ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders are looking to bounce back in Philadelphia after a narrow loss to the Steelers. A big key will be limiting mistakes that cost them on Sunday.
Jayden Daniels said after the Pittsburgh loss, it was the little things that cost them across the board, but some mistakes stood out more than others; like two muffed punts by Olamide Zacchaeus, one resulting in a turnover. Zacchaeus talked to reporters Friday about correcting those mishaps and why he looked forward to the short week.
“You watch the film, see what you could’ve done better, and then get back to work," the wide receiver said. "You try to flush it as quick as possible. I think it’s a blessing we get to play on Thursday, a quicker turnaround, so there’s less time to think about it. We’ve got a lot of great people in this organization. Not only just on the team, but in the building that are supportive and just have been showing love. They have the upmost trust in me, and I’ll come back strong.”
Defensive lineman Johnny Newton would probably like to flush the game’s final drive. Newton jumped offsides on fourth and short to end the Commanders’ comeback hopes. But his teammates wouldn’t let him hang his head.
"[We're] just sticking together," said linebacker Frankie Luvu. "The 'rook' stepped offsides that last one. Everyone was just being around him as a support system. That says a lot about the team and us as players. It means a lot more than just that one play, because we know we’re bigger than that."
As the Commanders head into one of their toughest tests of the year thus far, in a hostile Philly environment, head coach Dan Quinn ackowledged the pressure on his team.
“It's a real thing when you really want to perform so badly, you can press it," Quinn said. "We've all been to that spot when you want it so badly that you can play tighter. We want to make sure that we're on that razor's edge of playing fast where you really put the work in, you can trust it and wanting it so badly. That's kind of that fine line that you have to balance as a coach and the mindset for the ball player too."
Washington is also dealing with several injuries, including kicker Austin Seibert, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and running back Brian Robinson. One player who will be suiting up for the Burgundy and Gold, however, is tight end Zach Ertz, who will be taking the field for his first game back in Philadelphia where he played for nine years and won a Super Bowl. He says he's excited to go back, but wonders what kind of reception Philly fans will have in store for him.