NFL Week 2: Commanders' loss to Packers marred by Austin Ekeler's suspected Achilles tear
Thursday night turned brutal for Washington: the game, then the injuries
Washington didn’t just drop a 27-18 decision to Green Bay in Week 2 under the lights. The night unraveled in the fourth quarter when running back Austin Ekeler went down without contact, grabbed the back of his right lower leg, and stayed down. He was lined up in the slot on the play. Team officials expect imaging to confirm a significant injury, with fear of a torn Achilles. An MRI will tell the full story, but if the worst is confirmed, it likely ends his 2025 season before it really started.
In the same quarter, wide receiver Noah Brown was ruled out with a groin issue after a quiet outing: one catch for nine yards on four targets. There wasn’t a single clear moment on broadcast where the groin injury happened, which made the quick in-game ruling notable. Brown had been on the pregame report as limited with a knee, while Ekeler had a shoulder listed. Tight end John Bates practiced fully despite a shoulder—and played.
For Green Bay, two players were ruled out before kickoff, including Brenton Cox (groin) and Bo Melton (shoulder). Several others were game-time calls. Safety Zayne Anderson (knee) and a starting guard dealing with ankle and groin issues were questionable through the week, while corner Nate Hobbs ultimately dressed. The Packers managed their absences cleaner on the night; Washington did not.
The scoreboard tells one story, but the timing tells the rest. Washington trailed 27-10 when Ekeler went down with under four minutes to play. A late push cut it to 27-18, but the damage was done. On both sides of the ball, Washington struggled to string together answers—missed chances in the first half, stalled drives in the third, then the injuries. For a team that opened the season with confidence after beating the Giants, Thursday was a harsh reset.
Why does the suspected Achilles matter so much? Running backs depend on burst, cut-and-go, and lower-leg strength. Achilles tears are among the toughest injuries for skill players over 30, with typical recovery timelines stretching nine to 12 months. Cam Akers’ rapid return in 2021 was the exception. Even Aaron Rodgers’ accelerated rehab last year was unusual—and still ended short of a full return. If it’s an Achilles tear for Ekeler, Washington will have to remake parts of its offense on the fly.
Brown’s groin injury brings a different kind of uncertainty. Groins can linger—players often come back within a few weeks, then tweak them if rushed. Given he was already managing a knee, the staff may err on the side of caution. Washington leaned on him for size and intermediate routes; losing that option forces a shuffle in personnel packages, especially on third down and in the red zone.
Here’s the snapshot of what changed in a span of minutes:
- Ekeler suffered a non-contact right leg injury in the fourth quarter and is feared to have a torn Achilles, pending MRI.
- Noah Brown exited with a groin injury and did not return after logging one catch for nine yards on four targets.
- Washington entered the night with both players already on the report—Ekeler (shoulder) and Brown (knee) were limited in practice.
- Green Bay had multiple inactives set before kickoff and managed questionable tags into the game without major in-game setbacks.
From a roster standpoint, the Commanders’ next moves are predictable if the diagnosis holds. A torn Achilles usually means injured reserve, opening a spot that can be filled by a practice-squad elevation or an outside signing. Expect Washington to bring in at least one back for workouts, even if they trust the current depth. Third-down usage, two-minute offense, and screen game design often run through a back like Ekeler; those roles will need to be reassigned immediately.
Inside the running back room, the first question is touches. Short term, that means more early-down work for the power options and more receiving snaps for whoever the staff trusts in protection. Pass protection is the hinge—if you can block, you play in high-leverage downs. If not, coaches will simplify and lean on formations that keep the quarterback clean with extra help. The screen game, angle routes, and checkdowns that Ekeler handled won’t disappear; they’ll likely be redistributed across backs and tight ends, with a few more quick throws to slot receivers.
Then there’s the ripple effect on the passing game. Without Brown, Washington likely leans harder on speed and spacing, using more motion to create leverage off the line. Expect bunch sets, more quick hitters, and a focus on yards after the catch to stay on schedule. The deep shots have to be set up by staying ahead of the sticks—a challenge on Thursday night when penalties and short gains piled up.
Defensively, Washington didn’t get the complementary help they needed. Sustained Packers drives kept the Commanders on the field too long, and Green Bay dictated tempo. That was especially clear late in the third quarter when Washington needed a stop and couldn’t get off the field. By the time the Commanders found rhythm on offense, the clock was a bigger opponent than the Packers’ secondary.
Where does this leave Washington? If Ekeler’s MRI confirms the fear, the team will pivot fast. Offensive coordinator tweaks are inevitable: more two-tight end looks to aid protection, a heavier dose of inside zone and duo runs for the backs who thrive between the tackles, and a steadier diet of quick-game concepts to reduce time in the pocket. The margin for error tightens when you lose a multi-tool back who can motion out, win in space, and turn a swing pass into second-and-two.
For Green Bay, the takeaway is different. Even with key players sidelined before kickoff, the Packers kept their defense fresh and tackled in space, forcing Washington to drive the long way. Their questionable tags were managed smartly through the week, and the active decisions paid off. That’s how you survive the early-season attrition that Thursday night games expose—clean rotations, clear roles, no self-inflicted wounds.
Washington’s medical timeline now runs on two clocks. Ekeler’s MRI is the first. If the scan is clean—or cleaner than feared—his return path changes everything. If it’s a tear, IR is almost certain, with rehab and a long road back the focus. Brown’s groin will be treated week to week, with practice participation a better tell than any early-week projection. The team will likely be conservative given the risk of reinjury.
What should fans watch this week? Practice windows and personnel groupings. Which back takes the majority of third-down reps in drills? Do the Commanders elevate a back from the practice squad for special teams and protection? How do they split snaps in three-receiver sets without Brown? The answers tend to show up by Thursday in the install.
The bigger picture is harsh but honest: Thursday night cost Washington more than a game. The staff built packages to showcase Ekeler’s versatility—motion to the slot, empty looks, angle routes on linebackers—and those pages now get rewritten. Brown’s absence trims another option for the quarterback on intermediate routes. Washington got a tough lesson in how quickly a plan can change under the primetime glare.
What we know now is simple. The Commanders left Green Bay with a loss, a battered depth chart, and a critical test of adaptability ahead. The MRI will confirm the fate of Austin Ekeler Achilles, and the training room will dictate how fast Noah Brown can return. Until then, Washington’s offense has to find yards in new places, one week at a time.
Injury notes and context: how the night unfolded
- Final score: Packers 27, Commanders 18. Washington trailed 27-10 inside four minutes before a late score closed the gap.
- Austin Ekeler: Non-contact right lower-leg injury in the fourth quarter while aligned in the slot. Team fears a torn Achilles; MRI pending.
- Noah Brown: Ruled out in the fourth quarter with a groin injury; finished with 1 catch for 9 yards on 4 targets. Had been limited pregame with a knee.
- Commanders’ pregame report: Ekeler (shoulder) and Brown (knee) limited; TE John Bates full with a shoulder.
- Packers’ pregame report: Brenton Cox (groin) and Bo Melton (shoulder) out; multiple questionables managed through the week, with Nate Hobbs active.
- Short-term impact: Washington likely redistributes third-down and two-minute duties among remaining backs and tight ends; expects to adjust personnel groupings at receiver until Brown returns.
- What’s next: Look for roster moves if imaging confirms the worst for Ekeler, and monitor Brown’s practice participation to gauge his timeline.
