Surprising team lurking on fringe of NFC playoff race
For a team that just traded away two of its best defensive players and whose head coach is on one of the hottest seats in the NFL, one would think the Washington Commanders are a lost cause in 2023.
Yet, at 4-5 following Sunday's win in New England, they're only a game out of the playoffs.
It's still unlikely that they make it, since the Commanders' schedule gets a lot harder down the stretch. They still have to play the Cowboys twice, the 49ers, the Dolphins and the Seahawks -- all current playoff teams.
However, the final spot in the NFC postseason race seems to be up for grabs. The Minnesota Vikings (5-4) currently have it, but they just lost QB Kirk Cousins for the season. Nobody else from outside the current field looks like much of a threat, and the Commanders hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the next closest competitor, the Atlanta Falcons (also 4-5).
Washington likely needs to finish the year with a record above .500 to make the playoffs, which will be hard given its upcoming slate. A win next week at Seattle would go a long way, though, and is entirely possible given the Seahawks just lost 37-3 to the Baltimore Ravens. Win that, then take care of business at home against the lowly Giants, and the Commanders will be 6-5.
That leaves only two more games on Washington's schedule against current non-playoff teams: the L.A. Rams and New York Jets, in back-to-back weeks in December, and both on the road. Both of these are must-wins, and could potentially get the Commanders to eight wins on the year.
Then, the final game to circle as a golden opportunity is in Week 18, at home against the Cowboys. Dallas may very well be locked into its position by that point and could have nothing to play for, just as was the case in 2022 when the Commanders crushed their bitter rivals 26-6 to end the year on a high note in QB Sam Howell's starting debut.
If Washington wins all of those games, it will have at least nine victories and, unless a surprise team from outside the current field gets hot, probably will be playing postseason football in January. Even better if the Commanders can steal one of their additional three contests, at Dallas or against the Dolphins or 49ers.
That said, if there's any hope of a playoff push, this team must win the games it is supposed to win. The Commanders have already dropped two easily winnable matchups against the Bears and Giants, and can't afford any more slip-ups.
More must-reads: