Commanders' seasoned equalizer facing sink or swim test with fans locked in

The Washington Commanders allocated significant resources to acquire five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil via trade from the Houston Texans. And the seasoned equalizer wasted no time in proving why he was general manager Adam Peters' primary target this offseason.

Getting someone with Tunsil's credentials changes everything. He's among the league's elite pass protectors — someone capable of locking down Jayden Daniels' blindside and giving the dynamic signal-caller extra time in the pocket to make plays. After a strong summer, Commanders fans got their first real taste of this in Week 1 against the New York Giants.

Tunsil was almost flawless. He lost a couple of times versus the Giants' exceptional defensive front, but it was largely pleasing aside from that. The former Ole Miss standout put on a clinic, earning a sensational 84.1 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. This ranked sixth league-wide among 81 qualifying offensive tackles.

Laremy Tunsil must dominate to improve Commanders' hopes against the Packers

There was also a lot to like about Tunsil's run blocking, which was a slight worry. This represented the best possible start to his Commanders' career. But make no mistake, what comes next is far more important.

The Commanders need Tunsil firing on all cylinders and then some on Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers. Their pass-rushing trio of Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, and newly acquired All-Pro Micah Parsons caused the Detroit Lions endless complications in Week 1 en route to a dominant win. With rookie right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. entering only his second NFL game, the experienced edge enforcer must shut down his end of the bargain.

Nothing else will do.

Green Bay's coaching staff didn't come down in the last shower. They'll target Conerly as the weak link, leaving Tunsil with one-on-one matchups. That's his speciality, so it would be deeply disappointing if he didn't build on a highly impressive debut in Washington.

Tunsil is so good that the Commanders can provide Conerly with all the help he needs, safe in the knowledge that the left tackle spot is occupied by a consistent presence capable of asserting his dominance on anybody. That's not a bad option to call upon, and it further vindicates Peters' decision to sacrifice substantial draft assets to get a premier player.

Silencing the passionate Lambeau Field crowd will be among Washington's primary objectives early on. If Tunsil can neutralize his side of the field, that'll go a long way to achieving this objective versus a potentially devastating pass-rushing trio.

And fans will be locked in to see how Tunsil fares, especially if Parsons comes his way at any stage.