The Washington Commanders took a step back last Thursday with their 27-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers, but that doesn't mean they're going to let it derail the rest of their season.

The Commanders were rightfully frustrated in the locker room following their first loss of the season. They fell short of their standard through a mixture of their own mistakes and missed opportunities against a team that is expected to be one of the best in the conference. The injuries to several of their key players like Austin Ekeler and Deatrich Wise Jr. compounded that disappointment, and with both players expected to be out for the foreseeable future, they'll need to tweak their roster to find replacements.

But the Commanders have some optimism as they begin preparing for their Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. They still believe there's plenty to accomplish in their remaining 15 games, even if things might change a little going forward.

"I wouldn't expect anyone in this locker room to hit the panic button," quarterback Jayden Daniels said after the game. "We faced a really good team, and we came up short. So, we're moving on to the next game."

The Commanders know they themselves played a role in their loss. Daniels posted the second lowest QBR of his young career, but the offense as a whole didn't look like its normal self. It was limited to 230 yards -- the team's lowest total since Dan Quinn was named the head coach -- and just 31% on third downs. The Commanders' defense managed to keep them in the game for a time, but there were lapses in coverage that left them vulnerable to explosive plays like Tucker Kraft's 57-yard catch-and-run.

Quinn doesn't doubt his players' efforts. "It's September football," he said, and he knows there are going to be mistakes while they find their footing. However, he still wants the team to bounce back and learn from those errors.

"It just wasn't to the spot I'd like that to be at," Quinn said. "Even in a game where it doesn't go your way, I want to see the finishes. I want to see those plays in all three phases, and we just didn't have enough of those tonight."

Failing to finish drives, which the Commanders did well to avoid in 2024, played a part in their loss to Green Bay. They missed two field goals at the end of the first half and the start of the third quarter that would have brought them within one score of taking the lead. The Packers turned those mistakes into their own scoring opportunities, one of which was successful with a 22-yard field goal from Brandon McManus.

Commanders kicker Matt Gay said after the game that he should have made those kicks and takes "full responsibility" for the loss, but his teammates feel they share a bit of the blame as well. The offense averaged 3.5 yards per play and had six drives other than Gay's missed field goals that ended in either a punt or turnover on downs, while the defense allowed touchdown drives of 96 and 92 yards to give the Packers a 14-0 lead.

"We just have to execute better," Daniels said. "Last week, we were able to pull it off. This week we didn't, so we have to execute better."

Quinn added that he didn't feel as if the players gave up, and the details of the game reflect that. Despite being sluggish at times, the Commanders were only down 17-10 in the fourth quarter after a 20-yard touchdown by Zach Ertz. But the Packers responded with their own touchdown on a 65-yard drive, punctuated by a touchdown from Kraft.

Linebacker Frankie Luvu summed it up in the locker room: "It's tough when we beat ourselves."

"We left some plays on the field," he said. "No excuse."

The Commanders know they can't dwell on the loss any longer, no matter how frustrating the loss might have been. They started 1-1 last season as well, and rather than linger on their 37-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they won their next three straight for their first 3-1 start since 2008.

They have a chance to bounce back this weekend against the Raiders, who are coming to Northwest Stadium for the first time since 2017. It's another opportunity for them to prove themselves, and the only way for them to get past their Week 2 loss is to put it behind them.

"Collectively we are all to blame, and we will get back to work," Daniels said.