Moral Victory: Commanders Make Statement vs. Ravens

There are no such things as moral victories in the NFL. Psst, Sunday's seven-point loss at one of the favorites to play in Super Bowl LIX was indeed a moral victory.

Not a victory, no. But an encouraging sign that the upstart Washington Commanders can go toe-to-toe with the big boys. Jayden Daniels isn't Lamar Jackson, but he's close. The Commanders can't yet beat the Baltimore Ravens, but they're close.

Close enough to believe. Close enough to be motivated to improve a little here and there and then ...

"It's games like this, where you kind of hurt yourself a little bit – whether it’s penalties, whether it’s miscommunication or things of that nature," said Commanders' defensive leader Bobby Wagner, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Seattle Seahawks. "You go back, you hold yourself accountable. Everyone gets back to the drawing board. Don’t hold your head down and just grow, and if every player can grow, it’s going to make us that much better. I feel that we have those guys."

More than a devastating defeat, this was both a teachable moment and a step in the right direction.

Whatever belief the Commanders and their fans had entering Sunday's showdown, it's only stronger on Monday. A team that went 4-13 a year ago already has four wins and proved against the Ravens it belongs on the field with the NFL's best.

Related: Feisty Commanders Fall Short to Ravens, 30-23

They played with a handicapped offense without leading rusher Brian Robinson Jr. They didn't fold or panic when they got down 14 points in the fourth quarter. They needed one more stop against the league's best running back.

Moral victory? The Commanders may not be great yet, but they proved against the Ravens that they are on their way to getting better.