Entering Sunday’s meeting with the Rams, there is no doubt the Commanders (2-5-1) knew they would have to stop Los Angeles wideout Puka Nacua. He was, arguably, the one player Washington had to eliminate on a banged-up Los Angeles offense.
And yet, Nacua accounted for nearly half of his team’s output on Sunday, catching 14 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ 20-13 win over Washington in Landover.
Whenever a big play was needed, the fourth-year pro delivered. All the Commanders could do was watch.
Washington’s defense limited nearly everyone else — no running back had more than 60 yards on the ground and no other receiver totaled more than 20. But it didn’t matter, in part because the Commanders’ offense was nonexistent.
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A six-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter, boosted by a 45-yard screen pass from Jayden Daniels to Rachaad White, was the only real highlight of the day for the unit. Following that scoring drive, the Commanders didn’t get past the 50-yard line again until late in the third quarter.
“We have not nailed our complementary football, and I will keep saying that until we do,” coach Dan Qunn said after the game.
Daniels finished 24 of 35 for 274 yards and a touchdown, but Washington totaled just 60 yards on the ground. Van Jefferson led the pass-catchers with five catches for 58 yards.
The Rams pass-rushing duo of Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett — playing in their first game together — lived up to their billing: Garrett finished with three sacks, while Donald disrupted the run game.
The lack of an offensive output spoiled a solid performance by the Washington defense. Even with Nacua doing his thing, the Rams didn’t convert on a third down until the third quarter, and safety Nick Cross had his best game of the season: eight total tackles (one for loss), three passes defended and an interception.
A late attempt to tie the game died on a fourth-and-17 with just under two minutes left. After a quick defensive stop, the offense got one more chance. A 41-yard bomb from Daniels to Stefon Diggs generated some excitement, but the drive stalled soon after.
The Commanders will head to New York on Thursday to face the division-leading Giants (5-2-1).
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