The Washington Commanders are back in action at home against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, and it's already looking like a blue Christmas in Landover, Maryland.
With veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota injuring his hand against the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington is in dire straits at the quarterback position. Josh Johnson is likely to get the start, while Jeff Driskel was signed off the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad.
The bar is so low you could walk over it. On the other hand, that means there's no possible way the Commanders can disappoint anybody this week.
Right?
Mercifully, the Commanders' season is finally in the acceptance stage
At the start of the season, the Commanders were pegged as a playoff contender and potential Super Bowl sleeper. After the first five weeks, there were some red flags, but also plenty of reasons to believe Washington could compete.
Then, it began to fall apart.
Jayden Daniels got injured again, and the defense couldn't stop a nosebleed. By Washington's bye week, the playoffs were a lost cause. The rest of the season became about developing some of the Commanders' younger contributors while maintaining a fighting spirit in the locker room.
With Washington's final four games all coming against NFC East rivals, you wanted to be able to steal at least a couple of them and potentially shake up the divisional race. The Commanders beat the New York Giants on the road in Week 15 and had a shot to upset the Eagles in Week 16. Then, Mariota went down.
Any chance of a victory in the final two games now feels out the window. Washington's quarterback is either Johnson or Driskel. They're not going to give you a chance, and they're not going to maximize the offensive weapons around them.
The Commanders' defense, no matter who is calling the plays, is just bad. Don't expect that to change suddenly.
Several of those first- and second-year pieces Washington was hoping to develop are hurt. Wide receiver Jaylin Lane joined cornerback Trey Amos and fellow wideout Luke McCaffrey on the shelf with season-ending injuries. Others, such as defensive tackle Johnny Newton and tight end Ben Sinnott, are still making no progress.
Even so, there have been a few positive subplots of the Commanders' 2025 season that should continue to unfold in the final two weeks.
Linebacker Jordan Magee is coming along nicely. Mike Sainristil has become an exceptional ball hawk. Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jacory Croskey-Merritt are clicking in the offensive backfield. But beyond that, you're grasping at straws.
Very few good things have happened in Washington this year, and now, there's no reason even to expect otherwise. A blowout at the hands of the Cowboys should be fully anticipated. If the Commanders put up any semblance of a fight at all, it'll be a pleasant surprise.
That's where we're at. And for that reason, Commanders fans can finally relax this Christmas, knowing that the rest of their season is merely playing out the string.