LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Before Jayden Daniels was providing big plays and hope for the Washington Commanders, before coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters were making all the right calls, offensive lineman Sam Cosmi was around for plenty of losing and dysfunction. So, after Washington's 28-27 loss to Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, which ended the Commanders' unbeaten run at home and prevented them from getting to 8-2, Cosmi delivered a speech in the locker room to his teammates.
The gist? To avoid what Cosmi called “the snowball effect” on a week of short rest, with a game at the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles looming on Thursday night. His club went a combined 19-31-1 over Cosmi's first three NFL seasons, all under coach Ron Rivera, including one third-place finish in the division and a pair of last-place finishes. With Washington currently in first, Cosmi senses a different vibe.
“What Dan Quinn has done, what Adam Peters has done, is change the culture,” Cosmi told reporters. “We don't have the most talented team, but we have a hard-working team.” Hearing his starting right guard address the squad following the defeat that dropped the Commanders to 7-3 told Daniels this about the other players on the roster: “These guys care about winning.
” “Everybody's mad. It matters to them,” said Daniels, who was 17 for 34 for 202 yards without a touchdown or interception and just 5 yards gained on the ground. “I don't like losi.