Before drafting Jayden Daniels and making him the starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders, first-year general manager Adam Peters made it clear that this was not going to be a long-term rebuild.
To help quickly improve the team, the Commanders brought in experienced veterans like Bobby Wagner, Zach Ertz, Frankie Luvu, Jeremy Chinn, Dante Fowler, and Austin Ekeler.
These players brought years of NFL experience. When a losing streak threatened to derail the season, Wagner spoke to his teammates before practice last week, reminding them that they needed to get back to enjoying the game.
“We just needed to have fun,” Wagner said. “As the expectations started to grow, we needed to get back to just having fun. That’s why we were playing so well.”
The players responded by beating Tennessee, ending their three-game losing streak, and going into the bye week with an 8-5 record, on track for a playoff spot.
New coach Dan Quinn calls the current situation “base camp,” with more challenges ahead. Thanks to Wagner, Ertz, Luvu, Chinn, Fowler, Ekeler, and others, the team has created a strong and competitive identity, turning the season around.
“Those are what I would consider the lead sled dogs,” Quinn said on Monday. “And when it comes time and you get into December and January football, you lean on players like that.”
The Commanders will continue to rely on these veterans during the final stretch of the season. They have games at New Orleans on Dec. 15, at home against Philadelphia on Dec. 22, against Atlanta on Dec. 28 or 29, and then a season finale at Dallas on Jan. 4 or 5.
These veterans have already been crucial in helping the team reach this point. Wagner, Chinn, and Luvu are the top three tacklers on the team. Fowler leads the team with 8 1/2 sacks, and Ertz is second in receiving yards and touchdown catches.
That would have meant little if the losing streak had reached four games, which could have ruined the playoff hopes that looked strong earlier in November. But except for Ekeler, who is on injured reserve due to a concussion, every other veteran made an important contribution in the win against the Titans.
“It’s really just to steady the ship, honestly,” said Ertz, whose touchdown pass from Daniels was his fourth of the season. “I’ve played in this league a long time, and three games don’t define you as a football team by any means. It’s really just making sure guys don’t overreact. Guys didn’t need to do anything they weren’t capable of doing. It really was to play within yourself, trust each other and believe in one another.”
The Commanders have improved significantly on defense this season compared to 2023, when they ranked last in the league. This is not surprising, considering they have six new starters across 11 spots.
Wagner, a six-time All-Pro linebacker, leading the team at 34 years old has been a key part of the improvement. His success has been supported by Luvu, who has become one of the best players on the field in recent weeks.
“I knew what the ballplayer would bring: blitzing, pass rushing, and that was on tape — I’d seen that,” Quinn said about Luvu. “What I didn’t know was the energy and love he brought as a teammate. And so that has been almost as impactful, about the way that he cares for one another, the way he looks after his teammates, the way he goes so hard. They see that in him.”
This was the plan from the start, even when expectations were low. Before Week 1, BetMGM Sportsbook set the Commanders’ over/under win total at 6 1/2, a number that they have already surpassed, thanks to veteran leadership keeping things from falling apart.
One more win will guarantee Washington’s first winning season since 2016. They are also close to making just their sixth playoff appearance this century. Now, all that’s left is to finish the season strong.
“There’s still a lot of things we can fix, but winning is always better than losing,” Wagner said. “I think it will be fun these last four games.”
