The Washington Commanders are 1-2 after pulling off the 33-31 upset win off against the Seattle Seahawks in their home opener. Marcus Mariota led the team, and took full advantage of the three turnovers the defense forced against last season’s Super Bowl champions.
Sunday’s win had an odd effect on this week’s power rankings. Everyone but Walter Football moved the Commanders up after winning a home game where they were 8.5-point underdogs. A portion of the power rankings were impressed with the team
effort and moved Washington up a decent amount following their first win of the season. The rest of the power rankers need to see a lot more from a team that they have already written off. The Jayden Daniels injury and potential quick return hangs large in a lot of people’s minds, and a great performance from a veteran backup QB isn’t moving the needle too much.
The outlook on the season has dramatically increased for a lot of fans, but one win is only one win, and there are 14 more games in the season. Next up is an international game against the Indianapolis Colts in London. This is a “home” game for the Commanders, and they are underdogs for the fourth week in a row. This game will be critical for the Commanders season with a home game against the Giants, and a road game against the 49ers coming up before the Week 7 bye.
Washington ranks as high as #19 from Pro Football Network based on Marcus Mariota’s performance against the NFL’s best defense, and three turnovers from the defense. Walter Football was not impressed with the upset win and brings down the Commanders average.
High: 19
Low: 29
Average: 23.1
#19
Pro Football Network (Infante)
Arguably the biggest upset of Week 3 was the Marcus Mariota-led Washington Commanders picking up the win over the Seahawks on Sunday. The Commanders secured their first win of the season with their 33-31 victory at home thanks to Mariota’s three touchdowns and a pick-six by linebacker Kain Medrano.
Washington’s defense was pretty porous against Seattle’s passing attack, but Medrano’s interception and the other two turnovers the defense forced gave the team enough spark to complement an efficient aerial assault. The Commanders’ win came out of nowhere, and it has to be nice to pick up your first win of the season against the defending Super Bowl champions. Last week: 21
Essentially Sports (Hubbard)
Washington earned a massive win over Seattle, scoring 33 points against arguably the best defense in football. I don’t want to take anything away from Washington, but Seattle flew across the country, played a game that started at 10am PST and had Sam Darnold coming off an injury. Nine times out of ten, Seattle wins, but props to Washington for securing this one. Last week: 23
#20
USA Today (Davis)
Credit to coach Dan Quinn and his veteran leadership from keeping this team from circling the drain in the aftermath of QB Jayden Daniels’ latest elbow injury. Handing the Seahawks their second road loss in 24 months is a good way to spark a turnaround. Last week: 30
Sporting News (Iyer)
Marcus Mariota is a gamer and was fearless in facing the Seahawks’ Super Bowl defense, getting the key playmakers involved. The defense also responded in desperation to make plenty of big plays, including a pick six. Last week: 27
The Score
The Commanders gave themselves life with Sunday’s huge win over the Seahawks, staving off a dubious 0-3 start by defeating the reigning champs without Jayden Daniels – and without virtually any production from their run game. Now they must carry that momentum overseas, where they’ll take on the Colts in London. Last week: 26
NFL Trade Rumors (Woodie)
Marcus Mariota turned back the clock and played a solid game, throwing three touchdowns and sealing the game late with a first-down run. The Commanders’ backs were against the wall coming off two straight losses to divisional opponents and without starting QB Jayden Daniels, but Mariota came through when Washington needed him most. Three winnable games against the Colts, Giants and Eagles are among their next four, and Washington could build some momentum here. Last week: 25
Big Blue View (Falato)
Washington pulled off one of the season’s more impressive wins, defeating the Super Bowl champions 33-31 at home. Perhaps it was Sam Darnold jitters, or the dreaded one-o-clock start for a West Coast team — I’m not sure — but it does seem like Washington’s defense has improved, and Marcus Mariota did enough against Mike Macdonald’s talented defense Last week: 26
Team Rankings
Last week: 22
#21
NFL.com (Shook)
Marcus Mariota hive, stand up! The veteran backup played hero Sunday, powering Washington to the biggest upset of the week. The contest ended in fitting fashion with Mariota scrambling for the game-sealing first down. Equal praise is due for Washington’s defense, which has played above expectation all season and notched a peak showing in the takeaways department, logging two to keep Washington in the game and a third to give them enough of a lead to emerge victorious. Last week: 28
Yahoo Sports (Schwab)
It’s not like the Commanders dominated on Sunday. They were outgained 437-258. They allowed 31 points at home. Marcus Mariota threw for just 183 yards and the Commanders averaged 2.6 yards per rush. That doesn’t matter because the Commanders took advantage of all their opportunities to win 33-31, a victory that gives them hope of digging out of an 0-2 hole to start the season.
