It felt like the Washington Commanders were playing catch-up for most of the night against the New England Patriots, and it wasn't just because TreVeyon Henderson's first touch of the preseason was a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

For every positive play the Commanders made, there was a mistake that undermined it. The offense didn't get a first down until their third possession, which ended in an interception. Jer'Zhan Newton forced a sack-fumble that set up the Commanders deep in Patriots territory, but Matt Gay's kick was wide left.

With 30 Commanders players, most of whom were starters, ruled out for the game, it was an opportunity for their draft picks and depth players to earn a roster spot. By the end of the 48-18 loss, the biggest takeaway from the night was that they still have room to grow and plenty to work on before the regular season.

"We have high standards," head coach Dan Quinn said after the game. "And tonight, we missed them. We missed them by a lot."

The good news: it's the preseason, and this is the time to make mistakes.

With Sam Hartman starting and key contributors like Deebo Samuel, Zach Ertz and Brian Robinson out, Washington's offense generally struggled to gain momentum. They managed just four yards on their first two drives and could only get 18 yards before Hartman threw an interception on a pass intended for Michael Gallup. Things seemed to work better when Josh Johnson replaced him in the second quarter, but progress was more of a sputter than a spark. Their two touchdown drives provided something to build on, as Johnson led the unit on drives of 71 and 83 yards.

"We did some good things, but good in this league will only get you so far," Johnson said. "We gotta put drives together, and we've gotta finish them. We can't shoot ourselves in the foot."

Things went in a similar fashion on defense, as Henderson wrapped up his night with an 18-yard carry and three receptions for 12 yards. The rushing defense, which was a problem last season, was an issue again in New England, as the Patriots combined for 156 yards on 31 carries. Drake Maye, who left after the first offensive drive for the Patriots, finished the night 3-of-5 for 12 yards.

Even more frustrating was the Commanders' special teams units, particularly on their kickoff coverage. The unit allowed 187 yards on just three returns, including Henderson's 100-yard return touchdown. Antonio Gibson ripped off an explosive play later in the game -- a 62-yarder -- which also led to points for the Patriots.

"It stung for us tonight," Quinn said of the special teams unit. "That's one of the phases that we really emphasize...and so, to have a performance where it didn't go our way, it can be confusing, surprising, all those emotions, because none of us would have saw that coming."

Still, there were some positives to be taken from the game. The offensive line had solid protection all night, as the group only allowed on sack. Rookie cornerback Trey Amos also had some positive plays and had tight man coverage. Skill players like Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Ja'Corey Brooks had positive moments, while tight end Lawrence Cager had the longest play of the night with a 33-yard reception.

However, with the score being what it was, it's a reminder that there are still plenty of areas to improve upon before the season opener against the New York Giants.

After Henderson's return and subsequent three-and-out by Hartman and the Commanders' offense, the Patriots got in scoring position with a nine-yard pass to Henderson that moved them to the Commanders' 5-yard line. Maye finished the drive off with a scramble to the end zone, giving New England a two-score lead.

The Commanders responded by getting to their 31-yard line only for Hartman's interception to give the Patriots another short field. They tacked on two more field goals on their next two drives before Washington could find some momentum. The Commanders got to the Patriots' 19-yard line thanks to Hartman's arm and Croskey-Merritt's legs, although they had to settle for a field goal following a missed shot to the end zone intended for K.J. Osborn.

The Patriots responded to that with a touchdown five plays later. Gibson's return set the Patriots up at the Commanders' 29-yard line, and quarterback Josh Dobbs scrambled into the end zone on a fourth-and-goal to make the score 27-3.

Washington's best offensive series came in the second half with Johnson in at quarterback. They opened the third quarter with a nine-play drive fueled by Cager's catch that moved them to the Patriots' 2-yard line. A Jeremy McNichols run finished off the series, while Tay Martin secured a two-point conversion. Later in the fourth quarter, Johnson led the offense on a 10-play drive and completed a three-yard pass to Jacoby Jones on third-and-goal.

However, those drives were mixed in with three more touchdowns from the Patriots, and with less than four minutes left in the game, running back Lan Larison broke loose on the outside for a two-yard score that put the Patriots up 30 points.