The Washington Commanders had a long slog up until their bye week. Dan Quinn's squad had to navigate 13 straight games before their extended rest period, which was a lot to ask of a relatively young group — most of whom were new to the organization after wholesale changes from general manager Adam Peters this offseason.
Quinn deserves enormous praise for having the Commanders in a position to make the postseason in Year 1 of his tenure. There was a difficult stretch of games as expected, but the resolve displayed to easily dispose of the Tennessee Titans in Week 13 leaves reasons for optimism.
The Commanders have the seventh seed right now. They are one game behind the Green Bay Packers for the sixth seed. However, they are also nervously looking over their shoulders with the Los Angeles Rams one game back following their surprising win over the Buffalo Bills.
Having a late bye week isn't ideal. At the same time, the Commanders should be fresh, well-rested, and ready to take on their four remaining games to cement playoff football in Washington once again. That was beyond any realistic expectations before the campaign.
With this in mind, we took a look at how the Commanders could fare over their final four contests of the campaign with the team sitting at 8-5 right now.
Predicting the Commanders' final four games of the 2024 season
Commanders at Saints - Week 15
- Date: Sunday, December 15
- Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Caesars Superdome
- TV channel: FOX
The Washington Commanders begin their stretch run with a trip to the New Orleans Saints. This game has extra meaning for stud cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who's set to make his debut against the team that traded him before the deadline.
Lattimore passed the most strenuous part of the testing process in his recovery from a hamstring problem. Having some extra time to recuperate during their bye also helped. It'll be an emotional occasion for the four-time Pro Bowler, but his elite mindset and competitive nature suggest it'll be all business when the whistle blows.
The Commanders also got a boost — albeit an unfortunate one for quarterback Derek Carr. He fractured his non-throwing hand and is expected to be on the shelf for weeks. This means Washington will be up against either Jake Haener or rookie Spencer Rattler at the Caesars Superdome.
- Prediction: Commanders win (9-5)
Remaining professional and taking care of running back Alvin Kamara should be enough to achieve success. Fans can also take great heart from the fact Washington has ruthlessly handled inferior opposition throughout the campaign so far.
Commanders vs. Eagles - Week 16
- Date: Sunday, December 22
- Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Northwest Stadium
- TV channel: FOX
Despite the Philadelphia Eagles being in complete control of the NFC East and solidifying their postseason spot last time out with a narrow success over the Carolina Panthers, small cracks are beginning to show. These center on quarterback Jalen Hurts' inability to get the passing game going consistently enough.
This has been masked by the phenomenal production of running back Saquon Barkley, who is in contention for the NFL MVP and could break the league's single-season rushing record with a strong end to the campaign. However, the frustrations of wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are obvious.
The Washington Commanders were no match for the Eagles during the first meeting between the division rivals on Thursday Night Football. One could point to quarterback Jayden Daniels not being at 100 percent, but there is a lot of ground for head coach Dan Quinn's men to make up to be more competitive in this one.
Philadelphia's defensive front had its way with Washington in the trenches. Things weren't much better on the other side of the football at Lincoln Financial Field. Unless significant adjustments are made, it's hard to envisage a scenario where the Commanders turn the tide.
Controlling the clock is crucial. The Panthers showed it can be done. That was a surprise to some, but they've been much more competitive over the last five weeks. They also proved that the best way to limit Barkley's influence — if 124 rushing yards equates to that — is by keeping him off the field.
Daniels is methodical. The Commanders will lean on Brian Robinson Jr. heavily, especially considering Austin Ekeler is on injured reserve after suffering a serious concussion against the Dallas Cowboys. How this backfield tandem performs will go a long way to determining the overall outcome.
- Prediction: Commanders loss (9-6)
The home crowd should galvanize Washington to a better display. Whether it's enough to get the better of the Eagles is another matter.
Commanders vs. Falcons - Week 17
- Date: To be determined (TBD)
- Time: TBD
- Venue: Northwest Stadium
- TV channel: FOX
There is no official date and time for the Washington Commanders' regular-season home finale against the Atlanta Falcons as yet. With the two teams vying for their respective spots in the NFC playoffs, it's a prime candidate to be flexed for Saturday Night Football over the festive period.
Regardless of whether the Commanders get onto the primetime stage or not, it's a game they must win. This could be the difference between making the postseason or not. Nothing but a rousing effort will do.
The Falcons had high expectations on their shoulders in 2024. This was thanks in no small part to acquiring veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency. He started well enough, but things have tailed off dramatically in recent weeks.
Cousins is slumping at the worst possible time. The former Washington signal-caller had no passing touchdowns and eight interceptions during Atlanta's four-game losing run. Their lead at the NFC South summit is no more after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leapfrogged them in Week 14.
Taking Cousins lightly is not an option for the Commanders. This is a revenge game for the quarterback, whose contract situation was managed terribly by Dan Snyder before he joined the Minnesota Vikings. The Falcons also boast some dangerous offensive weapons led by running back Bijan Robinson.
Atlanta's defense is decent enough, although they were overwhelmed by the Vikings last time. Unless they somehow put everything together over the next fortnight, the Commanders will be favored to close out their home slate on a high.
- Prediction: Commanders win (10-6)
Being complacent is not an option. The Commanders have the playoffs firmly in their grasp in this scenario. Staying composed and professional is crucial. Executing the game plan effectively and forcing Cousins into mistakes should be enough to get the job done and reach double-digit triumphs in the first season under Dan Quinn's guidance.
Commanders at Cowboys - Week 18
- Date: TBD
- Time: TBD
- Venue: AT&T Stadium
- TV channel: FOX
Whether 10 wins is enough to get the Washington Commanders into the playoffs remains to be seen. A lot can and probably will change over the next month before things are finalized. Double-digits could be enough when push comes to shove.
The Commanders can leave no doubt regarding their chances of reaching the knockout rounds with success at the Dallas Cowboys in their final regular-season contest. Dan Quinn's squad will also be aiming to right some wrongs after failing to live up to their favorite tag in their first meeting.
Washington was an overwhelming favorite among sportsbooks in Week 12. What followed was arguably the Commanders' most disappointing performance of the campaign en route to a dismal loss at Northwest Stadium.
The Cowboys were in better form after that. However, the same mistakes that blighted this team earlier in the campaign reared their head once again during a primetime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on home soil.
It doesn't seem likely that the Cowboys will be playing for anything. Some players will have half an eye on their offseason plans and a much-needed vacation. At the same time, personal pride won't want to let a division rival celebrate success before they potentially go into the playoffs.
If the Commanders have their postseason spot secured by this point, Quinn might consider resting some of his top stars. If there is still a chance for the sixth or seventh seed, it's all hands on deck.
Dallas' record at AT&T Stadium this season is abysmal. They haven't reached their offseason hype yet again and could be looking for another new head coach in 2025 with Mike McCarthy out of contract. That said, the Commanders need to learn the harsh lessons from their first outing to improve hopes of gaining additional momentum.
- Prediction: Commanders win (11-6)
This is all about motivation. The Commanders could have more of that if they need one more win to make the playoffs. That could be the difference, which would leave them at 11-6 and way ahead of schedule in Year 1 of this extensive rebuilding project.