The Washington Commanders dropped to 1-1 after a 27-18 Thursday night loss to the Green Bay Packers, and linebacker Bobby Wagner did not shy away from addressing what went wrong. From missed assignments to second-half adjustments, Wagner broke it all down while reinforcing his leadership presence in the locker room.
The Commanders defense entered the game ranked among the league’s top ten in both yards and points allowed, but they failed to meet that standard in Green Bay. The veteran linebacker identified a crucial breakdown in a postgame media session. NBC Sports Washington's JP Finlay posted the full clip to X (formerly known as Twitter), capturing Wagner’s candid assessment after the Commanders loss to the Packers on Thursday Night Football
Bobby Wagner says the defense needs to be better on tight ends and trust their eyes pic.twitter.com/l5su9bs7Cn
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) September 12, 2025
“Um, it was just our eyes. I think collectively our eyes have got to be better, that’s pretty much it.”
Green Bay capitalized on those lapses in the Commanders defense, with Jordan Love passing for 292 yards and tight end Tucker Kraft racking up 124 receiving yards and a touchdown. Washington gave up over 380 total yards and failed to recover after allowing back-to-back scoring drives in the second half. Despite a strong Week 1 performance, the Commanders struggled to contain explosive plays in key moments against the Packers.
When reporters asked how the mounting injuries impacted morale, Wagner’s tone remained steady. Finlay’s post also captured Wagner’s perspective on leadership and mindset in the face of adversity.
“Some of 'em were pretty good ones, um, but we try to be positive because in a moment like that, um, there is a lot of negative thoughts going on in guys that just got hurt head. And if everybody has that same mentality, it just brings it down, so personally, I just try to be positive and put positive energy out there.”
With key players like Austin Ekeler and Deatrich Wise Jr. sidelined, the Commanders injury news adds another layer of pressure as they prepare to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. But the six-time First-Team All-Pro’s leadership—and his clear call for accountability—continues to anchor this Washington defense as the season progresses.