The Washington Commanders' locker room has normally been more raucous than somber this season as they've gotten used to being one of the league's most exciting teams. It's usually full of music, celebrations and players with wide smiles as they break down wins with the media.

It was a much different scene following the team's 28-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The room was quiet, save for the sound of staff members moving laundry and cleaning up from the afternoon. Most of the players had cleared out by the time reporters arrived, and those who stayed wore disappointed looks after coming up short thanks to several miscues and errors.

"It stings," quarterback Jayden Daniels said at his press conference, "and you see that the guys are very passionate about wins and losses, and it means something to them."

Each week has presented a new lesson for the Commanders as they navigate the first season of a new regime. For Week 10, it was a reminder that every mistake, however small, carries significant weight against better teams. There's also a second wrinkle; they must quickly learn from their errors, because another important matchup -- this time against the division rival Philadelphia Eagles -- is just three days away.

"I said that this is a 24-hour rule, and so we got 24 hours," coach Dan Quinn said. "By the time we get in for tomorrow afternoon, we've got to clear it, and we've got to go."

There should be plenty for the Commanders to learn from this week. They could have and did put themselves in position to come out of Northwest Stadium with a win, but small mistakes prevented both sides of the ball from putting together a consistent performance. It led to the offense putting up its worst total yardage of the season and undercutting a defensive outing that saw the unit get two turnovers and record three sacks.

It was a particularly uncharacteristic day for the offense, which was without Brian Robinson and right tackle Andrew Wylie. Daniels was noticeably off in a 202-yard day, just missing open receivers like Olamide Zaccheaus in the first quarter and Luke McCaffrey in the third. Three pass-catchers were credited with a drop, and the running game -- normally a strength for the team -- produced just 60 yards on 22 carries.

"We didn't make the plays and opportunities when they presented themselves," Daniels said.

As the Commanders felt the disappointment of the loss in the locker room, Sam Cosmi took the opportunity to address his teammates, saying that they can't let the moment "snowball effect into next week."

"I wanted them to know what we have here is still special," Cosmi told reporters. "Like no matter what, we still keep fighting. I want them to know this should hurt. This should hurt your core. This means a lot to us. Winning is the ultimate goal. And like I know from past, this means a lot, not only to me, but to everybody."

Unlike many of the younger players on Washington's roster, linebacker Bobby Wagner is familiar with heartbreaking losses in the NFL and the effects they can have on a team. Moments like the one Washington experienced against the Steelers can define a season and take a team in a completely different direction, which in the Commanders' case would be undermining the progress they made in the first half of the season build a 7-2 record.

Wagner also knows that it doesn't need to be like that. There's still time for the Commanders to bounce back; the only difference is that they do so on a short week against a divisional opponent. Wagner is choosing to take a more positive outlook on the circumstances.

"This is part of the game," Wagner said. "When you lose a game like this, sometimes it's a blessing to have that Thursday game because you don't have to wait as long to get back on the field and right some of those wrongs."

And the wrongs Washington committed, detrimental as they were to Sunday's outcome, don't have to derail the season, either.

"Understand that the things we're doing can be fixed, and it's on us to fix them," Wagner said.

As difficult as it might be to remember in the moment, the Commanders still have plenty to play for in the final seven games. Winning the NFC East is still within reach, starting with the Eagles on Thursday night football. After that, the Commanders will play the Dallas Cowboys twice, the Eagles again at Northwest Stadium and two more conference games against the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.

Even the most pessimistic outlook for the rest of the season provides opportunities for Washington to get a winning record and compete for a playoff spot, both of which would be viewed as solid accomplishments for a team that was considered as being in a rebuild at the start of the season. The Commanders are looking for more than that, though, which is another reason why they can't linger on Sunday's loss.

"I don't like losing, so I don't want to feel like this, this feeling," Daniels said. "I don't want to have losses ... I want to win in everything I step foot in and I put my mind to, so I wouldn't say it's any motivation. Just like, 'man, how can I go back to work and kind of get this feeling in my system?'"

Based on how the players reacted in the locker room, some of them are already focused on getting back in the win column.

"Erase it and have all my focus on Philly," Cosmi said. "I mean, there's nothing more that I want to do than beat Philly. And so, they're gonna have a pretty pissed team on their hands."