The Commanders are looking for their first winning streak. They’ve only won two games thus far, and they weren’t earned in a row. While Washington simply must start stacking wins, they’ve been competitive while playing four quarters of football.
That will be a requirement to beat an L.A. Rams team with a so-so record but tons of star power, including quarterback Matt Stafford and defensive linemen Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett. Beating L.A. on Sunday at Northwest Stadium would secure that win streak.
All those dudes wear gold jackets someday. They’re also missing some key players, including Davonte Adams and Jaylen Warren on injured reserve.
The Commanders IR list is also a who’s who, with Daron Payne, Laremy Tunsil, Terry McLaurin and Javon Kinlaw unavailable now and in the long-term.
The Commanders will need important role players to step up and play huge in this one. Quarterback Jayden Daniels is the most obvious, so we’ll leave him off this list, but we’ll list five more players to watch in Sunday’s key NFC matchup at Northwest Stadium.
WR Stefon Diggs
Dan Quinn was frank about the Commanders giving Antonio Williams more opportunities with Terry McLaurin done for the season. That was no smokescreen. The third-round rookie led the team with seven targets during Week 8. He’s playing but remains someone new to the pro game.
Stefon Diggs is the real No. 1 around here now. He has five touchdowns, but his 61.4% catch rate is the lowest of his career (just barely). While catch rate isn’t exclusively a receiver stat, he and Jayden Daniels must find greater sync. Look, he won’t be the dominant player of a few years back and the Commanders will spread the ball around. Diggs’ leadership has been excellent. His production needs an uptick starting on Sunday.
EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson
K’Lavon Chaisson has been Washington’s best edge defender this season, leading the team in overall pressures while producing against the run and pass. This is a game where quick pressures are essential and the Commanders might not blitz as much as expected considering Rams quarterback Matt Stafford’s ability to beat it.
Odafe Oweh could’ve easily made this list, but the Commanders need an impact from both sides of the defensive front.
DL Johnny Newton
This is a bit of a speculative inclusion because Johnny Newton hasn’t been formally activated off injured reserve as of this story’s publication, but he has practiced for two weeks and fully heading into Week 9. We’re betting Newton gets the call. Washington needs him after seeing Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne land on season-ending injured reserve.
Newton joined the Commanders with high expectations as a 2024 second-round NFL draft pick. He hasn’t lived up to them thus far, though a torn pectoral muscle from this preseason certainly set that effort back.
It’s always curious how much a player returning off injured reserve can provide in terms of snap volume, but snap quality must be there. Stafford’s a true pocket passer and the fastest way to disrupt those guys is through interior pressure, forcing a quick throw, flushing him from the pocket or a sack. The Commanders defensive line was good last week against Philadelphia, especially Charles Omenihu and Shy Tuttle. Adding some juice on critical downs especially could be beneficial to a team that’ll need some game-changing plays.
TE John Bates
This may seem like an odd add, including someone with just five catches for 27 yards all season, but hear us out. The Rams have some heft off the edge, especially with Myles Garrett’s return off injured reserve. That man’s the best edge rusher on the planet and will require extra attention. At times, it’s a tight-end one-on-one. That’s never a good matchup for anyone.
Bates is one of the blocking tight ends around – he was dealing with a shoulder injury this week but didn’t receive a designation — and could be an important pass protection.
We could throw the Commanders running backs into this effort, especially with Aaron Donald working from the inside. Washington lost its best pass protecting runner in Jeremy McNichols, but Rachaad White and Austin Ekeler must hold it down as the last line of defense.
S Nick Cross
Defensive coordinator Daronte Jones loves moving Nick Cross around his alignment. He’s a blitzer, an active run defender in the box, a slot cornerback and a deep safety. Cross is impactful in most every area, and has been a vital addition since returning from an illness that caused hospitalization in Week 2.
The Commanders need to take the ball, set up third-and-unmanageable and then win on critical downs. Having a versatile defensive back be an unpredictable, roving chess piece should help those efforts.
Who else would you in your list of Commanders to watch during Sunday’s game against L.A.? Let us know in the comments below.
