Has the Washington Commanders’ schedule been too easy? Now at 7-3 after Sunday’s 28-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they got an eyebrow raise, changing the conversation from how great a season they’re having to if they’re for real. In the long run, it doesn’t matter. The lessons learned in Sunday’s loss will have to be quickly turned around for Thursday night’s matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are 7-2.
There is no time to be angry, and the hurry-up offense they do on the field will now have to apply off the field. Thursday’s game will not be just any game. This game will determine if the Washington Commanders are truly weak against teams above the .500 mark. The Baltimore Ravens dominated them. The Steelers beat them up. The Steelers rule the AFC North with the Ravens a close second. Chicago is not above .500. They just played a solid game and became a threat until fate stepped in.
Washington Commanders: The Schedule Runs Tight To the End
The Eagles lead the NFC East after the Commanders’ loss Sunday, another team above .500 and a divisional rival. While the records broken by Quarterback Jayden Daniels and the hype around this new team, have they improved? Or has fate fallen graciously on their schedule this season? The next three games will tell the truth.
After Thursday’s game against the Eagles, the Commanders are back home against the Atlanta Falcons, who lead the NFC South at 6-4. Finally, there’s Daniels’ “rite of passage”-the Dallas Cowboys, who sit at the bottom of the NFC East at 3-6. Where the Washington Commanders stand after these games will show how true of a new team they are.
Commanders Still Missing Pieces
The Washington Commanders enter Tuesday, according to their depth chart, with Cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) and Kicker Austin Seibert (hip) not practicing. Running Back Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) is still listed as questionable. When it comes to Daniels and his performance, it’s obvious the rib injury is still bothersome. On Sunday, he could be seen between possessions still wrapped with the heat pad. However, his explosiveness has tanked. Daniels only ran for five yards in Sunday’s loss. He ran for 35 yards in their 27-22 win over the New York Giants and only ran 52 yards against the Chicago Bears.
“Some of it is circumstantial,” said Head Coach Dan Quinn after Tuesday’s practice. “It was by design early on where the fewer hits would be good. Past that, we’re back into the regular mode of how to operate and going through that so I would say not circumstantial anymore, but there was less last week.”
Quinn added, “Also, tip our hat to Pittsburgh. I thought they did a really good job too. They’ve got a good defense, all three levels, so I think that was a factor as well.” This was an understatement. Daniels was sacked three times for a loss of 20 yards in Sunday’s game. The offense had a total of 60 yards rushing. Even with the talents of running backs Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols, Robinson’s speed was missed.
Commanders: Real Or Hype?
In games where they’re playing top-tier teams like the Steelers and lose, the Washington Commanders’ schedule comes into more scrutiny, regardless of who’s in or out. Week 11 and Week 12 will be another example of this. If they cannot win, all the records broken and created by their scoring and Daniels would be for nothing. They will just be known as “same ol’ Washington Commanders” with a different coat of paint.
The Washington Commanders’ schedule for the remainder of the season will determine how generous history will be to this team. It’s the final piece to justify all the personnel changes made. Quinn admitted they came up short last week on time of possession and the rush/pass combination. “Not to have those, and not to have some favorable third downs, I thought that was a real factor,” he said. He’s right. The Commanders were 5 out of 14 on third down attempts Sunday and were five out of 12 attempts the week prior against the Giants. Thursday night will be another chance to break out and show if they are for real in the NFC East.
Final Thoughts
The numbers don’t lie. Jayden Daniels has moved to a more conservative style which makes sense. The risk of doing more damage to the ribs is out there each time he suits up. However, it’s also a chance for the Commanders’ offense to carry the load, something that should be done anyway. Sunday’s game saw a lot of dropped, catchable balls by receivers. Thursday night, if the Eagles are on target, they’ll not only expose the Commanders, they’ll embarrass them. Daniels will now have to dig deep and take some unwelcome risks on that field to get through the next few games.
