Commanders must respond positively after NFC playoff rival turns up the heat

The Washington Commanders know that there is no margin for error over their final four games of the 2024 campaign. They must finish strongly to hold onto a playoff spot and potentially rise into the sixth seed along the way.

There will be plenty of twists and turns before the postseason participants are decided. The Commanders have been in the playoff places for most of the campaign. Finishing the job to offset a midseason slump before the bye week is essential.

Winning against the Tennessee Titans before their extended rest period in Week 13 was a good place to start. Players and coaches seem refreshed and refocused on the task at hand upon returning to the facility. Head coach Dan Quinn and perennial All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner are among the influential figures calling for calm and for the Commanders to take things one game at a time to reach their common goal.

The Commanders' game at the New Orleans Saints this weekend was a must-win. That was more evident than ever after the Los Angeles Rams turned up the heat on Washington to kick off the Week 15 slate.

Commanders must win in Week 15 after Rams' success over 49ers

It was an ugly game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. However, head coach Sean McVay's squad got the job done versus their NFC West rivals 12-6 for their eighth victory of the campaign.

The Rams are now 8-6. Washington holds the tiebreaker due to its better conference record. It's an incredibly slender margin right now, so maintaining a small gap by beating the Saints must be accomplished by the Commanders at the Caesars Superdome.

This is a high-pressure situation. One the Commanders must handle effectively.

Nobody expected the Commanders to be in this position in Year 1 of their rebuild under the new regime. There is enough experience in the locker room to keep everyone on an even keel. Seizing the moment and keeping their foot on the gas should be enough to meet raised expectations.

It could easily go the other way. Some players in the locker room haven't experienced this before. They're either new to the league or have endured nothing but failure before. Quinn will be counting on the enhanced culture across the franchise to see them through.

The Rams are hitting their stride at the right time. They look healthy and boast a potent offense capable of putting up points in a hurry. Based on their hard-fought success over San Francisco, they're also finding different ways to win at the business end of the campaign.

A big response is needed from the Commanders. Getting tight and not executing assignments effectively with the spotlight glaring is not an option. Focus on what you can control — anything after that is out of their hands.

And who knows, with the Green Bay Packers making a tricky-looking trip to the Seattle Seahawks, a situation could emerge where the Commanders move up to No. 6 in the NFC Conference standings when Week 15 is all said and done.

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