The Washington Commanders suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in 2024 when they fell to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. It also made their road to the playoffs more difficult, although still attainable.
The Commanders had no answer for Saquon Barkley, and Jayden Daniels playing through a rib injury is taking its toll on the offense. Things aren’t running as smoothly right now, and it’s affecting the team’s momentum. Team morale, though, remains high as everyone feels this team is capable of doing great things.
In Week 12, the Commanders face another division rival in the Dallas Cowboys. But without Dak Prescott, the Cowboys’ offense has been hard-pressed to do much of anything. Nothing is ever certain, and nothing is a guarantee, but the Commanders should rebound this weekend.
As we enter Week 12, here’s a look at where the Commanders place in a multitude of power rankings.
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: 8 (7)
The team contends nothing is wrong with rookie QB Jayden Daniels … even though he’s played his least efficient (59.1% completion rate, 74.9 passer rating) and impactful (23 rushing yards, 1 TD generated) football during the current two-game losing streak.
Barry Werner, List Wire: 9 (7)
There are going to be days like this no matter how fast the rebuild. The Commanders had no answer for Saquon Barkley in the fourth quarter. Jayden Daniels for one night was ordinary. Call it being a rookie.
NFL Nation, ESPN: 10 (7)
Preseason hot seat: CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
Current temperature of hot seat: BoilingForbes opened the season as the starter, but he missed two games with a thumb injury, and he hasn’t started since. The 2023 first-round pick has played just eight snaps in the past four games combined. Washington needed him to improve from a tough rookie season, but he has not, which in part precipitated a trade for corner Marshon Lattimore. Washington will need to address the position even more after the season. If it cuts Forbes before June 1, it will cost them $9.1 million in dead cap money and provide no cap relief — and actually would cost them $4.9 million. That could mean he sticks around another year.
Ben Rolfe, Pro Football Network: 10 (NC)
Ben Rolfe, Pro Football Network:
The way the Washington Commanders started the season gave them some wiggle room for an almost inevitable wobble at some point. They’ve lost to four good teams this year and three who rank inside the top 10 of our rankings.
The manner of the defeat in Week 11 was not ideal, with the offense largely looking blunted. But it’s still a top-five unit, and Washington’s defense did a solid job for large parts of the game against Philly, which will be encouraging.
The Commanders’ schedule ranks as the third-easiest the rest of the way, and that starts this week with a Cowboys team that is in tatters. They must not overlook the next two weeks against Dall and Tennessee because if the Commanders can get into their bye at 9-4, they will potentially only need one more win to secure a playoff spot.
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: 9 (7)
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News:
The Commanders are looking more like a shaky wild-card team, as the tougher teams on their schedule have given them difficulty. The first-place Eagles were the latest after falling to the Ravens and Steelers. Washington has a favorable slate ahead to rebound and finish strong.
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: 8 (7)
The Commanders trailed 12-10 at Philadelphia with eight minutes left when a fourth-down gamble didn’t work. It was a closer loss than we’ll remember. If Washington handles business in its next three games vs. Dallas, Tennessee and New Orleans, the Commanders will be at 10 wins and that’ll be fine.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: 9 (6)
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk:
The offense is getting sluggish, and the coaching on Thursday night was not good enough.
Diante Lee, The Ringer: 13 (11)
The 2024 season will be remembered as a success for Washington no matter how tings end, but head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury have to find a way to regain some offensive rhythm. That unit hasn’t fallen totally off a cliff, but the passing game has come back to earth over the last few weeks and that’s shining a light on other deficiencies on this roster. Quarterback Jayden Daniels has completed just 59.5 percent of his passes in his last four games, and he hasn’t avoided pressure as easily as he did before he suffered a rib injury against the Panthers. Without his superpowers lifting the overall level of this team, it’s hard to imagine Washington looking like a true playoff threat down the stretch.
Eric Edholm, NFL.com: 10 (8)
It’s hard not to notice the downward trend the Commanders’ attack has been on since Jayden Daniels suffered a rib injury in Week 7. The problem is, they need their offense to carry them past their defensive issues. A step up in competition might be a factor; either way, for the first time since September, we’re starting to see some cracks in their armor. They’re a miraculous Hail Mary away from having three losses in their past four games, with two narrow wins over teams with losing records keeping them afloat in that span. Washington continues to have an 81 percent chance of making the postseason, per Next Gen Stats, but a lack of consistent playmakers and an inability to finish off games is a bit concerning. Facing the Cowboys and Titans at home gives the Commanders a chance to rebound. If they continue to struggle to move the ball or put points on the board, then it might be time to worry a little.
