The Washington Commanders can secure their first trip to the playoffs since 2020 with a win against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football at Northwest Stadium. Not many had that on their bingo card in Year 1 of Dan Quinn's tenure.
The Falcons enter the game riding a two-game win streak and in control of their postseason destiny. Should they beat Washington and the 4-11 Carolina Panthers in Week 18, they will make their first trip to playoffs since 2017.
Atlanta finds itself in this position despite benching quarterback Kirk Cousins due to poor play. Their fate is now in the hands of rookie Michael Penix Jr., who was selected six spots after the Commanders took Jayden Daniels in the first round of the 2024 draft.
The Falcons have been a difficult team to predict this season. Their campaign has been a roller coaster, with quality wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (twice). On the flip side, they dropped a game to the struggling New Orleans Saints last month and looked downright awful in ugly losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos.
One of the Commanders' four wins in 2023 came against Atlanta. Although this year’s game will feature two different quarterbacks, several of the same principles will apply if Washington wants to go away with the victory.
Atlanta has a lot of playmakers on offense and can be very dangerous if they play their type of game. How can Dan Quinn and his staff make sure that doesn't happen?
Here are three hurdles the Commanders must overcome to seal their postseason berth with a game to spare.
Hurdles the Commanders must overcome against the Falcons in Week 17
Commanders must get the passing game going early
The Falcons’ defense has surrendered two or fewer touchdowns in five of its last seven contests. Several weeks ago, they prevented Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers from scoring an offensive touchdown. However, in the other two games during that span, Atlanta’s defense was wrecked. Denver and the Minnesota Vikings piled up 11 touchdowns against that same defense in those two games.
Those are the only two games in the last seven in which the Falcons have given up a touchdown in the first quarter. Both came on passes. In fact, of the 17 offensive touchdowns Atlanta has given up since the beginning of November, 15 of them have come through the air. Four of them have been on plays of more than 40 yards.
Against the Eagles, Jayden Daniels regained the long-ball touch that seemed to elude him a week earlier. Though the Washington Commanders will always try to establish Brian Robinson Jr. and the running game early on, they are more likely to have success if they can hit a big play or two in the passing game in the first quarter.