ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The injuries for the Commanders keep on coming.
Defensive linemen Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne were both placed on injured reserve, with their seasons likely both over, coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday. Kinlaw had knee surgery, while Payne has a foot injury.
And yet, Washington's defensive line has been a mostly consistent unit so far this year, even as the defense has had issues elsewhere through the course of two months.
“I just think the mentality and tenacity that we set as a defensive unit in general, I think that’s been helping us a lot and that’s going to continue to carry us a long way," outside linebacker K'Lavon Chiasson said. "Continue to fight that fight, stop the run and find a way to get the ball off the ballcarrier. That’s going to carry us.”
The Commanders rank tied for 12th in the NFL in yards-per-carry allowed (3.9), but have kept other team's top running backs mostly in check through the season — and especially of late.
Through seven games, just one opponent (Saquon Barkley and the Eagles in Week 1) had their No. 1 running back average more than five yards per carry. Three times, against the Cowboys, Seahawks and Eagles in Week 8, the Commanders have held the other side's top running back to three or fewer yards per carry.
“The ability to stay square and then the outside linebackers — we call it setting the edge — trying to push the ball back into the big guys,” Quinn said. “That’s the challenge, and this team (the Rams), like Philadelphia, has good inside, outside, the running back in here and then end up outside. Having that type of discipline and patience in the front seven, that’s gonna be an important part of it.”
While the team is now down Payne and Kinlaw, they're hopeful to get defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton back into the mix this week. He has not played this season due to a torn pectoral muscle.
“The arrow is going up for sure and I’m very optimistic for it,” Quinn said. “But it’s important to stack another good week of him and practice and movements. The conditioning part, he has pushed it.”
Washington's pass rush, while tied for 19th in the NFL with 16 sacks, has shown signs of improvement lately, too.
The Commanders sacked Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee five times last Sunday and was incredibly effective when calling blitzes. The Commanders have now tallied nine sacks in their last three games, certainly due in part to the return of cornerback Trey Amos.
“There were things in the four-man rush that I thought were better in this game than some of the previous games,” Quinn said. "The quarterback got out one time on a pressure, but I thought they just had a better four-man rush coordination of working together when one guy too high, one guy too low, and that’s an important piece to it...But I think more than anything, I was pleased with the four-man rush and their ability to collapse. And if you can do that, and then you add the blitz package, now you’re cooking.”
Against the Rams, the Commanders will face one of the game's most talented and veteran quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford. Los Angeles, the fourth-best team in yards per game, has the ability to both run and pass the ball effectively.
And despite being down some of its top defensive linemen, the Commanders are hopeful they'll be able to put Stafford and the Rams' offense off their game.
“Just giving him as (many) different looks as possible, but man, he's seen everything," Chiasson said. "You got to limit as much as possible and dirty up. Creating as much havoc as possible and dirtying up the spot. I think that's going to be key.”
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) is pressured by Washington Commanders linebacker K'lavon Chaisson (45) during the first half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Tim Settle (97) tackles Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley during the first half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Washington Commanders defensive end Charles Omenihu (90) celebrates after recovering a fumble by the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Real Madrid produced another late comeback in the Champions League as Federico Valverde struck in stoppage time to seal a 3-2 win over AEK Athens on Wednesday.
Liverpool, however, fell to a surprise 3-2 defeat at Fenerbahce on a dramatic night of action, while Manchester City battled to victory over RB Leipzig by the same score after twice blowing leads, and Como beat Lens 9-1.
Last season's runner-up Arsenal beat Slavia Prague 2-1.
Madrid joined back-to-back defending champion Paris Saint-Germain as the only other team to have a 100% winning record after four games played in this season's competition. But that perfect start was put under serious threat in Greece.
The record 15-time European champion twice went behind at Allwyn Arena and needed Valverde's long-range strike in the 92nd minute to seal victory.
"Of course, I prefer to win more comfortably, but these games in the final minutes — only we can win them,” Madrid coach Mourinho told broadcaster Movistar.
