The Washington Commanders are 1-4-1 and they didn’t lose in Week 7! That early bye week has been a blessing for the Commanders, and gave them a slight reprieve from the Power Ranking Consortium. There haven’t been any significant changes over the bye week. Dan Quinn is still the head coach. Adam Peters is still the general manager. Jayden Daniels is still the starting quarterback. Players got healthier, and the first “half” of the season has been picked apart, overanalyzed, and attack plans have been made
for the remaining 11 games.
The NFC East is still a mess with the Giants holding a 1.5 game lead over the Cowboys who are one game ahead of the Eagles who they just beat on Monday Night Football. That leaves the Commanders at the bottom of the division, but they still have better odds of making the playoffs than Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts is out for the season due to blood clots in his lungs, and the reset year for the Eagles is in full effect.
The Power Rankers are slightly higher on the Washington Commanders after their bye week, and a lack of head-scratching coaching/player decisions played a big factor in that. Washington’s schedule gets a lot easier after the break, and as long as Jayden Daniels is healthy they’ve got a shot in any game left on their schedule. The Giants are riding an adrenaline high from J.J. McCarthy, and the Cowboys took care of a reeling Eagles team. This week’s Sunday Night Football game against Philadelphia will determine which way the Commanders season goes after Week 8. The trade deadline is looming.
High: 19
Low: 31
Average: 26.9
#19
Walter Football
Last week: 20
#21
Real GM
Last week: 21
#24
NFL.com (Shook)
No movement for Washington, a team that likely welcomed the bye and must make the most of the extra preparation time. A key NFC East rematch awaits with Philadelphia, and the Commanders will hope to again rely on the stylings of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who must find new avenues after losing Terry McLaurin to a season-ending injury. Last week: 23
Yahoo Sports (Schwab)
The big question for the Commanders coming out of the bye will be how to replace top receiver Terry McLaurin, who is done for the season with a torn patellar tendon. Stefon Diggs’ role will increase, though he is miscast as a top option at this point in his career. Tight end Chig Okonkwo had season highs with seven catches on seven targets last week, and his usage will have to increase without McLaurin. Rookie receiver Antonio Williams, a third-round draft pick who has shown flashes, has a big opportunity ahead.
The Commanders are 1-4-1 but not completely out of the NFC East race due to the malaise elsewhere in the division. But the Commanders first need to figure out how to adequately replace their best pass catcher. Last week: 25
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#25
USA Today (Davis)
If you like rooting for the good guys, let’s hope Dan Quinn’s internal bye week audit bears some fruit for the one-win Commanders. Last week: 27
#26
The Score
Washington has panicked and made repeated costly decisions in recent games. The Commanders ran out of time in overtime and had to settle for a tie against the Giants. They also saw quarterback Jayden Daniels throw the ball away on fourth down in the red zone during a Week 6 loss to the 49ers. Last week: 27
Sharp Football Analysis (Summerlin)
The bye week came at a good time for the Commanders, who faced even more questions about in-game decision-making after their Week 6 loss to the 49ers. The coaching staff likely spent much of their bye on time management, and they should have a decent chance to beat the reeling Eagles on Sunday. Last week: 28
NBC Sports (Wirth)
Last week: 26
Team Rankings
Last week: 27
Kalshi
Last week: 28
#27
The Athletic (Graff/Kendall)
Something spooky: Confusion that reigns
It’s always something with the Commanders this season. Jayden Daniels not spiking the ball quickly enough in a tie with the Giants. Dan Quinn seemingly not realizing it was fourth down (though he disputes that) in a loss to the 49ers. As our Barry Svrluga noted, it’s never a good sign when so much time is spent trying to read your coach’s lips. Last week: 27
Sports Illustrated (Orr)
At 1–4–1, Dan Quinn doesn’t have the longest odds of survival in the NFL, but it’s close. His most recent press conferences have been a Greatest Hits of coaches who understand their backs are against the wall. Guys will get benched quicker. Younger players have to step up. You know the drill. Last week: 23
Fox Sports (Vacchiano)
Dan Quinn still has his job, which is something of a minor upset as the Commanders return from their bye week. And if they didn’t make the change already, then he’ll probably hang on until the end of the season. The good news for them is the schedule isn’t particularly tough the rest of the way, at least until they get to their late-season road trip through Minnesota and Jacksonville. And the NFC East still stinks, so there are still opportunities to take the division if they don’t fall too far behind. But lower your expectations. They’re 1-4-1 for a reason, and it’s not a good one.
