The Washington Commanders let a Monday Night Football win slip through their fingers against the Chicago Bears, and one player is taking the heat. After clawing back from a 13-point hole to grab a 24-16 lead, Washington looked poised to steal a road victory.
Then the defense collapsed at the worst possible moment, and fans are pointing fingers at one missed tackle that changed everything.
Quan Martin’s Missed Tackle Turns Washington Commanders Win Into Devastating Loss
Washington had all the energy they needed. The Commanders just scored to push their lead to eight points, and the defense needed one stop to put the Bears away.
That’s when Quan Martin whiffed on what might be the worst tackle of his young career.
Horrible missed tackle on Swift by Quan Martin pic.twitter.com/g6JskSNT6Q
— Mark Tyler (Hogs Haven) (@Tiller56) October 14, 2025
The Bears got the ball back, and Martin completely missed his assignment on a critical play. His botched tackle allowed Chicago to break free for a 55-yard touchdown that tied the game back up and sucked the life out of Washington’s sideline.
The Commanders never recovered. What should have been a statement road win turned into another heartbreaker, and Martin’s name is all over the blame game.
But that wasn’t the only controversial moment. Fans watching at home noticed something else before the Bears’ game-changing touchdown. The play clock hit zero before Chicago snapped the ball, but no flag came.
That missed delay of game call has only added fuel to the fire for frustrated Commanders fans who feel like the officials cost them a shot at victory.
Washington Commanders Fans Unload on Quan Martin After Costly Mistake
Social media exploded the moment Martin missed that tackle. The reactions ranged from disbelief to pure rage.
One fan wrote, “He’s the reason my TV is broken right now.”
Another added, “I saw better tackling in a Junior High game yesterday.”
A third pointed out, “Inexcusable. Is Joe Whitt Jr putting TOO much emphasis on forcing turnovers instead of sound tackling?”
A fourth observed, “Should’ve been a flag the play clock hit zero before they snapped the ball anyways.”
Not every fan piled on Martin alone. Some questioned defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.’s philosophy of aggressive playmaking over fundamental tackling.
Others focused their anger on the officiating crew for missing what appeared to be an obvious delay of the game penalty.
The debate isn’t just about one player’s mistake. It’s about whether Washington’s defensive approach is sustainable when the fundamentals break down in critical moments.
For now, Martin is the face of this loss, and Commanders fans aren’t letting him forget it.
