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Commanders asked fans to show up Sunday but failed to deliver initially appeared on NBC Sports Washington
LANDOVER, Md. — Commanders gamers spent a lot of the lead-up to their primetime matchup with the New York Giants asking the membership’s followers to symbolize within the stands at FedEx Subject. Sadly, those self same gamers then forgot to indicate up on time themselves in a mistake-filled loss to their NFC East rival.
In arguably probably the most hyped recreation of the Ron Rivera period, Washington stumbled by a sleepy first-half efficiency and fell behind by a rating of 14-3. The deficit proved an excessive amount of to beat regardless of a extra energized second half as Rivera’s facet in the end misplaced 20-12.
The Commanders had each purpose to begin quick on Sunday night time. Someway, they did not.
Do not blame, by the way in which, questionable calls from the officiating crew for this one. The outing was misplaced a lot earlier within the night time and a giant alternative was squandered.
The hosts had been coming off of a bye, whereas the guests had been reeling after a drubbing by the hands (talons?) of the first-place Philadelphia Eagles final weekend. The remainder edge firmly resided on Rivera’s sideline.
Washington was additionally supremely conscious of the significance of the competition within the NFC playoff hunt, seeing because it was a continuing dialogue subject across the facility and, certainly, in conferences. A victory would’ve executed wonders for the franchise’s postseason possibilities and made that vacation spot fairly reachable.
And, although the stands had been nonetheless dotted by Giants blue, Commanders devotees largely did reply to the calls to make the much-maligned stadium a full of life setting. There was actual enthusiasm within the stands for the pivotal Week 15 conflict.
The crescendo, and clutch victory, that many anticipated to happen merely by no means materialized.
Frustratingly acquainted points beset either side of of Washington’s operation, too.
For the offense, the unit was largely incapable of logging third-down conversions. Sacks had been additionally a difficulty (quarterback Taylor Heinicke suffered three of them) very similar to turnovers had been (Heinicke was strip-sacked for a landing early on and fumbled within the fourth quarter deep within the pink zone).
The protection, in the meantime, was repeatedly crushed on brief Daniel Jones passes and unable to generate a lot stress on the Giants signal-caller, both. Jones performed admirably within the earlier tilt between these two groups in a Week 13 tie and repeated that clear effort on Sunday.
There have been thrills available within the third and fourth quarter. Main thrills, actually. The up-and-down Heinicke produced sufficient ups — an on-fire rookie Jahan Dotson contributed tremendously within the passing recreation — and guided his group to New York’s doorstep with lower than a minute to go earlier than a fourth-down incompletion prevented a gutsy comeback. And, sure, there have been some unhealthy calls combined in.
But it surely by no means ought to have come to that; the truth that a comeback was wanted is disappointing in its personal proper. The Commanders left factors on the board, handed New York seven on the sack-fumble and now should rue dropping to 7-6-1 with only a half-game lead within the NFC playoff race over the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks.
A lackluster starting to an enormous battle on a nationwide stage in opposition to a well-recognized foe may very well be what retains Washington out of the postseason.
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