Predicting the Commanders' next four games after 0-1 start in 2024
By Dean Jones
Commanders at Cardinals - Week 4
- Date: Sunday, September 29
- Time: 4.05 p.m. ET
- Venue: State Farm Stadium
Sitting at 1-2 going into their Week 4 contest at the Arizona Cardinals wouldn't be the end of the world, but the Washington Commanders won't want to get left behind in pursuit of making the progress anticipated under new head coach Dan Quinn. Playing catch-up typically leads to players operating with a little extra tightness. It can also lead to some panic from the coaching staff in their decision-making.
The Commanders shouldn't fear the Cardinals despite Jonathan Gannon's men boasting some exceptional young playmakers on both sides of the football. Although they didn't come away from their regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills with a victory, they can take heart from the fact it was closer than most analysts predicted.
Kyler Murray is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with improved weapons around him this time around. Getting rookie first-round selection Marvin Harrison Jr. more than one reception for four receiving yards will only help moving forward. The Commanders' secondary can be best described as porous following an indifferent showing in Week 1. With some extra time to enhance chemistry and get their football legs back, they can hopefully improve by this point.
This is a hard one to call. There is also previous knowledge from both sides, with Washington's offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury going back to the venue where he was fired as head coach following the 2022 campaign.
Kingsbury knows some of the personnel - including Murray - better than most. That doesn't guarantee success, but it doesn't hurt to have some inside intel into the signal-caller's traits and how best to counteract them.
- Prediction: Win (2-2)
The Commanders are going to get a marquee win on the road at some point. This is an area where Jayden Daniels began his college football journey at Arizona State before transferring to LSU. This is a notoriously fast surface at State Farm Stadium, something the signal-caller can put to good use if his skill position guys give him the help that was sorely lacking at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.