The Washington Commanders' nightmare season will officially be in the rearview mirror after this weekend's road clash with the Philadelphia Eagles.
It's been 17 weeks of disappointment and harsh realities. No matter what happens in Philadelphia, none of that will change. If the Commanders win, they'll be winning against backups with nothing to play for. If they lose, it'll be one more embarrassment for the road.
What will change, though, is that it'll all be over. And right now, that's exactly what Washington needs.
Commanders' Week 18 clash will put their 2025 season out of its misery
It's wild to think that only four months ago, the Commanders were a legitimate Super Bowl hopeful. Nothing could go wrong for them. They were doing the things that the well-run, winning organizations do. Hitting on draft picks like Jayden Daniels. Trading for established Pro Bowlers like Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel Sr., paying their current stars like Terry McLaurin, even if it took all offseason and a dramatic holdout to get a deal done.
After Washington's stunning NFC Championship run, no one had time to listen to any of the concerns about a potential regression. The schedule would be more challenging. The league would adjust to Daniels. There was no guarantee the Commanders would be as lucky in close games or in avoiding injuries. They were all valid reasons for skepticism, but if you said any of those things, you were just a hater.
They happened. All of them. Worse than anyone thought was even possible.
The most prominent Commanders critics in the national media had Washington winning seven or eight games. They'll win no more than five. People predicted they would be the 2024 Houston Texans. That team won a playoff game.
In one year, the Commanders have gone from the toast of the league to facing serious questions about the direction of their organization moving forward. Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters, after being considered home-run hires only months ago, now have the pitchforks and torches out to get them.
The best thing that can be said about the Commanders right now is that, from a vibes standpoint, this is rock bottom. Changes will be made. Most of this roster will not return. Washington will have a new defensive coordinator in 2026, and possibly a new offensive coordinator too. The team will be picking no lower than seventh in the draft and has the fifth-most cap room to spend in free agency.
Exciting times can still be ahead. And once the clock runs down at Lincoln Financial Field, the focus immediately turns to building them.
For every Commanders fan, that should be the ultimate sigh of relief.