Week 13 Reality Checks: Washington at Las Vegas
By Tim Payne
The Washington Football Team is about 8 weeks from having a new name. They’re one week from having a new season if they can take care of business in Week 13. With rumors swirling about what that name might be, it’s relatively incredible that the on-field product is still relevant this season, given the start the team had.
When the schedule first came out, most fans looked at the gauntlet of quarterbacks Washington was scheduled to face and wondered if it was even possible for them to get to the season-ending five NFC East games with something to play for.
After a 2-6 start, discussion of anything but draft position had left the conversations of all but the most blindly optimistic fans. But Washington has ripped off three dominant performances (in game flow if not on the scoreboard) and has launched themselves back into the playoff picture. With Dallas scuffling recently, it’s even possible that Washington pulls off another late-season run to the NFC East title.
The only NFC team to go undefeated in November.
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 1, 2021
Currently a playoff team.
But the work's not done. Not even close.
The odds are still long on both counts, but the momentum is building, and, with that, so are the expectations. The question now is, can Washington handle the pressure of raised expectations? Can they stretch their post-bye winning streak to 4?
The parity of the NFL keeps bad teams “relevant” every year. But only the good teams capitalize on that relevance and become true contenders. Will the WFT rise to the occasion and make a contending push, or will the current three-game winning streak end up being a blip on the radar?
Let’s discuss in this week’s edition of Washington Football Team Reality Checks: