Just like that, the hopes for the Washington Commanders have gone down the drain. After years of mediocrity, getting the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft seemed like it had changed the fortunes for the franchise entirely. From a four-win squad the previous year, the team was able to emerge as a 12-win juggernaut that made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game.
This year, as Jayden Daniels potentially took a sophomore leap, the expectations had to be even higher. However, nine weeks in, the season has gone completely awry for them. Now, with a gruesome injury to Daniels likely ending his season, their playoff chances have taken a hit. Is there any hope left in Washington?
Do the Commanders Have a Chance?
Starting the season with a divisional victory over the New York Giants seemed like exactly what the doctor ordered for the Commanders. However, in Week 2, they were thoroughly dominated by the Green Bay Packers, which may have been the canary in the coal mine.
Daniels was roughed up from the game and was forced to miss the next two weeks. Even as he returned, his output was ordinary, before another injury in a 44-22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys led to him missing their clash against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Making his return in Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks, he may have wanted to get the season back on track. But the Commanders were thoroughly outclassed by the Seahawks, who had a 31-7 lead going into halftime.
Eventually, they lost the game 38-14, as the second half was a far quieter game from an offensive perspective. With the loss, they dropped to 3-6 on the season, with the postseason looking a million miles away. That immediately reflected in their chances on PFSN’s Playoff Predictor as well.
Washington now has a 5.0% chance of making the playoffs and a 2.9% chance of winning their division. With their Sunday Night Football loss to the Seahawks, the Commanders’ chances of making the playoffs dropped by 10 percentage points.
But that number might still be a touch too high, given the circumstances Washington has to deal with. In the fourth quarter against Seattle, Daniels tried to scramble to add to the scoreboard, but Drake Thomas tackled him down.
Unfortunately, landing on his arm led to his elbow becoming completely bent out of shape, as a dislocation seemed like the obvious conclusion. Given the brutality of the injury, his season is likely over.
While another former second-overall pick, Marcus Mariota, has been a solid backup to keep the team afloat, it would be hard to pin the entirety of their playoff hopes on the veteran quarterback, particularly as they try to climb out of their current hole.