Through six games, the Washington Commanders have alternated wins and losses. They've never been below .500, but they've yet to string together back-to-back triumphs to move comfortably above it.
It hasn't been the most ideal start for a team that was in the NFC Championship game last season. Injuries have played a role, as star quarterback Jayden Daniels missed two contests and wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been absent for the past three. But great teams must find a way regardless.
If the Commanders are going to be one of those teams, they need to prove it against some of the best in the coming weeks. Their schedule is about to get a lot tougher, and how they fare will make or break their season.
Commanders' upcoming gauntlet could ultimately decide their fate
In the next four weeks, Washington plays at the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs. They have home games versus the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. That's two current NFC playoff squads, a team that's won two of the last three Super Bowls, and a road clash against a division rival who won't make life easy for them, no matter how bad they are defensively.
There's a chance the Commanders are underdogs in all four contests. The Cowboys game should be the "easiest" of the bunch, and Dallas has opened as the slight favorites. Washington will likely need to win that one in an offensive shootout. That means eliminating the turnovers that doomed them on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears.
The Chiefs on primetime in Week 8 might be the biggest test of all. It'll be another Monday affair, and the Commanders are 0-2 in the national spotlight thus far in 2025. Even though Kansas City hasn't looked like its usual self, it remains the gold standard for every opponent it faces. Washington had better be up to the task.
Week 9 will bring the Seahawks to town for a third night game in four weeks. They boast another high-powered offense that could make Washington's inconsistent defense look silly. Then, the Commanders will host the Detroit team they beat in last year's playoff divisional round, but this time they'll be healthier and more motivated to exact revenge.
The Commanders will need to win at least two, ideally three or more, of these games to feel good about their playoff chances. The NFC is nothing short of stacked, with 12 of its 16 teams currently sitting at .500 or above. There's little margin for error, regardless, and even less so with a schedule like Washington's.
Last year, Dan Quinn's squad proved more than capable of coming through when the lights were brightest and their backs against the wall. They displayed the resilience and focus necessary to cut it with the NFL's big boys.
Now, the Commanders will need to do it again.