The Washington Commanders won their third consecutive game Sunday by defeating the Indianapolis Colts 17-16. It was another close win for Washington that wasn’t without some late-game drama.
Quarterback Taylor Heinicke moved to 2-0 as a starter this season and has now won seven of his previous 10 starts as Washington’s quarterback. The Commanders improved to 4-4 and currently hold the NFC’s final wild-card position.
Heinicke and wide receiver Terry McLaurin’s late-game magic stunned the Colts with 22 seconds remaining. Washington’s defense continued its recent string of excellent play and is expected to get defensive end Chase Young back soon.
So how does everyone view the Commanders after their latest win? As you’ll see, Washington is still getting no respect in some of the latest NFL power rankings.
With Week 8 in the books, let’s look at where the Commanders stand among the many different NFL power rankings.
USA TODAY
Last week: No. 23
Look who’s suddenly tied for the NFC’s final wild-card spot and could soon get DE Chase Young back in the lineup?
ESPN
Last week: No. 21
Defensive tackles Jon Allen and Daron Payne have been a key part in Washington’s improved defensive play overall. In the past six weeks, Washington’s defense ranks fifth in yards per carry, eighth in sack percentage per dropbacks, fifth in yards and ninth in points. And it starts up front, where the Commanders have talent and depth. Allen has 3.5 sacks and nine tackles for a loss, two shy of his career best. Payne has 4.5 sacks, a half sack shy of his career best, and his six tackles for loss are one off his career high. Montez Sweat has played fine, but he should be helped by the return of Chase Young. Young is expected to practice Wednesday, but might not play until Week 10 at Philadelphia. Still, his return will be a big boost.
CBS
Last week: No. 30
They’ve won three straight games to right things. Taylor Heinicke has played well at quarterback.
FOX Sports
Terry McLaurin’s heroic grab to set up Washington’s game-winning touchdown deserves more love than it got during a busy NFL Sunday. That’s the price of playing during the early window. The Commanders are unlikely to care, having clawed back to .500. Taylor Heinicke is flawed but fun, and the Washington defense made the plays that mattered in the red zone.
Bleacher Report
Last week: No. 23
The Washington Commanders are a .500 football team.
Granted, that’s not a Herculean achievement. But after starting the season 1-4 and looking very much the part of a tomato can, the Commanders have peeled off three straight wins. Two of those victories have come on the road, including Sunday’s last-minute comeback win over the Colts. Washington admittedly isn’t piling up style points. But it is stacking wins, leading quarterback Taylor Heinicke to credit the team’s toughness while speaking to reporters.
“I think it’s the intangible things that keep this team together. A lot of the wins aren’t pretty,” Heinicke said. “But it’s a win, nonetheless. The guys have a lot of heart. They keep battling. … That’s just our team, man. We’re just a bunch of guys out there working hard and trying to play our best ball. I love this team. It’s my favorite team I’ve been on, my favorite locker room I’ve been with. I can’t say enough good things about the guys in there.”
“Forget Carson Wentz,” Davenport said. “This Commanders team just seems to respond with Heinicke under center—and ugly wins count the same as pretty ones. Still, while Heinicke is a fun story and Washington’s best bet as a stopgap at quarterback, it’s hard to see these Commanders surviving a gauntlet that includes the Vikings, Eagles and Giants over the next five weeks.”
Yahoo Sports
Last week: No. 23
Chase Young will return to practice on Wednesday, coach Ron Rivera said, and then Washington will have 21 days to activate him off the PUP list. There’s no guarantee Young will be right back to his old form anytime soon, but he is an immense talent and perhaps he can spark a Commanders team that is off to a surprising 4-4 start.
The Athletic
Last week: No. 27
Fact: Last week, we highlighted Ryan Tannehill’s consistent downward trendline in performance as the game goes on. Washington’s offense has done the opposite this season. Its EPA per drive rankings by quarter:
First quarter: -1.69 (31st)
Second quarter: -0.42 (24th)
Third quarter: -0.30 (20th)
Fourth quarter: 0.30 (14th)
Opinion: Terry McLaurin is like the one cool kid who fell in with the wrong crowd. One day you hope he finds a crew worthy of him.
NFL.com
Last week: No. 28
The Washington Commanders are scrappy as hell. Ron Rivera’s motley bunch found a way once again on Sunday, getting a Taylor Heinicke QB sneak touchdown with 22 seconds remaining to steal a 17-16 win away from the Colts. It’s Washington’s third straight win, pulling them back to .500 and into the playoff race of the unsettled NFC. The vibes are much improved in Landover, but the cruel crush of reality feels imminent: Washington’s next two opponents — the Vikings and Eagles — have a combined record of 13-1. Find a way to sneak out of that dastardly doubleheader with a win, and we’ll see the Commanders as true players in the wild-card hunt.
The Ringer
Last week: No. 26
Taylor Heinicke playing as well as he did against the Colts is exactly why the Commanders never should have traded for Carson Wentz this offseason. Neither quarterback is a long-term answer at the position, but Heinicke didn’t cost the Commanders multiple draft picks and $28 million in 2022. There’s no obvious way forward with the Commanders’ quarterback situation beyond this season, but one thing is for sure: Terry McLaurin is one of the team’s few premier talents. He has clutch fourth-quarter catches in back-to-back wins now with Heinicke at the helm, including a surreal contested snag over Stephon Gilmore to set up the go-ahead score in Week 8.
