The Washington Commanders host the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT in Landover, Maryland. Northwest Stadium will be filled to the brim with fans, and while the vast majority will be donned in burgundy and gold, Steelers fans are known to travel well, and we’ll likely see plenty of Terrible Towels in the stands as well.
However, it might not be as much of a mix as it has been in previous years since the Commanders are playing so well this year. Jayden Daniels is regularly discussed as a top Rookie of the Year candidate, and there have even been whispers of MVP votes. Daniels’ skill players and his line are playing at the top of their game, the defense just got a lift, and special teams have been consistent all season.
There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic as a Commanders fan, but we’ve narrowed it down to three ahead of this week’s matchup against the Steelers.
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The Commanders swept the Giants, hold the top spot in the NFC East
The Commanders swept the Giants this year with their win last week. It’s the first time since 2021 that the Commanders have accomplished that task, and while the Giants are having a rough go of things, the Commanders can build off of that win.
They currently hold the top spot in the NFC East, with the 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles right behind them. They are second in the NFC and fourth in the entire NFL. It’s been a long time since that has happened, and the Commanders aren’t slowing down.
The Commanders’ sweep of the Giants gives them huge momentum, which should have them feeling confident and executing plays at a high level this week at home.
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The defense just got a boost in a critical spot
The Commanders’ secondary has been the weakest link of the defense in 2024, and this week, that secondary got a massive boost with the acquisition of cornerback Marshawn Lattimore. He may not play this week for a variety of reasons, but knowing he is there should give the rest of the defense some confidence, especially if they can keep it together against Russell Wilson and the Steelers this week.
Lattimore played his entire career in New Orleans until this week. Now he will don new colors and be part of a team that’s actually winning games. And the Commanders’ secondary gets a solid veteran who can help them continue those winning ways, even if he doesn’t play on Sunday.
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Jayden Daniels gets better every week
It’s hard to ignore that Jayden Daniels continues to impress us every single week. Every week, we expect the rookie to make some “normal” rookie mistake that creates a challenge he has to overcome, and it never happens. Sure, he makes mistakes—everyone does—but he hasn’t made any crazy mistakes that cost his team a win.
Washington has the eighth-ranked passing offense and second-ranked run offense. The Steelers have the fourth-ranked run defense, and their passing defense is middle-of-the-pack. Because Daniels is a dual-threat quarterback, he needs to be extra aware of where TJ Watt is on the field because Watt can sniff out the ball like no one else and make whatever adjustment needs made to get there. Daniels’ saving grace will be his legs this week, not that he will run the ball often, but there will be plenty of times he has to move.