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Commanders Aren’t Experiencing the Start of Something Special, They’ve Already Arrived
The Commanders orchestrated an incredible turnaround in 2024, and several people deserve credit.
Head coach Dan Quinn had a franchise that went 4-13 in 2023 ready to win right away. General manager Adam Peters cobbled together a playoff-ready roster that looked very little like last year’s team. Rookie Jayden Daniels, the presumptive Offensive Rookie of the Year, has played like a top-five quarterback pretty much since Week 1.
Washington wasn’t expected to be this good, this quickly, but here they are. A week after besting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a last-second field goal, the Commanders took it to the NFC’s top seed on the road.
Daniels was as poised as a quarterback could be, while Quinn’s aggressive play-calling kept pressure on the Lions. Washington’s defense secured five takeaways on the night, while offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury consistently conjured big plays.
What should concern the rest of the NFC is the fact that the Commanders could be even better next year. While several notable players—including Bobby Wagner, Zach Ertz, Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus—are impending free agents, Washington is projected to have $93 million in available 2025 cap space.
Of course, the Commanders aren’t thinking about next season, and they shouldn’t. They have the talent and the confidence needed to make a run all the way to Super Bowl LIX.
Washington will be on the road again next week. It also has a rookie quarterback and a defense that finished the regular season ranked 13th overall and 18th in points allowed. So what?
The stage isn’t too big for Daniels, and tough environments haven’t shaken the Commanders to this point. While the defense is vulnerable, especially against the run, it’s found a knack for forcing key stops and notching takeaways.
The Commanders have also learned to win close games late, though they didn’t need to on Saturday. Washington entered the divisional round with five straight wins decided in the final 10 seconds of the game. It hasn’t lost a game by more than one score since Week 1.
What once felt like a feel-good story for a long-suffering franchise is now much more. The future is bright in Washington, but the Commanders have every reason to believe they can win it all now.
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