to hit for sure.” His honest response indicated that preparation wasn’t the problem, execution was.

Pressed to explain what finally ended up dividing the two teams, Quinn was adamant. “Down the field plays were the big difference,” he explained, citing the Packers’ dynamic passing and the Commanders’ failure to keep up with those shots.

When it comes to injuries, Quinn stated, “I had to take a look at it, I just don’t want to take a guess where we at,” describing the evening as “Tough assignments to do, we chip, we hop, just overall a tough night.” His words described a team looking for an identity above all else while conceding Green Bay outplayed them.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels warms up before the start of the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, on Sunday, January 26, 2025. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY PHI202501126703 JOHNxANGELILLO

Jayden Daniels urges Commanders to refocus for Week 3

Quarterback Jayden Daniels faced a tough night. He was under pressure all game, sacked four times, and struggled to get the offense moving. When asked about the loss, he kept it simple, “Nah, we just didn’t execute.”

Daniels acknowledged the impact of losing Deatrich Wise but emphasized the need for others to step up.

”That’s a big loss, but we’ve got guys that got to step up. But you know it’s always tough loosing veteran players,” he said. The 24-year-old also praised the Packers’ defense recognizing the difficulty of keeping steam when players fall off. “They did a great job with their scheme — that’s a really great football team itself,” he clarified.

“It’s Week 2; learn from here how to get better, it’s a long season.” Drawing Washington’s season opener, Daniels alluded to the difference between their Week 1 conclusion and the Week 2 fumble. ”Last week we were able to pull it off, this week we didn’t, so we got to execute better,” he added.

He stressed that the team needs to improve execution and stay focused. Daniels also talked about what’s next.

“We’ve got 10 days to our next game… it’s early in the season,” he said. “I won’t expect them by in this locker room to hit a panic button.” He made it clear that there’s no panic in the locker room.

The player continued, “We faced a really good team and we came up short. We’re moving on to the next game. You got time to reset and refocus and get ready for Week 3.” The quarterback’s emotions were balanced on the cusp of responsibility and positivity, indicating that the Commanders are about to approach the Lambeau defeat as one from which they will learn, and not as a tipping point.