Stat To Know: Through Week 7, the Commanders have allowed 28.7 points per game, the second-worst mark in the NFL. Last week: 27
Bleacher Report
The Washington Commanders couldn’t get out of their own way with poor situational awareness over the last two weeks. They should’ve had a chance to kick a game-winning field goal in Week 5, and head coach Dan Quinn had to answer questions about a fourth-down sequence in Week 6.
To make matters worse, wideout Terry McLaurin will miss the remainder of the season with a torn patellar tendon.
The Commanders’ season is on the brink of disaster. This team needed a Week 7 bye to regroup, as Quinn may be coaching to save his job. Though in a mediocre division, Washington can still make a run for the NFC East title. Last week: 28
#28
Clutch Sports (Johrendt)
The Washington Commanders are on bye in Week 7, giving Jayden Daniels additional time to heal his left elbow. Things are a bit of a mess in Washington, especially with the season-ending injury to Terry McLaurin last week, as injuries continue to impact the Commanders offensively. Last week: 28
NFL Spin Zone (Bedinger)
Even though the Commanders didn’t play in Week 7, they showed some fight and resilience the last time they took the field.
They looked like fish in a barrel against the San Francisco 49ers in the first half of their Monday night matchup, but they came storming back in the second half with some impressive complementary football on both sides of the ball.
They just couldn’t finish the job late.
Although it may not feel like it right now, it’s hard not to view the Commanders’ situation in the NFC East as being at least somewhat within reach. Their next three games are against the Eagles, Rams, and Giants, so they can make up some ground in a hurry out of the bye. Last week: 29
Hawk Blogger
Last week: 29
#29
ESPN
Best offseason addition: LB Sonny Styles
Styles, the No. 7 pick, has been exactly what Washington had hoped. His speed has made a difference on numerous plays, including on a pass breakup versus San Francisco in Week 6 when he stripped receiver Mike Evans to cause an incompletion. Styles leads Washington with 46 tackles and is second with three for a loss. He has a sack, an interception and a forced fumble — one of three NFL linebackers to have each of those. His four pass breakups is tied for second most among all linebackers. — John Keim Last week: 29
CBS Sports (Prisco)
They come off their bye with a lot of pressure on Dan Quinn to start winning games, beginning with a home game against the Eagles. They aren’t out of the division race yet, though. Last week: 28
Sporting News (Iyer)
The Commanders go into a Week 8 rematch against the Eagles needing a huge win at home with Dan Quinn spooked into some questionable coaching the past couple games. Quinn survived the bye, but losing to the injury-riddled rivals might doom his tenure. Last week: 28
Arizona Republic (Cluff)
Will the bye week work wonders for Jayden Daniels and the Commanders? They have a very winnable game at home against the Eagles in Week 8. Last week: 28
Essentially Sports (Hubbard)
The Commanders were on a bye this week, so not much to report about here. Dan Quinn’s coaching for his job after the bye, so they need to turn it around. Last week: 28
#30
Pro Football Talk
Did Dan Quinn know it was the bye week?. Last week: 30
Fansided (La Canfora)
Injuries have taken their roll. Finding a way not to have Jayden Daniels be a part of that growing list in the second half is really the only thing that matters for this franchise. Last week: 30
New York Post (Dunleavy)
Last week: 28
#31
The Big Lead (Giangrande)
The Commanders also had a bye this week, and actually fell on this list due to the Dolphins’ win. Last week: 30
Where should the Commanders be ranked? Let us know in the comments.
