Could Jayden Daniels hype, Commanders' resurgence lead to early primetime flex?
By Dean Jones
It's hard to overlook the momentum building around the Washington Commanders through four weeks. Dan Quinn's new-look roster recovered from an indifferent first outing to rack up three-straight victories - two of which were eye-popping road triumphs against the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals.
The hype is building. Washington's new regime is off to the best possible start. There is a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead, but the initial signs are immensely encouraging. Something that could also lead to an early primetime flex with a mouth-watering contest on the immediate horizon.
Fans are calling for the Commanders' game at the Ravens to be flexed in Week 6
With the Commanders' resurgence gaining national attention and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels' hype going through the roof following his historic opening to the campaign, speculation is emerging around the potential of Washington's game at the Baltimore Ravens being moved for the national NFL audience to enjoy.
The Ravens seem to be clicking over the last fortnight, demolishing the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills to reaffirm their status as potential Super Bowl victors in 2024. Daniels testing his skills against reigning NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson seems too good for the 1 p.m. Eastern Time slot. Fans are calling for this contest to take center stage on Sunday Night Football over the Bengals' game versus the lowly New York Giants.
There's a lot of merit to that. The DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) is ablaze with excitement surrounding these two teams. It's got a lot more going for it than the matchup chosen between two 1-3 teams going nowhere fast. After all, the Commanders have beaten both of them already in a convincing fashion.
While this flex would be welcome among fans - both of the teams and the wider NFL - there is one big stumbling block.
The Ravens were on Sunday Night Football in Week 4 against the Bills. Baltimore is also on Monday Night Football in Week 7 when John Harbaugh's men take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Having one team on for three straight weeks at this early stage just doesn't seem feasible in the interest of fairness.
Regardless of whether the Commanders' game with the Ravens gets flexed or not, it won't be much longer before Quinn's exciting project starts getting more national exposure. Winning helps a lot, but this is one of the league's most historic franchises in a huge market starving for success.
The NBA is better when the Knicks are playing well. The MLB is better when the Yankees and Boston Red Sox are thriving. The NHL is better when the Canadiens are in full flow. The NFL is better when Washington is part of the playoff picture.
It's been a long time since that happened with any consistency. But with Daniels reigniting the franchise and the infrastructure in place to implement a long-term strategy effectively, the Commanders might not be far away from returning to their rightful place at the league's top table.
It would be a shock to see the Commanders' short trip to the Ravens get flexed when one factors everything into the equation. But the fact this even warrants a discussion is a testament to how quickly the organization has altered perceptions around the NFL.
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