The Washington Commanders wrapped up the preseason with a 20-10 win over the New England Patriots. Here are five takeaways from the matchup, presented by Maryland Lottery.

1. KJ Henry stood out early.

The Commanders have been looking for depth at pass-rusher since camp began, and they may have found someone who could play that role in KJ Henry.

Henry, a fifth-round pick out of Clemson in 2023, has adapted well to defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.'s scheme over the course of camp, routinely showing up because of his abilities in the run game and his development as a pass-rusher. That progress showed itself Sunday night, as Henry blew through the Patriots' offensive line from the defensive left and took down Jacoby Brissett for a seven-yard loss.

Henry topped the play off with a celebration.

Henry didn't get much more action than that, recording just one tackle in the first half, but what he showed was enough to add to his case that he deserves a roster spot. Henry has been fighting with the rest of the defensive ends at the bottom of the roster to impress a coaching staff that didn't draft him. So far, he has achieved that goal with his performances in practice and his contributions on special teams.

There are several factors for the team consider when formulating the initial 53-man roster, but at the very least, Henry ended things on a good note.

2. Third downs were an issue for the defense.

For the defense as a whole, Sunday night was a bit of a mixed performance. It did manage to keep the Patriots from stacking up points after allowing a touchdown on their second drive of the game, but several lingering issues continued to persist, particularly when it came to third-and-long situations.

On the Patriots' touchdown drive, Washington had two opportunities to get them off the field on third down with distances of eight and 14 yards. The unit was gashed on both plays, first with quarterback Drake Maye scrambling up the middle for 17 yards and DeMario Douglas escaping for 16 yards.

There were other examples later in the game. With the Patriots facing a third-and-9, Joe Milton evaded tacklers and put his team in field goal position with a 20-yard run.

There are several things to consider with Washington's struggles on third down. Whitt was keeping things simple on defense, and the team wasn't game planning for the final preseason game. It was largely an opportunity for players to react to what they saw from their opponents and rely on the techniques they had been taught for the past month.

However, it's clear that Washington's depth, whoever that consists of next week, still has some things to work on heading into the regular season.

3. The running backs battled.

The competition for the Commanders' third running back position has been one of the more interesting battles throughout camp. The three players vying for that job -- Chris Rodriguez Jr., Michael Wiley and Jeremy McNichols -- all made strong cases Sunday night.

McNichols started the game in the backfield, and there were several moments where his blend of physicality and versatility shined. He got the ball on four of the Commanders' first five plays, amassing 13 yards and converting a third-and-1.

Rodriguez was up next, and the former sixth-round pick had his moments. He had 17 yards on a drive in the second quarter and caught a 15-yard pass in the third to convert on a second-and-10. Rodriguez is a physical player but hasn't shown much as a pass-catcher. Perhaps his four catches for 39 yards on five targets was enough evidence to give him a roster spot.

Then there was Wiley, who quietly put together a solid camp and showed some of the same versatility that the Commanders like from Austin Ekeler and McNichols. He's had his best moments in games, scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets in the first preseason game. He hit pay dirt again against the Patriots by diving for the pylon on a nine-yard run after Martavis Bryant drew a pass interference penalty.

It feels like the Commanders will keep three running backs on their initial roster, and whoever they end up keeping, each player has made it a tough decision for them.

4. Trace McSorley gave the offense a spark.

The Commanders' offense struggled mightily in the first half, putting up just 111 yards and being forced to punt four times. Then Trace McSorley got in the game, and he provided a much-needed jolt to the unit.

Unlike in the Dolphins game, when he needed time to get in a rhythm, McSorley was effective from the start of the second half, connecting on his first three passes and converting two third downs with his legs. That led to a field goal for Washington -- their first points of the night.

From there, McSorley was crisp for the rest of the night. He had an 18-yard run from the Commanders' 3-yard line, giving Washington some much-needed breathing room. He also wasn't afraid to air out his passes, either, and it led to some momentum-swinging moments for the Burgundy & Gold. Two of his passes to Bryant drew pass interference penalties. He also scored a touchdown with Bryant to give Washington a two-score lead in the fourth quarter.

Washington's quarterback room has been decided for a while now, so there likely isn't a spot for McSorley on the active roster. However, he could make Washington's practice squad, and if that doesn't work out, he's put together a solid resume for whoever signs him next.

5. Last test completed.

The Commanders ended the first preseason of the Dan Quinn era with a come-from-behind win, giving the team plenty to build on as they head into the regular season. But the final test has now been completed, which means tough decisions are on the horizon.

Quinn said there are less than 10 spots left on the roster up for grabs, and while it wasn't perfect, the Commanders should have enough to decide who should make the initial 53-man roster now. They saw how battles at positions like wide receiver, cornerback and running back played out, and now they will take the next two days to weigh each player's value in the next phase of the new regime.

There will likely be some unexpected moves over the next two days as Washington tries to find players who fit their vision. That has already started, as the Commanders traded Jahan Dotson away to the Philadelphia Eagles for future draft compensation. Their next moves might not be as shocking as that, but there is a chance players who have been on the roster for years will have to find new teams.

The Commanders have until 4 p.m. on Aug. 27 to make their final decisions.