The Washington Commanders suffered their seventh straight loss on Sunday to the Denver Broncos in overtime, 27-26. Here are five takeaways from the defeat.

1. The defense continues to improve.

The Commanders' defense showed signs of improvement against the Miami Dolphins in Madrid but faced a more difficult task with the Broncos coming to Northwest Stadium. Denver's final stat line -- 402 total yards with Bo Nix completing 64% of his passes -- doesn't quite tell the complete story from the night, as the Commanders went through stretches where they held Nix and the Broncos in check. They forced four punts and held Denver to 59 total yards in the fourth quarter. The pass rush only recorded one sack but regularly forced Nix to deliver off-target passes.

The biggest improvement came on the ground. The Commanders came into the game allowing 137 yards per game but held the Broncos to 3.8 yards per carry. The Broncos, which were 10th in rushing offense, had just three runs of 10-plus yards and held under 100 yards for just the fourth time all season. Daron Payne was particularly disruptive up front and had a four-yard tackle for loss in the second half.

The Commanders are also using more zone coverage in the secondary, and that, along with Will Harris' return and the decision to move Mike Sainristil back to the outside, had the group allowing fewer explosive plays downfield. Broncos pass-catchers Evan Engram and Courtland Sutton still had strong nights with 141 total yards between them, but their production felt more earned as opposed to being wide open because of communication issues that plagued Washington for most of the season.

Washington's defense still has room to grow, but their performance against one of the league's better units is an encouraging sign.

2. The offense looks better with Terry McLaurin in it.

It shouldn't be a surprise that a team's best receiver can have a dramatic effect on an offense, but there was a stark difference in what the Commanders achieved against the Broncos' defense -- a top five unit -- compared to how they struggled without him.

Sunday's game included a vintage performance from McLaurin, who had 96 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. Despite cornerback Patrick Surtain following him around for most of the night, he used his route running to get himself open and came down with clutch catches in the fourth quarter. His first touchdown of the season, which came on fourth-and-goal in overtime, came off a slant -- one of McLaurin's best routes -- and put the Commanders within a two-point conversion to winning the game.

McLaurin's presence and production helped open things up for the rest of Washington's weapons. Tight end Zach Ertz caught 10 passes on 13 targets for 106 yards, while Deebo Samuel had five catches for 64 yards, including a 38-yard catch-and-run in overtime that moved Washington to the 2-yard line. The running game also operated more smoothly, as the Commanders put up 143 yards and a touchdown on 33 attempts against a Broncos defense that allowed the fewest yards per attempt in the league.

Although the loss put a sour note on things, Sunday night was an example of what the Commanders' offense could be when it's at full strength.

3. There are still some areas to clean up.

Although there were some positive developments for the Commanders on Sunday night, it was still a loss, and there's plenty for them to clean up.

While there were fewer explosive plays, the Commanders' biggest defensive pain point showed itself once again, and it did so at one of the worst times. Engram cut through the Commanders' defense for a 41-yard gain in overtime and moved the Broncos to the 11-yard line, helping set up a five-yard touchdown two plays later. Earlier in the game Sutton and fellow wideout Pat Bryant had pickups of 31 and 21 yards, respectively, accounting for most of the 72 yards the Broncos needed to go up by six points in the third quarter.

Washington's biggest mistake on offense came on the interception from Marcus Mariota, who otherwise had a good night, at the Broncos' 19-yard line, wiping at least three points off the board. However, there were other smaller errors that stymied their momentum. Mariota was called for intentional grounding on a drive in the fourth quarter, which contributed to the Commanders settling for a field goal on the drive. A false start on Laremy Tunsil turned a third-and-4 into a third-and-9 and led to the Commanders punting two plays later.

There were others, like the holding call on Josh Conerly that negated a touchdown catch from McLaurin in overtime, that the Commanders managed to overcome. Still, the errors were a reminder that every play matters when facing a competent team.

4. Treylon Burks made the play of the night.

Burks' one-handed five-yard touchdown catch went viral on Sunday, drawing comparisons to Odell Beckham Jr.'s iconic touchdown catch in 2014. Beckham even joined the hype on social media, shouting out the 2022 first-round pick for making the grab.

Putting that aside, Burks' catch was the best of the night for the Commanders and a special moment for a player who struggled with injuries and production earlier in his career with the Tennessee Titans. Burks has been eager for an opportunity since signing with the Commanders earlier in the season. His teammates have seen moments like the one against the Broncos in practice, so they knew he had the talent to make plays if given the chance.

Now, however, he has an even firmer grasp on the team's attention.

"His hunger index is high," head coach Dan Quinn said after the game. "This is a guy that is wanting to prove it, and there's always a space for that type of competitor here. Coming in, this was a fresh space. And to see him express how important it is, how hard he wants to go compete, like it's been cool to see."

There's still plenty for Burks, who hadn't scored a receiving touchdown since his rookie season prior to Sunday night, to prove, but it seems like he has made a strong impression on the team. That could matter once the regular season is over, when the Commanders will decide on who to keep as they attempt to reshape the roster.

5. Plans for the final five games.

The Commanders are aware of their reality. Although they are not technically eliminated from the playoffs, they are guaranteed to finish with a losing record and would need several scenarios to unfold in their favor on top of winning their remaining five games. It's not over, but things seem to be heading in one direction for the final stretch of the season.

But the Commanders are not content with losing out for the sake of a high draft pick. While the playoffs are basically unattainable, they believe there is still plenty to play for. Jayden Daniels and other injured players are on the mend and could come back as early as next week against the Minnesota Vikings. The defense wants to show more improvement in December against playoff-contending teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

Perhaps the most important goal is for the Commanders to get a good look at what they built in the offseason and whether it is a foundation to build on for next year. The team wants to end on a positive note: not only can that momentum carry over into 2026, but it provides Adam Peters and Quinn with a good look at what needs to stay and what needs to be fixed.

And if the Commanders want to get back to the success they had in 2024, it would be beneficial to have something to work with rather than starting over from scratch.