The Washington Commanders are the hottest team in the NFL after a fourth consecutive win and have the hottest player with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who isn’t playing like a rookie at all.
After defeating the Cleveland Browns 34-13 in Week 5 to improve to 4-1, Bleacher Report called the Commanders a “complete playoff team” because of their juggernaut offense and quickly-improving defense.
The Commanders haven’t had a winning season since 2016 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2005.
From Bleacher Report: “A couple of weeks ago, the Commanders stunned the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night thanks to an explosive evening from Daniels and the offense. In that game, however, Washington surrendered 436 yards of offense and 33 points. Since then, Washington’s defense has looked and played like a completely different unit. It held the Arizona Cardinals to 296 yards and 14 points last week. It held Cleveland to 212 yards and 13 points on Sunday.”
The improvement in Washington’s defense can be tied directly to new head coach Dan Quinn, who spent the last 3 seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys and brought in a multitude of new starters on the defensive side of the ball during free agency.
New Linebackers Leading Way for Commanders
A pair of free-agent linebackers have been leading the way for the Commanders all season in veterans Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu.
Against the Browns, Wagner and Luvu combined for 13 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 5 QB hits and 1 fumble recovery.
Wagner signed a 1-year, $8.5 million contract with the Commanders in March 2024 after leading the NFL with 183 tackles in 2023 with the Seattle Seahawks and making his 10th NFL All-Pro Team and ninth Pro Bowl.
Luvu signed a 3-year, $36 million free-agent contract with the Commanders after averaging 118 tackles over the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
PFF’s John Kosko put Wagner, 34 years old, at No. 15 in his list of the Top 30 NFL Players Over 30 Years Old before the season. Wagner leads the Commanders with 44 tackles. Luvu is second on the team with 37 tackles.
“Wagner remains one of the top linebackers in the NFL, recording a 91.1-plus PFF run-defense grade in each of the past two seasons,” Kosko wrote. “His coverage ability has taken a hit, though, as he’s only graded above 70.0 once in the past five seasons in that facet.”
Before the season, The Athletic’s Ben Standig projected Luvu as the “Non-QB MVP” for the Commanders in 2024.
“Luvu, one of the Commanders’ primary free-agent signings this offseason, arrived with the versatility required to play multiple spots,” Standig wrote. “At 27, Luvu is an ascending talent coming off back-to-back 100-tackle seasons with (12.5) combined sacks. He will play every down, and the defensive personnel will shift depending on where the coaches deploy this aggressive playmaker.”
Breaking Down Upcoming Schedule for Commanders
The Commanders don’t have a bye until Week 14 — at which point we will likely know whether or not their hot start to the 2024 season was an aberration.
In the next 4 games, the Commanders should be heavy favorites in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers and in Week 9 against the New York Giants. They have a huge game at the Baltimore Ravens and 2-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in Week 6 and a game between the top 2 picks in the 2024 NFL draft when Daniels, the No. 2 pick, faces the Chicago Bears and quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick, in Week 8.
