5 sustainable positives from Commanders' sensational 4-1 start in 2024
By Dean Jones
Improvements were expected from the Washington Commanders this season. The bar wasn't high in that regard following another campaign that promised much and delivered little under Ron Rivera in 2023. However, nobody anticipated how quickly things would turn around following substantial alterations to the infrastructure and playing personnel this offseason.
The Commanders are the NFL's surprise package through five weeks. Dan Quinn's masterminded an incredible on-field turnaround in fortunes. Adam Peters is being lauded for his outstanding roster construction and talent evaluation. Josh Harris' ownership group is doing its part by providing the football operation with everything they need while also focusing on some ambitious proposals behind the scenes.
Excitement is building among the fanbase. There is genuine belief the Commanders have the right people in place to get this once-downtrodden franchise back to respectability and beyond. It's getting harder to keep everyone's feet on the ground, which is a different challenge facing Quinn and his staff heading into the midway point of the campaign.
With this in mind, here are five sustainable positives from Washington's exceptional start to the 2024 campaign.
Sustainable positives from the Commanders' sensational 4-1 start
Being competitive
The Washington Commanders seemed to roll over too many times last season. They were seen as a get-right game for teams a little down on their luck. Everyone looked forward to playing the struggling organization, seeing it as an opportunity to get another win in the column without much pushback attached.
That's not the case anymore.
The Commanders are well-prepared for every game. They are fighting hard for each other and showcasing a more fundamentally sound operation since Dan Quinn took charge. Washington has gone from a laughingstock to a competitive outfit in double-quick time. That's all fans were looking for at this early stage.
Quinn's men aren't going to win every game - not even the league's elite manage that. However, the Commanders can be competitive no matter the opposition if their initial high-performance levels are any indication.