3 attainable post-bye week objectives for the Commanders in 2024

Commanders can win a playoff game

The 2006 wildcard round. That was the last time the Washington Commanders won a playoff game.

Despite being projected to have yet another top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Commanders are much closer to winning in January than they are to a high-end selection. The tides have not changed completely, but all the signs are there that it's finally happening.

Winning a playoff game this year would solidify that without question. There would be more hype going into next season than there has been in a generation if the Commanders could pull it off.

Let's say that Washington is unable to catch the Green Bay Packers and finish with 10 wins. Is this the type of team that can go into Lincoln Financial Field against the Philadelphia Eagles and win?

With the state of Philadelphia's passing game, it's possible. Not that they have the worst pass game in the league, but they are having their issues. The relationship between wide receiver A.J. Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts is reportedly fractured. This is something to monitor.

With the addition of Marshon Lattimore to the secondary, even if he is a little rough around the edges at first after coming back from injury, he's still going to be much better at covering Brown than Benjamin St-Juste. That much can't be argued.

It's also the time of year when Hurts has fallen off a cliff before. We don't have to look too far in the past to see that.

Make the playoffs in rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels' first season under center and the Commanders have the momentum to become one of the top up-and-coming teams in the league. Miss the playoffs and it becomes an inexcusable failure that could destroy the confidence of a young team and quarterback.

Get in and everything changes.

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