There were still several minutes left in the third quarter Sunday night when fans in burgundy-and-gold jerseys began shuffling toward the exits at Northwest Stadium, trying to avoid the traffic, beat the rain or perhaps simply forget about the game they were watching. By the early part of the fourth quarter, Gate A had become downright congested. A mustachioed man in a Terry McLaurin jersey grimaced as he walked through the first set of gates. “F---!” he yelled to no one in particular.

By that point, the Washington Commanders were well on their way to a 44-22 loss to the Detroit Lions — their fifth consecutive defeat and fourth straight by more than 20 points. Less than a year after a stunning run to the NFC championship game, the Commanders are 3-7. A season of hope — fueled by a thrilli

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