Also, Jayden Daniels could be close to a return. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn told Albert Breer of The MMQB that Daniels is “more likely than not” to travel to London for the team’s Week 4 game against the Colts, which gives him a shot to play two weeks after dislocating his left elbow. Last week: 27
#23
The Athletic (Graff/Kendall)
QB confidence: Does weeping count?
Backup Marcus Mariota threw three touchdown passes to shock the Seahawks, but Commanders fans are still in a corner crying about Jayden Daniels. Since Daniels’ breakout rookie season, he has missed 11 games because of injury, and Washington is 2-7 in the games he has started. When Daniels returns from his second dislocated elbow, Commanders fans will be holding their collective breath and hoping he can stay healthy and play well again. Last week: 29
Pro Football Talk
Marcus Mariota’s performance will accelerate Jayden Daniels’s return. Last week: 30
Clutch Sports (Johrendt)
Marcus Mariota stepped into the starting role once again for Jayden Daniels and did his best Superman impression, leading an upset at home over the defending Super Bowl champions. Mariota threw for three touchdowns in the win, connecting with Rachaad White, Terry McLaurin, and Treylon Burks for scores, while backup linebacker Kain Medrano picked off Darnold and took it back to the end zone. Last week: 26
New York Post (Dunleavy)
Last week: 29
#24
Fox Sports (Vacchiano)
Marcus Mariota pulled off a big and impressive upset against the defending champs (albeit with the help of some errant throws by Seattle QB Sam Darnold). And that was huge for this battered team, knowing that starting QB Jayden Daniels’ return may only be a couple of weeks away. The Commanders didn’t get much of a running game — and now RB Rachaad White is hurt — and Dan Quinn’s defense offered little resistance until two late interceptions. So there are still issues to be fixed.
Mariota’s mission is to keep them afloat until Daniels is back. The Colts and Giants are up next, so he’s got a shot.
Stat To Know: The Commanders snapped a six-game home losing streak in their win over the Seahawks. Last week: 29
Fansided (La Canfora)
Perhaps we put too much into the Save Your Season bump, but these guys deserve a boost. Marcus Mariota looked like he might be hurt, and this defense looked intent to blow a game. Sam Darnold also got into a groove and you could feel the comeback with Seattle down two late. This isn’t a good team, but they showed fight and we suspect their high point this season isn’t too far above this. Last week: 29
Bleacher Report
The Washington Commanders have their signature win of the season—a victory over the reigning Super Bowl champions with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota under center. The Commanders offense moved the ball consistently against arguably the league’s best defense, and Mariota sealed the win on a scramble for a first down.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, starting quarterback Jayden Daniels could be back within three weeks. After Mariota’s Week 3 performance, the Commanders don’t need to rush Daniels back; their offense fared well without him in the short term. Last week: 29
Kalshi
Last week: 29
#25
Sharp Football Analysis (Summerlin)
The Commanders’ win over the Seahawks was somewhat fluky. They were outgained by 177 yards, averaged just 4.1 yards per play on offense, and allowed 6.8 yards per play on defense. That said, Washington decisively won the turnover battle, including a pick-six in the fourth quarter, and the offense converted two big third downs to seal the win. I am not convinced this is the start of a big turnaround for the Commanders, even with Jayden Daniels expected back soon, but it was a good win for a team that needed it. Last week: 30
The Big Lead (Giangrande)
The Commanders toughed out a huge win at home this week against the Seahawks. It isn’t hyperbole to say the win may have saved their season. Last week: 28
Cowboys Wire (Drummond)
#26
ESPN
Fantasy surprise: WR Stefon Diggs
Diggs was the WR33 in ADP, but he’s up to WR13 as Washington’s leader in receptions (13) and receiving touchdowns (three). He didn’t sign with the Commanders until after the first week of training camp, and he’s already with his second quarterback. The question is: Where does he go from here? He has been more of an underneath receiver, and has yet to surpass 55 yards in a single game. Diggs posted five 100-yard games with New England last season. — John Keim Last week: 28
Sports Illustrated (Orr)
I really loved this story about the rest of the Commanders’ captains coming together to insist Marcus Mariota was made a season-long captain in Jayden Daniels’s absence. He seems to be one of the game’s true beloved souls. Last week: 28
Windy City Gridiron (Leming)
Biggest Surprise Through September: Following an 0-2 start, they took down the defending Super Bowl champions with a backup quarterback.
