Same song, different verse for Commanders in loss at Seattle

Joey Slye missed an extra point. Sam Howell lost a fumble. The defense missed several tackles on a 64-yard Kenneth Walker touchdown. Ron Rivera's clock management was not good late in the game. The officiating was putrid, often at Washington's expense.

Reverse just one or two of those things and the Commanders likely win the game. Instead, they lost 29-26 and fell to 4-6 on the season. It's the same refrain as the one following both of Washington's games against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023: could've, would've, should've.

There were plenty of bright spots for the Commanders in the loss. Howell -- who now leads the NFL in passing yards -- was excellent once again, fumble aside, as he threw for 312 yards and three scores with no interceptions. This included a clutch throw to college teammate Dyami Brown to tie the game in the final minute.

Brian Robinson Jr. had a big game. He took a short pass to the house in the first quarter and had another long gain after halftime, ending with 157 total yards of offense (38 rushing, 119 receiving). Antonio Gibson also stepped up, catching five passes for 42 yards and a score.

It wasn't enough. The key moment that many will point to was a late flag on Benjamin St-Juste for pass interference on a Seattle 4th down with the game tied in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks ended up scoring a touchdown on that drive.

The refs also drew the ire of Commanders fans by ejecting fellow DB Emmanuel Forbes early on for a hit that didn't seem at all ejection-worthy. Then there was the clock management on Washington's game-tying drive. The Commanders burned two timeouts, giving Seattle 52 seconds to score again.

The final dagger was when the Commanders' defense left D.K. Metcalf wide open. The defense struggled to bring him down, allowing the Seahawks into field goal range. Game over.

It's the little things like this that make the difference between wins and losses. Sometimes, it just boils down to the way the ball bounces. Other times, it's about discipline and execution. Washington had neither factor on its side on Sunday, and it cost the Commanders the win -- and possibly their season.