Sportsnaut
The Washington Commanders shocked the NFL last season, delivering an eight-win improvement in finishing with a 12-5 record and making it all the way to the NFC Championship Game. Coming off stunning success in the first year of the Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels era, the question now is how many games will the Commanders win this year?
Let’s dive into our game-by-game Commanders predictions for this season.
The Commanders’ offensive line will be put to the test immediately in Week 1 against the New York Giants. Considering that offenses typically start off slow in September compared to defenses, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jayden Daniels and Co. can’t find a consistent rhythm in the season opener. With that said, Washington has an MVP-caliber quarterback and enough offensive talent to make enough plays to beat a Giants offense led by Russell Wilson.
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One of the reasons many expect a bit of regression from Washington this season is because of the level of competition they will face. The first game on the Commanders’ schedule sends them to Lambeau Field to face a Green Bay Packers defense that finished last season as a top-10 unit. Green Bay also has the offensive line that, against a suspect Commanders pass rush, can give Jordan Love plenty of time to throw. It should be a back-and-forth battle, but Green Bay wins at home.
Rebounding from the Week 2 loss in Green Bay, Washington returns home, and its offense explodes against the Las Vegas Raiders defense. Geno Smith can put up plenty of points, especially if he has a clean pocket and All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers finds open space against Washington’s defense. However, Las Vegas has no answer for the Commanders’ vertical passing game, and that will offer the blueprint for Washington to win.
One benefit of the early games on the Commanders’ schedule is that they get to face some of the worst defenses in football. The Atlanta Falcons pass rush will be carried by rookies, who will face an acclimation period against a veteran offensive line. Not only will Daniels have time to throw, but he’ll also get to attack a Falcons secondary that is weak at cornerback.
Washington catches a bit of a break here since the Los Angeles Chargers are without Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater. It’s a massive blow for the Chargers’ offensive line, especially since this team is already thin at wide receiver. It’s the little things that...