The Commanders, with Marcus Mariota under center, were responsible for Week 3’s biggest upset. Not only did they take down the defending champs, but there’s also a lot to like on defense. Daniels should be back at some point soon, and although it’s unlikely they push for a playoff spot, there’s hope that they can be better than they were last season. Last week: 26
#27
Arrowhead Pride
The team is the lowest in our power rankings and is coming off the most solid win in Week 3. But there isn’t much to be excited about with this team. Last week: 28
#28
CBS Sports (Prisco)
Marcus Mariota led them to an upset of the Seahawks on Sunday, which changes the narrative about this team for now. The defense made some big plays. Now they head to London to play the Colts. Last week: 29
#29
Walter Football
Forgive me for not being too impressed by Washington’s upset win over the Seahawks. The Redskins were outgained 437-258 and averaged 2.8 fewer yards per play than Seattle. Last week: 28
Where should the Commanders be ranked? Let us know in the comments.
#26
Bleeding Green Nation
The Commanders are the first team to two division losses. With Jayden Daniels injured and a game against the Seahawks up next, they’re staring an 0-3 start in the face. Dan Quinn’s seat is getting very warm very fast. Last week: 26
#27
Pro Football Focus (Locker)
The Commanders’ 2026 season is starting to eerily mirror 2025, with another elbow dislocation for Jayden Daniels (77.0 overall PFF grade) and a lackluster defense clouding the year-long outlook. Other worries for Washington are a stagnant rushing game and the efficacy of Terry McLaurin (48.1 PFF receiving grade). Unless Marcus Mariota performs at a very high level, this year is shaping up to be another arduous one for the Commanders — which could mean a change from Dan Quinn at head coach. Last week: 27
Gridiron Experts (Henley)
Tough matchup for the Commanders in week three as they host the Seahawks. If there was ever a game to turn around your season, this would be it. upset incoming?. Last week: 27
#28
NFL Spin Zone (Scataglia)
The Washington Commanders are now 0-2 on the season and saw quarterback Jayden Daniels go down with a dislocated left elbow. It’s another brutal injury for Daniels, who played in just seven games last year due to injuries.
The Commanders also lost in blowout fashion to Dallas, and you get the sense that things are quickly trending in the wrong direction. It feels like this could be a team that makes some sort of major coaching move in the coming weeks, as it doesn’t feel like they have much of anything going for them.
And if Daniels has to miss time, that further adds to the mess that the team is in right now.
Washington is No. 28 in our power rankings with no real way to dig themselves out of this mess. Last week: 28
FTN Fantasy (Kelley)
Marcus Mariota is a backup because he couldn’t really hack it as a starter anymore, and now he’s got a few weeks to start behind maybe the league’s worst offensive line. Now what the Commanders wanted. Last week: 28
#22
Stadium Rant (North)
The Commanders would’ve liked to see a little more from the offense against Philadelphia. They struggled to consistently move the ball in the first half and couldn’t capitalize on a tired Eagles defense in the fourth quarter. Last week: 22
#23
SB Nation
Last week: 20
#29
The Ringer (Lee)
Whatever optimistic interest I had in Washington’s new-look offense vanished the moment left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps that will cost him most—if not all—of this season. Quarterback Jayden Daniels’s best offensive lineman is now guard Sam Cosmi, and we saw what happened to Daniels and this offense without reliable offensive line play last year. Daniels’s scrambling ability will always be an issue for defenses, but he can’t use it to punish them nearly as often if he’s constantly under pressure or doesn’t have the help of an early-down rushing attack.
New offensive coordinator David Blough will be under the most pressure to change this offense’s trajectory after a rough 2025 season—and he has the poor fortune of matching up against the Eagles and Seahawks defenses in the first month of the season. I can’t imagine this offense will move the ball on the ground against either, so I’ll be watching to see whether he can draw up a good enough passing game to make either match interesting. Last week: 29
