The Washington Commanders have life. Everyone expected them to beat the under-strength Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football, and head coach Dan Quinn's squad recovered from a tough start to comfortably achieve this objective.
A glimmer of light now appears at the end of the tunnel. But make no mistake; there is still a long way to go before confidence in this project increases.
Beating the Eagles was just the start. The Commanders still have problems to solve, and their injury issues show no signs of slowing down. Quinn is experienced enough to know that one win counts for nothing, and the pressure will build once again if this cannot be sustained.
But newfound optimism is emerging amid the near-constant misery.
The Commanders' schedule gets a little easier over the second half of 2026. The next six games will ultimately decide their fate, and even though their Week 8 performance was enough to topple the Eagles, that won't be enough against other teams.
It remains a wait-and-see scenario. But had the Commanders lost on prime time, this campaign could have been a lost cause.
Quinn and his players have to keep their foot on the throttle with no real margin for error. If they can, then the Commanders might not be out of the NFC East race after all.
With that in mind, we predicted how the Commanders could fare over their next five games after saving their season.
Predicting the Washington Commanders' next five games after season-saving success inspires hope
Commanders vs. LA Rams - Week 10
- Date: Sunday, November 8
- Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Northwest Stadium
- Channel: FOX
This looked like a daunting proposition for the Washington Commanders before competitive action commenced. While that is still the case, the Los Angeles Rams haven't come close to meeting expectations so far.
That could provide the Commanders with an opening. But they have to get out in front early.
The Rams might be lagging slightly behind at 4-4, but they are now on a two-game winning streak. Head coach Sean McVay's offense is powerful, with their healthy rushing attack set to pose problems. It's also worth monitoring All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett's progress in practice this week.
McVay said Garrett will return, and if everything goes well, he will probably suit up at Northwest Stadium. This could pose a significant threat to Washington's offensive line, which hasn't exactly shone through the opening seven games.
This game could be decided by fine margins. The Rams might have superior talent, but they are coming cross-country for an early kickoff, which could work in Washington's favor.
- Prediction: Loss (2-5-1)
The Commanders are underdogs, so they have nothing to lose. All the pressure is on the Rams, but McVay's squad might have enough to get the job done here.
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