Bleacher Report
Rookie quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders are headed to the playoffs after their dramatic 30-24 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football.
NFL @NFL
Won and done ✅ <a href=”https://twitter.com/Commanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Commanders</a> punch their ticket! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/EasyToCelebrate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#EasyToCelebrate</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/budlight?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@budlight</a> <a href=”https://t.co/ZBTZQo4MGs”>pic.twitter.com/ZBTZQo4MGs</a>
The win by the Commanders also gave the Los Angeles Rams the strength of victory tiebreaker to clinch the NFC West title.
Washington missed the playoffs each of the past three seasons, including a 4-13 mark in 2023. However, the Commanders turned their fortunes around in short order thanks largely to Daniels, the presumptive favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Head coach Dan Quinn also deserves much credit for turning this team around in his first season.
So the playoffs will arrive shortly. But in the meantime, here’s a look at the current standings, playoff races and the up-to-date brackets.
Current NFC Playoff Bracket
1. Minnesota Vikings (14-2): Advance to NFC Divisional round
7. Washington Commanders (10-5) at 2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
6. Green Bay Packers (11-4) at 3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
5. Detriot Lions (13-2) at 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
1. Minnesota Vikings (14-2): NFC North leaders, clinched playoff berth
2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3): NFC East winners, clinched playoff berth
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6): NFC West winners
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7): NFC South leaders
5. Detroit Lions (13-2), clinched playoff berth
6. Green Bay Packers (11-5), clinched playoff berth
7. Washington Commanders (11-5), clinched playoff berth
8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
11. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
13. New Orleans Saints (5-11)
15. Carolina Panthers (4-12)
16. New York Giants (3-13)
Current AFC Playoff Bracket
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1): Advance to AFC Divisional round
7. Denver Broncos (9-7) at 2. Buffalo Bills (13-3)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) at 3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) at 4. Houston Texans (9-7)
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1): AFC West winners, clinched AFC’s No. 1 seed
2. Buffalo Bills (13-3): AFC East winners, clinched playoff berth
3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5): AFC North leaders, clinched playoff berth
4. Houston Texans (9-7): AFC South winners, clinched playoff berth
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6), clinched playoff berth
6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6), clinched playoff berth
9. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
10. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
14. Cleveland Browns (3-13)
15. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
16. New England Patriots (3-13)
Daniels has unlocked the potential of the Commanders’ offense, and so has first-year offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Brian Robinson Jr. and Daniels have led a potent rushing attack that’s amassed 2,506 yards and 24 touchdowns through 16 games.
Through the air, wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been unleashed after working with a star quarterback, scoring 12 touchdowns alongside 74 catches for 1,034 yards. McLaurin, who entered this year with four straight 1,000-yard seasons, had never scored more than seven touchdowns in a single campaign before 2024. But he’s found paydirt time and again in 2024 to guide the Commanders into the playoffs.
This late touchdown in a Week 3, 38-33 win over the Cincinnati Bengals showed that the Daniels-McLaurin combination had truly arrived.
NFL @NFL
JAYDEN DANIELS. TERRY MCLAURIN. THE COMMANDERS.<br><br>📺: <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WASvsCIN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WASvsCIN</a> on ABC<br>📱: Stream on <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLPlus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#NFLPlus</a> and ESPN+ <a href=”https://t.co/bP5qrpGN8q”>pic.twitter.com/bP5qrpGN8q</a>
Daniels, of course, has been magical at times, perhaps nevermore than when he found Noah Brown on a game-ending Hail Mary to beat the Chicago Bears.
But he also starred in a comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 22, throwing five touchdowns in a 36-33 win. His last one, a nine-yard toss to Jamison Crowder, occurred with six seconds left.
Daniels has been the on-field catalyst for the Commanders’ turnaround, but credit goes to the defense as well.
Last season, the Commanders allowed the most points per game in the league. This offseason, first-year general manager Adam Peters went to work.
Let’s start with the ageless Bobby Wagner, a future Hall of Fame linebacker. The six-time All-Pro first-teamer has amassed 100 or more tackles in all 13 of his seasons. In his first year with Washington, Wagner has shined again, leading the defense with 109 tackles.
The pass rush has fared well thanks to free-agent pickups Dante Fowler Jr. and Frankie Luvu, who are one-two on the team in sacks. Rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil, a second-round pick, leads the squad in pass breakups.
Safety Jeremy Chinn has excelled after arriving in free agency from Carolina, and he’s currently second on the team in tackles.
The Commanders have had to press on without star defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, who has missed a couple months with a pectoral injury. But they’ve formed a solid defense that’s certainly held its own.
The odds may be stacked against the Commanders to make a run in the postseason, but Washington also faced an uphill battle just to get here. It’s not impossible to see the Commanders make more moves in January, especially with Daniels leading the way
