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Ranking the Commanders’ 2022 opposing quarterbacks

By Samuel Schulman

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 09: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings stands on the sidelines in the third quarter of the game against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 9, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 09: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings stands on the sidelines in the third quarter of the game against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 9, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /
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There are many factors that determine a team’s success year in and year out. Oftentimes for the Washington Commanders that has been their schedule of opposing quarterbacks. While it is true that wins aren’t inherently a quarterback stat, “the better the QB the better the team” is often the way it goes in the NFL. In fact, in 2020 when the Commanders managed to win the NFC East, they did a great job of taking care of business when playing the below average quarterbacks on their schedule.

The graphic below shows a week-by-week view of the Commanders’ 2020 opposing QB’s and shows their QBR compared to the average of 60.25 for the season. It compares that QBR stat to Washington’s margin of victory (or defeat) in the corresponding games.

As you can see (with a few minor exceptions), there is an undeniable correlation that when the Commanders faced an above average quarterback they lost, and when they faced a below average quarterback they won. There was also a 65% correlation between the opposing teams QBR and Washington’s score differential in those games. This means that not only was there a clear win/loss trend when it came to the strength of opposing quarterbacks, but the relative strength or weakness of the opposing QB can explain 65% of why the Commanders had the exact result in each game.

Last year the Commanders did not do as well taking advantage of the subpar quarterbacks on their schedule. They dropped a game to Teddy Bridgewater and the Broncos, as well as two games to Jalen Hurts (granted the first meeting saw Washington’s roster decimated by COVID-19). They still managed to get to seven wins, but it required them pulling off some major upsets, including a home win against Tom Brady.

The Commanders will need to find a way to recapture the ability to take care of pedestrian quarterback play during a 2022 campaign in which they are sure to see a lot of it. If they are able to do that and sprinkle in a few upsets against some of the league’s best signal callers, the sky could be the limit.

Without further ado , here is a tiered breakdown of the Commanders’ 2022 opposing quarterbacks.

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