It wasn't pretty, but the Washington Commanders got the job done by any means necessary in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints. However, head coach Dan Quinn will be acutely aware that his team needs to perform better to cement their postseason spot.
The Commanders are playing with unusual pressure. It's a new-look roster, but it's been a long time since this franchise was in such a prosperous position at this stage of the campaign — one that not many thought possible before competitive action began.
Things could have been much different for Washington had the Saints not fluffed a two-point conversion attempt to win the contest. Victories are all that matter right now. That's the message Quinn should be relaying to his players heading into the home stretch.
Washington has nine wins on the season with three games remaining. Gaining double-digit triumphs from the campaign seems like the minimum objective. Two would almost certainly guarantee their playoff spot in Year 1 of Quinn's tenure.
That would be a remarkable achievement in the circumstances. Most analysts thought the changes made throughout a frantic offseason hinted at a work in progress. The Commanders are further ahead than anyone anticipated. There is also a significant amount of hard work ahead to get this roster up to championship caliber.
Adam Peters will have a plan in place to accomplish this during the offseason. For now, the Commanders are focusing their immediate attention on getting over the line into the knockout rounds.
And things are getting tighter…
Current Commanders NFC playoff standing before Week 16
- Detroit Lions (NFC North): 12-2
- Philadelphia Eagles (NFC East): 12-2
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC South): 8-6
- Los Angeles Rams (NFC West): 8-6
- Minnesota Vikings (NFC North): 12-2
- Green Bay Packers (NFC North): 10-4
- Washington Commanders (NFC East): 9-5
There was some movement within the NFC playoff race last weekend. The Los Angeles Rams now lead the NFC West after the Seattle Seahawks were beaten by the Green Bay Packers. Washington is one game ahead of both with three contests left, firmly cemented into the seventh seed.
It looks like two from this trio will be taking their chances in the playoffs. The Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals haven't given up hope, but they need to win out and hope other results go in their favor. The same goes for the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, whose postseason dreams are all but extinguished.
Things are more promising for the Minnesota Vikings, who booked their place last weekend. They should also be thinking higher after matching the Detroit Lions' record as Dan Campbell navigates some troubling injury issues.
The Commanders have no margin for error whatsoever. And things could look different depending on how Quinn's men fare in their home divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16.
In the hunt:
- Seattle Seahawks: 8-6
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-7
- Arizona Cardinals: 7-7
- San Francisco 49ers: 6-8
- Dallas Cowboys: 6-8
Games that could impact the Commanders in Week 16
- Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants
- Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets
- Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers
- Seattle Seahawks vs. Minnesota Vikings
- San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys
- Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints