The Washington Commanders suffered their sixth consecutive loss in Madrid against the Miami Dolphins, 16-13. Here are five takeaways from Week 11.

1. The defense bent but didn't break.

It wasn't a perfect performance from the defense in Dan Quinn's first game as the Commanders' defensive play caller. De'Von Achane rushed for 120 yards, and the unit had another game with zero turnovers against a Dolphins team that had the third most giveaways in the league.

And yet, there were signs of improvement from the defense compared to their performances against the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. They forced two punts out of the Dolphins -- one more than they got in the previous two games combined -- and held Achane out of the end zone for just the fourth time this season. Coverage was tighter in the secondary, and the unit held the Dolphins to 5.8 yards per play -- much better compared to the previous game against the Lions (8).

The defense's biggest accomplishment came near the goal line, as the unit forced two turnovers on downs inside the 5-yard line. The second came in the fourth quarter, when the Dolphins were in position to put the game away with the score tied at 13. Ollie Gordon was taken down for a two-yard loss, giving the Commanders a chance to move down the field for a field goal.

The defense still had stretches where it struggled -- such as on the Dolphins' opening drive, when the defense gave up 49 yards in three plays -- but there is a foundation for them to improve upon heading into the bye week.

2. Missed opportunities.

The Commanders had multiple chances to get their first win since October or at least put more pressure on the Dolphins. Aside from the missed field goal attempts (more on that later), there were two plays that stood out among the rest.

The first came from the offense, which drove down to the Dolphins' 1-yard line following Miami's second-half touchdown. The Commanders stayed on the field for fourth down and called a play that was supposed to have tight end Zach Ertz open in the middle of the field. But Ertz slipped before he could finish his route, and Marcus Mariota's pass fell out of his reach.

The next was even more detrimental to the Commanders' chances, as a sack from Von Miller forced the Dolphins to punt four plays after Mariota's incompletion. With Jaylin Lane nursing a hip injury, the Commanders put cornerback Mike Sainristil on the field to make the return. Sainristil muffed it at the Commanders' 36-yard line, and the Dolphins recovered it at the 42, setting up an eight-play drive that took more than two minutes off the clock.

The two plays added even more pain to the loss. The Commanders could have been in full control, but finishing at critical moments continues to be an issue for the team.

3. Marcus Mariota played well in regulation.

Mariota provided the Dolphins with the play that essentially ended the game when he threw an interception just seconds into overtime. While it was the worst moment for Mariota during the game, it was also one of the few gaffes from the quarterback.

Mariota finished the afternoon with respectable numbers, completing 66% of his passes for 213 yards and a touchdown to Deebo Samuel that gave Washington the lead at the start of the third quarter. He connected with Samuel the most, as the wideout finished with 74 yards on seven catches, but Mariota also converted first downs with 19-yard and 25-yard completions to Chris Moore and Jacoby Jones, respectively.

Mariota also showed that he still has some speed, as he converted a third-and-9 with a 44-yard run -- the second longest of his career -- in the fourth quarter that helped move the Commanders into Miami territory.

Mariota's biggest mistake ended up costing Washington the game when Jack Jones intercepted his pass intended for Ertz on the first play of overtime. Still, Mariota continues to show that he's a solid backup and can keep the offense competitive.

4. The missed kicks.

Matt Gay has had an up-and-down season for the Commanders, and the roller coaster continued Sunday with two missed field goals, one of which could have ended the game in regulation.

Granted, both kicks were from 50-plus yards, so neither could be considered easy attempts. Still, Gay made kicks from difficult distances earlier in his career, including four this season, so the 51- and 56-yard kicks were theoretically in within his range.

But the distance wasn't the problem; it was the accuracy, as both kicks were wide right. Gay said after the game that the loss was "100%" on him, because if he had made even one of those attempts, the game would have gone much differently.

While that is technically true, there were other factors that played a role in the Commanders' loss. For starters, the offense could have found ways to finish drives in the end zone, rather than getting stalled inside the 5-yard line twice. Sainristil could have held onto the ball on the punt return, and the defense could have found more ways to stop the Dolphins from making explosive plays at the start of the game.

The point is that while Gay does deserve some of the blame, the loss is not entirely on his shoulders.

5. Questions for the bye week.

The Commanders continue to put themselves in a difficult situation, and while the road to the postseason is not gone, they are essentially walking a tightrope with six games left, move of which feature opponents vying for playoff position, for the rest of the season.

The biggest question for the Commanders during the bye week is how they can compete and try to sneak into the playoffs with four division games left, including two matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles in the final two weeks. They expect to get healthier, particularly at receiver, in the next week, but there's no clear timetable for impact players like Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown. Jayden Daniels could also return from his elbow injury at some point this season, although there's no telling when, or if, that will happen.

The Commanders could get help at safety and defensive end between now and their Week 13 matchup against the Denver Broncos, as Will Harris and Drake Jackson are both in their 21-day windows to return to the active roster. Washington has struggled to rush the passer and cover receivers in the secondary, so both players would be welcomed additions for a thin defensive unit.

As frustrating as the season has been over the last six weeks, there's still a chance for Washington to at least show improvement to end the season. However, there's a lot to fix and plenty to work on during the bye week.