The Washington Commanders are off to a start not many thought possible. Dan Quinn's impressive culture shift is leading to significant improvements in the on-field product and an unbelievable atmosphere within the locker room. His team is atop the NFC East with a 4-1 record. It's a remarkable run that's quickly become the story of the campaign to date.
It's not just that the Commanders are beating teams, it's how they're doing it. They've easily disposed of the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns in consecutive weeks. Quinn's men didn't have much trouble with the Cincinnati Bengals either. Had Washington's offense been more efficient in the red zone, they'd have blown out the New York Giants for good measure.
Nobody could be asking any more from the Commanders right now. Positivity is surging and the atmosphere among the fanbase has completely shifted from the downtrodden days of the previous regime. They cannot get ahead of themselves, but the professionalism and unity in the building should ensure this hype train keeps gaining speed as the campaign progresses.
With this in mind, we took a look at how the Commanders might fare over their next four games following an incredible 4-1 start.
Predicting the Commanders' next four games after 4-1 start in 2024
Commanders at Ravens - Week 6
- Date: Sunday, October 13
- Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
- Venue: M&T Bank Stadium
This is the game of the week. It's one that CBS protected to keep it from getting potentially flexed to primetime. Looking at how the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens have performed so far, it's not hard to see why.
It's the biggest litmus test of Washington's season to date. The Ravens have recovered from a rocky start to win three straight. They needed overtime to beat the Cincinnati Bengals, but the end result is all that matters. The Commanders must be at their best to stand any chance of achieving success on their travels.
Having a plan to stop quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry is crucial. The duo is almost impossible to restrict entirely, so minimizing their influence is the primary objective for Joe Whitt Jr.'s improving defense. If they can do that, Baltimore's defense is vulnerable enough for rookie signal-caller Jayden Daniels to capitalize.
- Prediction: Commanders Loss (4-2)
The Commanders are brimming with confidence and have nothing to fear at M&T Bank Stadium. They have a chance if further improvements arrive. At the same time, it's not a complete catastrophe if Dan Quinn falls to his second regular-season defeat.
Commanders vs. Panthers - Week 7
- Date: Sunday, October 20
- Time: 4.05 p.m. ET
- Venue: Northwest Stadium
The Carolina Panthers are a complete mess right now. This has been the story since team owner David Tepper bought the franchise from Jerry Richardson and shows no signs of slowing down.
Head coach Dave Canales is dealing with some significant injury issues and took the difficult decision to bench quarterback Bryce Young after two games. Things haven't gotten much better with veteran Andy Dalton under center, so this is a fantastic opportunity for the Washington Commanders all things considered.
Dan Quinn won't be taking any team lightly. The Commanders don't have that luxury at this stage of their rebuild. Maintaining high standards and professionalism whether the opposition is playing well or not separates the good teams from the also-rans. That's the message that must be drilled into his players amid such ongoing adulation.
The Commanders should have plenty of insider knowledge available on the defensive side of things. Ferocious linebacker Frankie Luvu turned down an extension from Carolina to link up with Quinn in Washington. Box safety Jeremy Chinn is silencing his doubters gradually after becoming an afterthought under Panthers' defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero last season.
Carolina sits at 1-4 with more questions than answers about the team's current direction. They're without some key personnel, with Derrick Brown, Shaq Thompson, and Austin Corbett all ruled out for the season with differing injuries.
If Washington wants to meet some loftier targets following an outstanding start to the campaign, these are the games they need to win. There is no room for sentiment in the NFL. The Commanders must be ruthless and go for the throat versus one of the league's bottom feeders. Nothing else will do.
- Prediction: Commanders Win (5-2)
These are two teams heading in opposite directions right now. Nothing is guaranteed, but one would be hard-pressed to bet against the Commanders in this one.
Commanders vs. Bears - Week 8
- Date: Sunday, October 27
- Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Northwest Stadium
This is a battle between the top two quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams will clash for the first time in a professional environment in Week 8 when the Chicago Bears come to Northwest Stadium. There will be other factors in play, but these rookies will take center stage in the build-up.
Daniels has taken the NFL by storm through five weeks. He's among the league's most efficient quarterbacks and has everyone associated with the Washington Commanders believing that anything is possible. Even when he looked human against the Cleveland Browns, the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU still made the plays needed to excel.
Things haven't gone quite as well for Williams, but he's coming along gradually. The No. 1 pick turned in a high-caliber performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 5, which is everyone's get-right game these days. Building on this encouraging showing is the next challenge. Doing it on the road versus a progressive defense will be far more testing.
Washington has the defensive personnel to make life extremely uncomfortable for Williams. Joe Whitt Jr. simplified the scheme and the improvements have been vast over the last two contests. Hopefully, this is a trend that will continue long into the future.
The Bears cannot be overlooked. They have a well-balanced roster and top-level performers such as D.J. Moore and Jaylon Johnson who can have a significant impact on proceedings. This is also a revenge game for defensive end Montez Sweat, who'll be looking to make his old employers pay for deeming him expendable before the 2023 trade deadline.
- Prediction: Commanders win (6-2)
Daniels has more than enough quality to get Washington over the line and begin what could be a fascinating long-term rivalry with Williams off on the right foot. It won't be easy, but it's a definite possibility.
Commanders at NY Giants - Week 9
- Date: Sunday, November 3
- Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
- Venue: MetLife Stadium
Had the Washington Commanders been more efficient in the red zone during their first contest against the New York Giants in Week 2, it would have been a blowout victory. They still got over the line thanks to debutant kicker Austin Seibert's seven field goals - which was a franchise record and solved one problem in the blink of an eye - but the performance deserved a more comfortable result.
MetLife Stadium hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the Commanders in recent years. Former first-round pick Daniel Jones is a conundrum they haven't solved effectively. Even in their Week 2 defeat, the much-maligned Giants quarterback still performed well. That has to change for Washington to end its hoodoo in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Commanders are a different operation these days after positive changes across the board this offseason. They are better prepared, able to adjust in-game to what's transpiring and have the right characters - both on the coaching staff and within the playing personnel - to achieve their objective from week to week.
Just where the Giants will be at this juncture is anybody's guess. Their eye-popping road win over the Seattle Seahawks was surprising and leaves reasons for optimism, but things are still hanging precariously. The Commanders would like nothing more than to twist the knife into their NFC East rivals en route to a rare sweep of the G-Men.
- Prediction: Commanders win (7-2)
If the Commanders can somehow get to 7-2 after nine games of the 2024 season, it would be an astounding accomplishment in the circumstances. They'd be right in the playoff mix and potentially in control of the division at the midway point. It could go the other way unless these new standards aren't kept, but this is a decent stretch of fixtures following Washington's tricky-looking game at the Baltimore Ravens this weekend.
Taking advantage of them is crucial with expectations rising exponentially.
