The Washington Commanders head into their bye at 1-4-1, and the injury loss to Terry McLaurin only makes the picture look worse. McLaurin is out for the season after suffering a torn patellar tendon, a brutal blow for a team already trying to steady itself under head coach Dan Quinn.
Still, the door to the playoffs is not shut. Not even close.
Two things keep Washington alive: the schedule turns friendlier, and the NFC East has been a mess. The Commanders sit just two games out of first place despite owning the second-worst record in the conference, and if they clean up a few things during the break, that gap can shrink fast.
The first swing point comes immediately after the bye. Washington gets the Philadelphia Eagles at home, and Jalen Hurts is done for the season because of a scary blood clot situation. After that comes the Los Angeles Rams, widely seen as the NFL’s biggest disappointment - with the only possible exception of the team they share a stadium with.
If the Commanders can take both of those games, they’re back in the mix in a hurry.
And the path only softens from there. They’ll go on the road to face the New York Giants, a team they should have beaten at home.
Then comes a home date with the up-and-down Cincinnati Bengals, followed by trips to the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, two opponents Washington should be able to handle anywhere. After that, the Commanders host the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons, both sitting below .500.
That stretch gives Washington a real chance to stack wins. Five victories from that run feels very possible.
All of them? Not out of the question if the Commanders play to their level.
They might not even need that many.
The Eagles are dealing with injuries. The Giants are sitting in first place largely because of their schedule.
The Dallas Cowboys remain an underachieving mess. For two straight weeks, no NFC East team has won a game, even with two of them facing each other in Week 5.
That kind of dysfunction brings back memories of 2020, when Washington started 2-7 and still clawed its way to the playoffs at 7-9. But this group looks better equipped for a comeback.
Back then, the regular-season quarterback situation included Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen, and a one-legged Alex Smith. Cam Sims was the second-leading receiver.
This version has Jayden Daniels at quarterback. Even with McLaurin gone, Stefon Diggs, third-round rookie Antonio Williams, and Treylon Burks are still on the roster. And first-year linebacker Sonny Styles is building what looks like a Defensive Rookie of the Year-caliber season, much like Chase Young did then.
So the formula is simple enough: stay relatively healthy, take advantage of the upcoming schedule, and let the NFC East keep tripping over itself. If Washington grabs one or two wins soon, the momentum and the energy around the team can change in a hurry.
Right now, it looks bleak. But the bye gives the Commanders a chance to reset, regroup, and map out a real route back into the race.
In Other News...
McLaurin Injury Puts Immediate Pressure On Commanders To Chase Help
Terry McLaurins injury leaves the Commanders with a major hole at receiver and forces the front office to weigh how aggressive it wants to be in filling it. Washington already had a clear enough need for more pass-catching help, but losing its top wideout for the rest of the year changes the conversation around Adam Peters and what kinds of moves he may need to explore.
One name that naturally comes up is Brian Thomas Jr., whose situation in Jacksonville has become worth monitoring after he was benched for the entire second half against the Texans. The Commanders do not have a deal in place, and there is nothing official to suggest one is imminent, but McLaurins absence makes it easier to see why Washington could be digging through the market for a receiver who might be available if the Jaguars decide to move on. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Make Quiet Coaching Move As Dan Quinn Pressure Builds
As the Commanders try to steady a season that has already drifted badly off course, they have made a low-key addition to the defensive side of the coaching staff. Former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks has been brought in to help with game planning, a move that fits the kind of behind-the-scenes adjustment a team often makes when it is searching for answers without making a splash.
Wilks is expected to provide support in preparation, but he will not be around on game days, which keeps this more in the category of a quiet staff assist than a visible sideline shake-up. Still, with Washington sitting at 1-4-1 and Dan Quinn facing growing scrutiny, including criticism of the offense's clock management, every small decision around the coaching staff now gets a closer look than it might have a month ago. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Bye Week Puts Adam Peters Under Pressure Early
The bye week arrives with Washington sitting at 1-4-1 after six games, and it has given the Commanders a blunt moment to assess how far the roster still has to go. General manager Adam Peters made major changes in the offseason, but the early returns have not matched the promise of that overhaul, with the offensive line drawing the sharpest criticism and the overall performance leaving plenty of frustration around the building.
For a team that expected to look more stable and more competitive under Peters and head coach Dan Quinn, the pause in the schedule only sharpens the pressure to find answers. The sense around Washington is that the next stretch will say a lot about how quickly this front office can turn roster decisions into real progress, and whether the current approach needs more than just a little midseason adjustment. [Read more 🡒]