Commanders fight to prove they’re built to last under the primetime lights

The Washington Commanders entered the 2025 season in a pivotal position. Dan Quinn's squad needs to prove they are the real deal.

After last year's shocking run to the NFC Championship game, many analysts around the league have pegged Washington as a rising Super Bowl contender. Many others have claimed that last season was a fluke and the Commanders will face a harsh reality in 2025.

How the Commanders fare this season will tell us all we need to know about their long-term prospects. They beat the New York Giants in Week 1, and yet, it still felt like they left some points on the board on a day when the offense was inconsistent.

Not much can be taken away from a win — even a comfortable one — over the basement-dwelling Giants. But that won't be the case on Thursday Night Football, when Washington hits the road to take on the Green Bay Packers.

Commanders can silence all doubters with a prime-time statement road win

It sounds crazy to say it, but this might be the most critical game of the Commanders' season until they meet the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Weeks 16 and 18. How Washington fares against the Packers could set the tone for the entire year.

The worst-case scenario is that the Packers, who just added All-Pro Micah Parsons to their defense, completely wreck Jayden Daniels and his offense. The Commanders lose by multiple scores, and the honeymoon from last season is officially over.

All of the "poor, pitiful us" narratives that have polluted this franchise for the past 30 years come creeping back in, and the team struggles to regain its momentum and confidence.

The best possible thing can also happen. Washington goes on the road against a presumed playoff team that dominated the Detroit Lions in Week 1, and earns a hard-fought victory to improve to 2-0.

The Commanders will vindicate themselves as a Super Bowl threat. No one will ever again utter the words sophomore slump or C.J. Stroud when discussing Daniels.

There will be plenty of opportunities for the Commanders to prove their worth against quality opponents throughout the season. Even so, there's no understating the importance of passing their first major test.

With a win at Lambeau Field, Washington can be spared a long week and a half, which could spiral into a long season full of toxic doom and gloom that nobody needs to hear.