The Washington Commanders are healthier than most teams heading into their final regular-season engagement of the 2024 campaign. Head coach Dan Quinn wants to keep it that way with the wildcard playoff round on the immediate horizon.
Washington secured its place in the knockout stages with a stunning overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. Quinn doesn't want complacency to set in with the sixth seed there for the taking. One more big effort is required at the Dallas Cowboys, who are playing for nothing more than pride following an abysmal campaign.
The Commanders got Jonathan Allen back last weekend, providing the defensive front with a significant boost. Another prominent veteran looks set to return this weekend after running back Austin Ekeler cleared the NFL's concussion protocol and was activated to the 53-man roster with no injury designation attached.
Just how much Ekeler is going to feature remains to be seen. He's missed a lot of time with a serious concussion sustained during Washington's first meeting versus the Cowboys. There must be confidence in the dual-threat weapon's ability to contribute, but taking things slowly would be the best course of action before the stakes get higher.
Washington won't have stud cornerback Marshon Lattimore for the second straight game. He's still working his way back from a hamstring injury, although Quinn stated that the four-time Pro Bowler is making good progress and should be available for the postseason.
Tyler Owens, the undrafted free agent safety who's emerged as a decent special teams contributor, won't be available for the foreseeable future after he was placed on injured reserve. That's disappointing for the player, but his smooth transition suggests he could be part of the team's plans moving forward.
The Commanders will be short on the offensive line without Tyler Biadasz and Cornelius Lucas. Aside from that, it's a relatively clean bill of health.
Let's see who else is missing out in Week 18 at AT&T Stadium.
Full list of inactive Commanders players in Week 18
- WR K.J. Osborn
- QB Jeff Driskel (Emergency QB)
- S Quan Martin
- CB Marshon Lattimore
- LB Jordan Magee
- C Tyler Biadasz
- OT Cornelius Lucas
Per the Commanders website.
Full list of inactive Cowboys players in Week 18
- QB Will Grier (Emergency 3rd QB)
- LB Damone Clark
- DE Earnest Brown
- OT Chuma Edoga
- DE Tyrus Wheat
- DT Justin Rogers
Per Cowboys PR on X.