Injuries to Ekeler and Wise make this loss particularly painful for Commanders
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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Washington Commanders may have lost more than a game Thursday night.
Running back Austin Ekeler hurt his right Achilles tendon on a non-contact play and defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. was carted off the field with a quadriceps injury during the Commanders’ 27-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
Now the Commanders wait to learn how much time these two veterans will miss. Commanders coach Dan Quinn had no immediate update on their conditions after the game.
“We’ll use the weekend to see where we’re at from the injuries,” Quinn said. “I don’t want to make a guess.”
Losing either player for a big chunk of the season could prove costly for the Commanders, who made a surprise appearance in the NFC championship game last season.
“It kind of takes the fight out of you a little bit,” wide receiver Deebo Samuel said. “All the work that they put in all summer long, and just to see them go down, it kind of hurt. That’s the nature of this game. We pray it’s not as bad as we think it is.”
The 31-year-old Wise is in his first season with the Commanders after totaling 34 sacks with the New England Patriots from 2017-24.
Wise’s injury occured after he had gotten though the line of scrimmage and was attempting to block an extra-point attempt in the second quarter. Green Bay’s blockers fell backward and landed on the back of Wise’s leg.
“It’s tough,” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. “Two guys who are veterans for our team, and we lean on them a lot, not just for their play, but their leadership. To see both of them go down, especially Wise, you never want to see that. It just kind of puts in perspective the sport that we play. We’re just praying for him and Austin that they can make a speedy recovery.”
The potential loss of Ekeler is particularly concerning, considering how much Washington’s offense struggled against Green Bay.
Ekeler’s pass-catching ability out of the backfield makes him valuable. The 30-year-old Ekeler had 367 yards rushing and 366 yards receiving for the Commanders last season. He entered this season with over 4,700 career yards rushing and over 4,200 yards receiving.
“I’m obviously hoping and praying for the best for him,” Commanders center Tyler Biadasz said. “We all know Ek and what he’s capable of doing. He’s a great back that we have, and, obviously, we want him out there full go.”
He was lining up wide and running upfield late in the fourth quarter Thursday when he suddenly fell to the turf. Ekeler was helped off the field without putting any weight on his right leg and sat on the bench for a few minutes before he was driven away.
“It’s definitely hard,” rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt said. “Very hard, actually. Austin, he’s one of the great leaders on this team, and I just learn a lot from him day by day.”
If Ekeler has to miss a significant length of time, the Commanders might need to lean more on Croskey-Merritt.
The Commanders drafted him in the seventh round after a college career that included stops at Alabama State, New Mexico and Arizona. He showed plenty of promise while rushing for 82 yards and a touchdown in a season-opening 21-6 victory over the New York Giants.
He wasn’t quite as productive Thursday, gaining 17 yards on four carries. Then again, the entire offense had a tough night.
Washington was outgained 154-11 in the opening period, which represented its lowest first-quarter yardage total since mustering just 2 yards in the first 15 minutes of a 24-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that ended the 2018 season. The Commanders gained a total of 23 yards through their first three series and didn’t reach the end zone until the fourth quarter.
Jayden Daniels threw for 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but he was sacked four times and faced pressure all night. Now he might have lost one of his most versatile weapons in Ekeler.
The Commanders remain hopeful they have enough talent.
“It’s early in the season,” Daniels said. “I wouldn’t expect anybody in this locker room to hit a panic button.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl