The Washington Commanders are feeling good this week.
The team pulled off a huge upset win over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. It wasn’t the most convincing performance of all time, but they made enough plays to win, and that’s all that matters.
The Commanders would love nothing more than to keep the positive momentum going in Week 4. The Indianapolis Colts are this week's opponent, and they pulled off a big win last weekend. A win here would put the Commanders in a great spot, as they’d be 2-2 with another winnable game against the New York Giants next weekend.
Now, let’s look at what the Commanders must do to secure another win.
Marcus Mariota needs to let it fly
Marcus Mariota has been awesome so far in 2026. The quarterback has completed 63.8% of his passes for 294 yards, four
touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
That’s good news because the Colts have a very gettable defense. No team in the league is allowing more yards per game than the Colts, and only two teams allow more passing yards. A veteran quarterback like Mariota should be able to take advantage and hit his talented receivers.
Ground game has to get going
The Colts’ defense isn’t just bad against the pass- they’re also bad against the run. The team is allowing 141.3 yards per game on the ground, so if the Commanders can’t get going this weekend, then when will they?
I've been disappointed in Bill Croskey-Merritt. Croskey-Merritt has managed just 142 yards on the season, with a miserable 3.0 average per carry. Rachaad White has had some nice moments, but there’s just not enough consistency. You know the Colts will run it well, so the Commanders need to match it.
Stop Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor is still one of the best running backs in the league. The veteran has 258 rushing yards and four scores already, and he’s totally capable of taking a game over.
The good news is, the Commanders have been great against the run so far. Only two teams are allowing fewer rushing yards per game so far, and since Taylor is such a big part of the Colts' offense, the Commanders will be in great shape if they stop him.
Win the turnover battle
The Commanders have done well with turnovers this year. The team enters Week 4 with a +2 turnover differential, which is good enough to win some games. The Colts, meanwhile, have one of the worst differentials in the league, at -5.
Daniel Jones will turn the ball over if you pressure him. The Commanders got to Sam Darnold and forced mistakes last weekend, so do that again, and you can get another victory.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 4 keys to a Commanders' Week 4 win over the Colts
