The Washington Commanders (4-8) were less than two minutes away from going into halftime down only one possession on the road versus the Dallas Cowboys (8-3). They eventually lost 45-10, in what was a brutal Thanksgiving afternoon for this slumping squad.

Washington's 2-0 start to the 2023-24 season feels like a lifetime ago now that it has dropped three in a row and five of its last six contests. Even worse than that, though, is that it's difficult to discern the difference between growing pains and stagnancy. Is this franchise a couple tweaks away from being competitive, or does this new ownership group have to tear everything down to the studs?

Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin explained how much this drubbing by the Cowboys stings. “I don't know how you wrap your head around this one,” he said postgame, via NBC4 Sports. “They made some good adjustments at halftime and we didn't capitalize when we got a few stops. They just kept the momentum going and the game got away from us.”

Fans are not going to argue with McLaurin's summation of this miserable contest. It looked as if Washington was just thoroughly out-classed by Dallas. Call it talent, coaching or a combination of both, change needs to come fast.

The questions concerning the job security of head coach Ron Rivera are naturally going to intensify in the coming days and weeks. Terry McLaurin recorded just four receptions (11 targets) for 50 yards to continue an underwhelming run that mirrors the Commanders' own unproductive stretch.

A Week 13 matchup with the Miami Dolphins does not feel like an ideal get-right game.