The Washington Commanders will once again face tricky weather conditions at Northwest Stadium against the New York Giants. But the last time head coach Dan Quinn's squad braved these less-than-ideal elements, they beat the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
They'll be hoping for the same again to get their campaign back on track.
Heavy rain is expected throughout the day. Tropical Rainstorm Isaias is moving through the area, which will also affect the Commanders' game. And with strong wind gusts also anticipated, it will certainly make things more challenging for quarterback Jayden Daniels upon his return to the lineup.
Commanders must call on their Seahawks blueprint amid more adverse weather conditions
This is nothing new for the Commanders.
Their Week 3 game against the Seahawks also featured heavy rain and winds. Washington dug deep to stun the defending champions, so confidence should be high in their ability to handle the weather better than the G-Men.
Conditions are expected to improve as the game goes on. That isn't guaranteed, but that's certainly possible if the forecast is accurate.
Quinn and his staff will no doubt have taken this into account during their strategic planning for the contest. It's a must-win game against a Giants team that currently sits at 3-1 despite missing quarterback Jaxson Dart and edge rusher Brian Burns. John Harbaugh's men are brimming with confidence, so the Commanders must take this challenge seriously.
This makes establishing the run and protecting the football even more important.
Commanders need to be fundamentally sound with wet weather expected in Week 5
The Commanders have struggled to get anything going on the ground in recent weeks. That has to change in this one, and it'll be interesting to see how the dynamic shakes out with Austin Ekeler aiming for more work and Rachaad White now healthy enough to feature.
Obviously, winning in the trenches is also crucial with the weather as it is. The Commanders have gotten some great returns from their 3-4 defensive front so far, and the return of right guard Sam Cosmi should solidify the offensive interior, too.
That won't guarantee success, but it's not a bad place to begin.
The weather can be a great leveler. Washington used that to its advantage against the Seahawks. This experience should serve them well, but it makes it more important to play mistake-free football while also executing effectively in the pressure cooker.
That doesn't change.
The Commanders have their backs against the wall. Another loss, with the San Francisco 49ers coming up on Monday Night Football, would be disastrous, so the players have to show resolve, find their big-boy pants, and strap their pads a little tighter in the face of adverse conditions.
They've done it once this season. They can do it again.
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