In a turn of events that has left the Washington Commanders grappling with an unexpected dilemma, kicker Austin Seibert has been placed on injured reserve after a troubling performance during the team's recent clash with the Dallas Cowboys. Seibert, who had been a model of consistency prior to the game, missed two critical extra points, contributing to a 34-26 defeat that has left the Commanders assessing their trajectory as the season progresses.
Before Sunday's match-up against the Cowboys, Seibert had successfully converted all 22 of his extra-point attempts. His reliability, however, faltered at a pivotal moment. Following a 17-yard touchdown run by Jayden Daniels in the third quarter, Seibert's first missed kick set the stage for a tense finish. Disaster struck again later when another attempt went awry after an 86-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Terry McLaurin. These misses loomed large in a game that saw the Commanders trailing by a single point, 27-26, after Seibert's second failure to convert.
Seibert, candid in his reflections post-game, expressed a deep sense of personal accountability. "I just want to play better for my teammates, you know, definitely don't want to do that. Just wasn't striking well, but it means a lot to me to be here with these guys, so I just want to put my best foot... moving forward," he stated, reflecting the weight he carried from the missed opportunities that played a part in the team's eventual defeat.
Adding to the layers of intrigue, Seibert played through the game despite having had concerns about his right hip. In his post-game comments, he maintained that these issues did not impede his performance. "I felt fine. That's why I made the decision to play, and here we are," Seibert remarked, downplaying any potential excuses for his atypical showing.
Ironically, CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys also had a comment on the outcome, playfully referencing his college connection with Seibert. "Shoutout (Commanders kicker Austin Seibert). He went to OU with me. He gave us one," Lamb quipped, subtly underlining how the dual missed kicks contributed positively to the Cowboys' narrative.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, made history in their own right. Overcoming 10.5-point odds against them, they delivered a stunning performance, becoming the first team in NFL history to score two kickoff return touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a single game, marking an indelible note in their storied rivalry with the Commanders.
In light of these developments, the Commanders face immediate logistical challenges. Seibert's move to injured reserve necessitates an urgent search for a replacement kicker as they seek to regain their competitive momentum. The significance of the loss to a divisional foe like the Cowboys cannot be overstated, and addressing the void left by Seibert's absence will be pivotal in adjusting their trajectory.
Although Seibert's missteps were uncharacteristic, his ability or inability to bounce back from this will be a subplot worth monitoring from both a personal and team perspective. The Commanders, driven to recover from this setback, must quickly adapt and refocus as they navigate the intensifying competition of the NFL landscape.