Hogs Haven
With the season opener against the New York Giants just a few days away, it is once again time for my annual Bold Predictions for the upcoming season.
Something is different this year from all previous editions. The Commanders are entering the 2025 season as established playoff contenders. That would have seemed fanciful this time last year, which makes some of last season’s bold predictions look fairly tame in hindsight. It also raises the bar substantially for this season’s predictions.
But I am up to the challenge. Please remember, the emphasis is on boldness, not accuracy.
Before we take on 2025, let’s review last year’s predictions. Debunking myths and fear mongering about the OT situation kept me so busy last year that I only managed to produce seven predictions. But there were some good ones.
1. Jayden Daniels will take fewer than 40 sacks – INCORRECT, but…
Daniels took 47 sacks in the regular season and collected 4 more in the postseason.
To put this prediction in last preseason’s context – concern for Jayden Daniels’ safety – the number of potentially harmful sacks was much lower than the total might suggest. Seventeen of JD’s credited sacks were for loss of 0 or 1 yds. These were mostly plays where he escaped the pocket and stepped out of bounds without being contacted. So, the number of sacks involving a tackle might be less than 30.
2. Jayden Daniels will win OROY – CORRECT
Jayden rewarded long suffering fans with one of the greatest rookie performances of all time. It was at least the best rookie season performance by a Washington QB since Sammy Baugh led the Redskins to the 1937 NFL Championship. In addition to OROY, Jayden made the Pro Bowl and finished 7th in MVP voting.
3. Terry McLaurin will have his first season over 1,200 receiving yards – CORRECT
Note how I didn’t specify regular season or total season – because it never occurred to me the Commanders would make the playoffs. Terry finished the 2024 season with 1,323 receiving yards. The Commanders would have been unlikely to make it to the playoffs without him, earning him and me the benefit of the doubt on this one.
4. Dorance Armstrong will record at least 12 sacks – INCORRECT
Dorance finished the regular season with just 5 sacks, and added 3.5 more in the playoffs, for a total of 8.5. He will do better this season.
5. Johnny Newton will have more sacks than Chase Young this season – INCORRECT
Johnny recorded just 2 sacks in his rookie campaign, putting him 3.5 sacks behind Young. He will catch Young this season.
6. Andrew Wylie will allow 6 sacks this season – INCORRECT
In hindsight, I greatly underestimated Wylie. But I was hardly Robinson Crusoe on that front. PFF credits him with 0 sacks allowed in 17 regular season and playoff games. Wylie started the 2024 season under a...
