Commanders beat Titans 16-10 despite 83-yard gap in offense

Nashville, TN - The Washington Commanders built an advantage, absorbed Tennessee’s pressure and ended a two-game losing streak with a 16-10 victory over the Titans in Week 13.

Washington did not need a prolific offensive afternoon to get the result. The Commanders finished with 226 offensive yards, 83 fewer than Tennessee, but scored on each of their three red-zone trips. Those possessions produced one touchdown and two field goals as Washington established a lead and remained in front while the Titans narrowed the margin.

The final score reflected an afternoon in which neither offense consistently created separation. Both teams recorded 15 first downs, and each struggled to extend possessions: Washington converted 4 of 15 third downs, while Tennessee went 5 of 16. The Titans also converted two of their four fourth-down attempts.

Marcus Mariota completed 13 of 26 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a 75.8 passer rating. His longest completion covered 21 yards, and he added 26 rushing yards on 11 attempts. The Commanders leaned on a measured approach rather than a series of explosive gains, working their way to 106 rushing yards and enough scoring opportunities to reach 16 points.

"The yards weren’t piling up, so we understood how important it was to get something out of our chances," Mariota said. "We stayed patient. It wasn’t always clean, but we didn’t let the pace of the game pull us away from what we needed to do."

Jacory Croskey-Merritt handled the largest rushing workload in the game, carrying 18 times for a team-high 61 yards. His longest run went for 19 yards. Mariota’s contributions on the ground gave Washington 87 rushing yards between the two players.

The passing game spread modest production across several targets. Ben Sinnott led the Commanders with 37 receiving yards on four catches, while Washington’s longest reception went for 21 yards. The limited vertical production fit the broader shape of a game in which the Commanders had to operate with a relatively small statistical margin for error.

Tennessee accumulated more yardage through both phases of its offense. Cam Ward went 18 of 39 for a game-high 188 passing yards, and the Titans rushed for 121 yards. Tony Pollard supplied a game-high 63 rushing yards on 11 carries, including a 17-yard run.

That production moved Tennessee to 309 offensive yards, but the Titans reached the red zone only once. They scored a touchdown on that trip. Chigoziem Okonkwo finished with two receptions for 20 yards and Tennessee’s receiving touchdown.

"We had 309 yards, but the number that matters is 10 points," Ward said. "There were stretches where we moved the ball, and then we didn’t get the finish we were looking for. That’s the frustrating part when you look back at a game like this."

Carnell Tate gave Ward his most productive receiving option, catching four passes for a game-high 59 yards. His 22-yard reception was also the longest catch of the game. Even with Tate providing that production and Pollard leading both teams on the ground, Tennessee could not erase Washington’s advantage.

The defensive numbers were similarly balanced in several areas. Each team recorded one sack, and neither defense intercepted a pass. That left the game to be shaped largely by field position, sustained possessions and how each offense handled its limited trips into scoring territory. Washington reached the red zone three times compared with Tennessee’s one, even though the Titans finished with more offensive yards.

The victory lifted Washington from 4-7 to 5-7 and stopped its two-game slide. Tennessee, which entered the afternoon 5-6 after a win in its previous game, also moved to 5-7 with the loss.

Up Next

The Commanders will return home in Week 14 to host the Houston Texans as they look to build on the victory. The Titans will head to Detroit for a road matchup with the Detroit Lions and try to rebound from the six-point loss.