Madrid also needed a late rally to beat Roma 4-3 last month, scoring three goals in the last 10 minutes, including a 90th minute winner from Antonio Rudiger.
AEK led through Aboubakary Koita in the first half before Jude Bellingham leveled with a back heel.
Stavros Pilios put the home team 2-1 ahead in the 75th, but Kylian Mbappé equalized three minutes later.
Mbappé then hit the bar before Valverde's dramatic winner.
“The players have courage. I’m very lucky to have players of this quality. Very lucky,” Mourinho said.
Madrid is second in the standings, behind PSG on goal difference.
Liverpool twice blew the lead against Fenerbahce before losing for the first time in this season's Champions League.
Trey Nyoni and Alexander Isak gave the Merseyside club the lead in each half, with former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood and Archie Brown leveling for Fenerbahce on each occasion.
Vedat Muriqi struck the winner in the 89th as Liverpool fell to back-to-back losses in all competitions following defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
“The main reason I can find for why we lost this game is we conceded from three set pieces,” Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola said. “We knew it was one of the strengths of Fenerbahce. We concede from a free-kick, a corner and even from the long throw at the end. It’s frustration because it’s a difficult place to come here and play.”
Victory will have been particularly sweet for Fenerbahce interim coach, former Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt.
Erling Haaland came back to haunt Leipzig and drag City over the line after being pushed to the limit at Red Bull Arena.
The Norway striker has scored 13 goals against Leipzig and came up with the winner in the 78th after City twice failed to hold onto the lead.
First-half goals from Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres put Arsenal on course for victory at Slavia Prague and despite conceding in the 90th, the Premier League champion sealed a 2-1 win.
Tasos Douvikas scored a hat trick and Cesc Fabregas’ Como routed Lens 9-1 to make it three victories in four matches of its debut season in the competition.
Douvikas has scored in all four of Como’s matches.
Nico Paz also found the net and then instead of celebrating went and grabbed a T-shirt featuring an image of Jesús de Miguel, the Tenerife forward who died following an on-field collision with the opposing team’s goalkeeper.
Paz spent time in Tenerife’s youth system from 2014-16.
Napoli coach Massimiliano Allegri was in crisis following a 4-1 loss at Porto.
Gabriel Veiga, Jakub Kiwior and Samu Aghehowa scored in the second half for the hosts after Scott McTominay’s momentary equalizer.
It was Napoli’s third loss in four matches of the league phase; and the Partenopei are struggling in Serie A, too — having been beat 2-0 at Juventus on Sunday.
Porto has a perfect 10 wins in 10 matches to lead the Portuguese league but had lost its opening three matches in the Champions League.
Konstantinos Karetsas’ first goal for Borussia Dortmund gave the 1997 champion a 2-1 win over Real Betis.
The Greek winger entered for the injured Serhou Guirassy with 10 minutes of the first half remaining and was involved in the buildup after the break when Fábio Silva opened the scoring off the rebound from Álvaro Vallés’ save of Jobe Bellingham’s initial effort.
Aitor Ruibal equalized in the 67th to set off wild celebrations among the many visiting supporters.
Vallés pulled off a point-blank save to deny Bellingham an immediate response before he was finally beaten by Karetsas for what proved the winner in the 72nd.
It gave Dortmund three wins from four games.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
Fenerbahce's Archie Brown, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Liverpool in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side's second goalduring the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Liverpool in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
AEK Athens' Stavros Pilios celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AEK Athens and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe has a shot blocked during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AEK Athens and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Real Madrid players celebrate with Federico Valverde after he scored his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AEK Athens and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Manchester City's manager Enzo Maresca speakes during a team's press conference in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, ahead of the Champions League soccer match against RB Leipzig. (Robert Michael/dpa via AP)
Liverpool's manager Andoni Iraola smiles before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Arsenal in Liverpool, England, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Racing de Santander and Real Madrid in Santander, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho watches during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Racing de Santander and Real Madrid in Santander, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
