Zach Ertz reminds everyone what he still means to the Commanders

The Washington Commanders dropped to 3-3 on the season after their Week 6 Monday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears, the first time they've fallen at home this year.

Three turnovers and a missed field goal, as well as the absence of star wide receiver Terry McLaurin, will be the key topics keeping fans up at night after this one. But unlike this season's previous two defeats, there were some clear bright spots.

One of them was a player who was completely invisible a week ago, and showed up in a big way to remind Washington how important he still is.

Commanders are still getting decent production from ageless tight end Zach Ertz

During the Commanders' Week 5 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Zach Ertz didn't catch a single pass. It was the first time in more than 10 years he's been blanked in the box score, dating back to November of 2014.

He was much more involved against the Bears. Ertz hauled in all six of his targets for 43 receiving yards and a touchdown, which extended Washington's lead to 24-16 in the third quarter. That proved to be the high-water mark of the night for the Commanders, who were outscored 9-0 the rest of the way.

It wasn't due to a lack of effort from Ertz, though. On a night when the Commanders struggled to find production from their limited cast of wide receivers, he was quarterback Jayden Daniels' favorite target. The three-time Pro Bowler was as reliable as ever in the short yardage game, with several of his catches translating to crucial first downs.

The Commanders continue to get more than they bargained for from Ertz, who was considered all but finished after an underwhelming stint with the Arizona Cardinals. In 2023, his last year before coming to Washington, he played in only seven games and caught 27 passes for 187 receiving yards.

He bounced back with a 654-yard, seven-touchdown campaign in 2024, contributing to Washington's NFC Championship game run and earning NFL Comeback Player of the Year votes. Furthermore, Ertz emerged as one of the Commanders' most respected locker room leaders in Year 1 of Dan Quinn's veteran-heavy culture overhaul.

Ertz isn't speedy, and he struggles to gain yardage after contact at this stage of his career. But when the Commanders need a few quick yards, he's always open.

There's no telling how valuable his role is, even when the team falls short on the final scoreboard.