Absolutely nothing went right for the Washington Commanders in their final of three preseason games in 2026, but the good news is that the game against the Baltimore Ravens didn't count in the official record books.
The next one, however, will, and head coach Dan Quinn knows his squad has to be better.
Washington is entering a season that could make or break the futures of Quinn, general manager Adam Peters, and numerous core pieces of the roster the Commanders have assembled. The goal is to return to the playoffs. Going at least .500 should be the expectation.
Commanders' optimism is growing before daunting Eagles test in Week 1
And it won't be easy.
Washington starts off its campaign with divisional road matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. The Commanders then get rewarded with a Week 3 home opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, albeit possibly without quarterback Sam Darnold.
Then, they travel across the pond to London to play the Indianapolis Colts before welcoming the New York Giants to Northwest Stadium.
There's zero margin for error. The Commanders cannot afford a slow start, and if they look as disoriented as they did against the Ravens, Quinn might as well go ahead and sign his release papers.
The disaster from two weeks ago needs to be the wake-up call that sends Washington storming out of the gates. And based on some trends from practice ahead of the trip to the ever-intimidating and toxic Lincoln Financial Field, it sounds like things are looking up.
After hitting rock bottom vibes after the Ravens joint practice, it seems things have picked back up for the Commanders ahead of week one. pic.twitter.com/05Tr7UnapC
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) September 9, 2026
If nothing else, Washington is getting players back.
Commanders' injury problems are subsiding before their litmus test at Lincoln Financial Field
We know five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil is out for likely the duration of the season after tearing his triceps, which is a monumental loss. Second-year cornerback Trey Amos will miss at least the first four games with an ankle injury, which is disappointing. Defensive lineman Johnny Newton, who Quinn was expecting big things from, is another long-term absentee.
But K'Lavon Chaisson is back. Nick Allegretti is back. Odafe Oweh and Jacory Croskey-Merritt were limited in practice but are expected to play in Week 1. The cavalry is returning at the perfect moment, and optimism is growing.
All of these players missed considerable time during training camp and will now be locked and loaded on Sunday. That won't guarantee success, but it won't hurt Washington's chances of pulling off an upset, either.
Injuries were the primary factor that sunk Washington's 2025 season. There's no understating the severity of Tunsil's absence, but aside from him and Newton, all of them thus far can be overcome.
And everybody else is trending in the right direction.
Obviously, being healthy is one thing. Being productive in the regular-season pressure cooker is another.
The Commanders still have everything to prove, and they'll have to climb a steep mountain to avoid starting their season in the hole.
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