Commanders at Saints - Week 15
- Date: Sunday, December 15
- Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Caesars Superdome
- TV channel: FOX
The Washington Commanders come off their bye week fresh and ready to cement their postseason hopes in this scenario. Traveling to the New Orleans Saints will be a stern test of their credentials, but it's another contest where they should feel confident about getting a positive result.
New Orleans has underachieved this season based on their bullish hopes before the campaign. Losing to the Carolina Panthers in Week 9 was the final nail in head coach Dennis Allen's proverbial coffin, who was fired to signal the start of a new era.
This also impacted the Commanders. General manager Adam Peters sensed vulnerability with the Saints and pounced immediately, trading for stud cornerback Marshon Lattimore with just hours remaining before the November 5 deadline.
The four-time Pro Bowler hasn't been seen yet due to a hamstring issue. Dan Quinn is confident things are trending up for Lattimore when speaking to the media this week. He'll be relishing the prospect of going up versus the team that took him in the first round out of Ohio State.
This will be a tricky test for the Commanders. The Saints have won their last two games since Allen's firing. Players have rallied around interim head coach Darren Rizzi. They've had a little bit of luck along the way, but they are not out of the NFC South championship race just yet despite their 4-6 record.
Washington will be well rested and the extra time to prepare will help. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is also returning to the area where he starred in college en route to a Heisman Trophy at LSU. He'll be keen to put on a show and bolster the Commanders' postseason chances for good measure.
- Prediction: Commanders win (10-4)
Silencing the crowd early will be crucial. Restricting running back Alvin Kamara's influence is another key to success. Putting the game in Derek Carr's hands is the best way to go, something that improves Washington's hopes exponentially.