What must the Washington Commanders (2-1) do to beat the Arizona Cardinals (1-2) in Week 4?
The Commanders are on the road for the third time in four weeks Sunday, facing an Arizona team that lost close games to Super Bowl contenders Buffalo and Detroit and scored 41 points in a blowout win over the Rams.
These teams met in Week 1 last season, but both look drastically different now. That was the first game for Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon while Ron Rivera roamed Washington’s sidelines in a lost season. The quarterbacks that day were Joshua Dobbs (Cardinals) and Sam Howell (Commanders).
Sunday’s game will feature a battle of former Heisman Trophy winners. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will face off against Kyler Murray. Both quarterbacks are off to fantastic starts in 2024.
We gave you three reasons why the Commanders should be optimistic about Week 4. Now, we give you three causes for concern:
Kyler Murray
Washington’s defense can’t stop anyone. The Commanders aren’t particularly good at any one thing. They can’t stop the run, pass, force turnovers, or sack opposing quarterbacks. Now, Washington faces one of the NFL’s best dual-threat quarterbacks.
Murray is off to arguably the best start of his six-year NFL career. The Commanders should be extremely concerned because Arizona has proven it can run the ball or beat you in the passing game with rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. If Washington can’t stop the run or the pass, how would you expect them to defend Murray?
The Commanders defense may gain some insight from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who was Murray’s coach for four seasons. But that knowledge means nothing if you can’t finish plays.
No Austin Ekeler
If you could name a Washington MVP through three weeks, it would be Daniels, and it’s not particularly close. But if there is a runner-up, it would be Ekeler. The veteran running back has been outstanding in his role since coming over. He’s made plays in the running game, passing game, and on special teams in each game. However, due to a concussion, Ekeler will not play on Sunday.
This is a big loss for Washington. No one offers a skillset like Ekeler’s. Fortunately, Brian Robinson Jr. is healthy and is off to a strong start. Robinson is underrated as a receiver and could see more work coming out of the backfield against Arizona.
Monday night hangover
Not only did the Commanders play on Monday night, they are coming off an emotional and thrilling 38-33 upset victory. Then, you add that Washington is coming across the country on a short week; there are reasons to be concerned. The good news is that the Commanders flew to Arizona on Monday night and have resumed their typical work week at Arizona State University.
Head coach Dan Quinn is aware of that hangover and has done his best to ensure his team enjoyed last week’s win, but quickly turned their focus to Arizona.