INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Commanders gave their followers an early Christmas current on Sunday afternoon in a 28-20 loss to the Rams, by releasing up their vacation calendar.

Christmas Eve in opposition to the Jets? Take pleasure in your uncle’s white elephant present change. New 12 months’s Eve in opposition to the Niners? Get an excellent nap in earlier than an extended evening of festivities.

The narrative coming into this four-game stretch was that it was a possibility to see which gamers could possibly be foundational items for a future staff. The reply was clear — not many. Take pleasure in your holidays, and examine again in for some hope and alter in January.

Washington’s offensive line continues to provide Sam Howell little in the way in which of assist. Sam Cosmi may keep, however the participant with essentially the most to show — Saahdiq Charles — was largely disappointing.

Howell struggled, whereas Jacoby Brissett supplied a fast spark, and fast throws, in reduction, however with a top-five draft decide incoming, it might be irresponsible for this staff to not study all attainable choices at quarterback, irrespective of how the season performs out.

Subsequent season’s tight ends aren’t on the roster, until the brand new regime needs to maintain Logan Thomas as a veteran voice. 

Heck, there isn’t even an extended snapper. Ron Rivera as soon as traded a draft decide to draft Camaron Cheeseman. On Sunday, he bought Tress Manner injured together with his errant snapping.

“I’ve been anxious all yr,” Cheeseman mentioned of his job safety. “Most locations I wouldn’t be round nonetheless, so I’m taking each week as it’s.”

Rivera mentioned the lengthy snapping on Sunday “wasn’t ok, and we’re going to guage that.” 

Search for an advert in Tuesday’s Instances: “Wished: New deck chairs for the Titanic.”

On protection, issues haven’t been any higher for the reason that dismissal of Jack Del Rio. Washington continues to surrender explosive performs at an alarming charge, and hasn’t had any semblance of a go rush since buying and selling Montez Sweat and Chase Younger. Then there was the 62-yard landing by Cooper Kupp.

“Now we have two other ways of enjoying that, and we couldn’t get on the identical web page at the moment,” cornerback Benjamin St.-Juste mentioned. “Yeah, these sorts of performs, you simply should fully remove them.”

Right here’s the underside line: The Commanders haven’t stop. They aren’t phoning it in. They’re simply plain dangerous.

That’s discouraging information for followers hoping for a fast rebuild, although within the NFL, with wage cap area and good draft picks, it’s by no means as far-off because it appears.

It means the probabilities of Eric Bieniemy hanging round as head coach are exceedingly slim, no reflection on the person however relatively the circumstance. Rivera, whose impending departure was breathlessly reported this weekend by The Athletic, will play out the string, as grim as it might be.