The Washington Commanders finally have their 2026 home opener in Week 3 when they host the Seattle Seahawks at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EDT.
The Commanders are still seeking their first win of the season, but the loss of Jayden Daniels hurts. Already, many have written off the Commanders’ season, but not much could have been done differently. Even so, they still surrendered 37 points to the Dallas Cowboys last week. And now, they get to welcome the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks to Northwest Stadium for their home opener.
There are plenty of reasons to be concerned, but there are also reasons to believe this team can still win games. Here are three reasons for optimism heading into Week 3.
Marcus Mariota has already shown he can keep this offense moving
Nobody is going to pretend losing Daniels isn’t a significant blow. For nearly a half against Dallas, he looked like the quarterback Washington hoped he would be when it drafted him No. 2 overall.
There is a silver lining, though. Mariota is a veteran quarterback who has been in this exact situation before. He took over for Daniels in the second half against Dallas and completed 11 of 16 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. More importantly, he didn’t look overwhelmed by the moment.
Washington’s offense produced 154 yards with Mariota running the show, averaging nearly five yards per play, according to the team. That matters because the Commanders don’t need Mariota to become Daniels. They need him to run the offense, get the ball to Washington’s playmakers, and avoid putting the defense in difficult situations.
It also helps that Stefon Diggs has already developed chemistry with him. Diggs caught a 20-yard touchdown from Mariota against Dallas, giving him three touchdown receptions through two games. Diggs also had multiple practice reps with Mariota while learning Washington’s offense.
The Seahawks have their own quarterback question
Washington isn’t the only team entering Week 3 with quarterback uncertainty. Seattle’s starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, left their Week 1 game with a glute injury and missed their Week 2 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. He returned to practice Wednesday in a limited capacity, and head coach Mike Macdonald said the team would ramp up Darnold's workload before deciding on his availability.
If Darnold can’t go, Drew Lock will get the nod again, and he's already proven he can do the job.
Washington’s defense has already faced some significant challenges this season, allowing the Eagles to score 21 points in the opener before giving up 37 to Dallas. The Cowboys exposed major secondary issues with Dak Prescott throwing for 305 yards and four touchdowns.
However, Sunday’s matchup gives the Commanders an opportunity to make Seattle’s quarterback uncomfortable, starting with the defensive front. If Washington can generate pressure without consistently blitzing, it can force the quarterback into tough decisions and give the defense a chance to force a turnover.
Washington’s defense is due for a game-changing play
The Commanders haven’t forced a turnover through two games, which is not ideal. But it also means there is a fairly simple area where Washington can improve dramatically without completely reinventing itself: take the ball away.
Odafe Oweh said Wednesday that the defense believes the drought will end if it continues to attack the football.
“It’s going to get loose soon,” Oweh said. “It’s bound to stop.”
He’s right about one thing: Washington can’t manufacture turnovers by wishing for them. But it can put itself in position to create them. They need to make this game uncomfortable for whoever lines up under center. They need to pressure the quarterback, tackle well, and force the Seahawks to sustain long drives rather than allowing explosive plays to flip the field.
One turnover could be enormous.
Washington’s offense likely won't overwhelm Seattle, especially without Daniels. That’s why short fields become even more valuable. A takeaway at midfield could mean three or seven points instead of asking Mariota to drive 75 yards against one of the better defenses in football.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders vs. Seattle Seahawks: 3 reasons for optimism
