The Washington Commanders were tipped to lose by a narrow margin by FanSided's predictions in Week 2 at the Denver Broncos.
Momentum is clearly on the Washington Commanders' side right now. However, that does not detract from what a stern test of their credentials awaits this weekend.
After gaining a hard-fought victory against the Arizona Cardinals to kick off their campaign, the Commanders are currently in the final stages of preparations before making the trip to take on the Denver Broncos. This is Sean Payton's first home regular season game as head coach, which only raises the stakes further for Washington in a notoriously difficult environment.
Not only do the Commanders have to deal with Denver's testing altitude, but this crowd can get loud when their team is on top. Therefore, a strong start is critical if Washington wants to enhance their chances of becoming one of the league's surprise packages in 2023.
According to the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, the Commanders are 3.5-point underdogs at the Broncos this weekend. Washington is a tempting +158 on the money line (bet $100 to win $158), with the over/under set at 39.5 points.
Commanders tipped to lose at the Broncos in Week 2
It promises to be a tight affair that could legitimately go either way. Something that was reflected by Cody Williams from FanSided, who predicted Washington to get beaten 20-17 in a game that the writer doesn't anticipate will live long in the memory.
"Please don't make me watch this game. This is probably my least confident pick of Week 2 because both of these teams didn't make me feel great about them in Week 1. For Denver, though, I think it's at least possible that the Russell Wilson-Sean Payton learning curve might take a bit. More importantly, though, the Broncos defense still looks quite good. That's going to create enough issues for Sam Howell and the Commanders to give Denver the edge at home."Cody Williams, FanSided
It might not be one for the purists. But that didn't matter when the Commanders won last weekend and it wouldn't matter one bit this time around.
There's a good chance Washington's formidable defense can keep the Broncos in check despite Payton's brilliance and the potential for growth from veteran signal-caller Russell Wilson. However, Denver's defensive unit also looks like it might be a handful for an offensive line that gave up six sacks at FedEx Field.
This is all centered on setting the tone and dictating the tempo. The defense must restrict yardage right out of the gate, Washington's running game must establish itself, and quarterback Sam Howell must protect the football more effectively than he managed to accomplish in Week 1.
Making things as uncomfortable as possible for Wilson is another good place to start. Fortunately for the Commanders, their defensive front already looks to be in midseason form based on a phenomenal effort versus the Cardinals.
If nothing else, this represents a solid measuring stick for the Commanders. One that will tell us plenty about what this team might be capable of when they come up against better opposition as the campaign progresses.
Hopefully, FanSided's prediction falls short of becoming accurate and the Commanders can lay down yet another marker in their quest for postseason football.