NFL Power Rankings: Commanders move up after beating Eagles

The Washington Commanders are on a four-game winning streak, and clinched a spot in the playoffs on Sunday night with an overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons. They're now 11-5 on the season, and have one more game to go. They'll likely need to defeat the Cowboys in Dallas on Sunday to keep the Packers from jumping back into the 6th seed.

Jayden Daniels continues to carry this team across the finish line in close games, and he's setting records seemingly every week. The rookie QB is a lock for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, but he has his eyes on the bigger prize. Washington hasn't been to the playoffs since 2020, and hasn't won a playoff game since 2005.

The Washington Commanders’ odds for winning the Super Bowl went up after their win over the Falcons. The playoffs field is almost complete, with one spot in each conference up for grabs. Washington has the momentum heading into the postseason, and plans to ride that as long as they can to finish out their amazing season.

Winning the Super Bowl odds: +4000 —-> +3500

High: 7

Low: 12

Average: 8.6

#7

What’s next?: Spoiling someone’s postseason After watching Jayden Daniels throw for 227 yards and three touchdowns and run for 127 yards Sunday night to clinch a playoff spot, nobody wants to play Washington in the postseason. The Commanders, who can lock up the sixth seed on Sunday, aren’t as good as the NFC’s elite, but they’re dangerous enough to beat almost anyone once. Washington has scored 30 or more points seven times, including three times in the last four games, and is one of only three teams to score on more than half of its drives this season. Last week: 8

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Two weeks in a row with Jayden Daniels winning games with touchdown drives late. They will be a tough out in the playoffs. Last week: 8

Jayden Daniels makes the Commanders a dangerous surprise playoff team — one that can give a home division winner a lot of trouble because of a running game that rarely goes into slumps. Last week: 9

Jayden Daniels seems to have that special mental makeup that allows him to not ever get flustered, and he just so happens to be one of the most athletically gifted quarterbacks in the league. The Commanders might be a flawed team overall, but that combination at quarterback makes them a dangerous bunch in the playoffs. Last week: 8

Never mind the presidency; Jayden Daniels is already the king of D.C. Last week: 8

#8

There is a plethora of quality Coach of the Year candidates in what should be one of the more interesting decisions of award season. But if Dan Quinn isn’t at least near the top, if not the clear No. 1, we’re doing something wrong. The hallmark of Quinn’s career — nearly everywhere he’s been — has been a Midas touch that has made nearly every team he’s joined, whether as an assistant or head coach, better than it was before he arrived. The Commanders clearly are a vastly different franchise from just one year ago, from ownership to the front office and coaching staff on down to the bottom of the roster. And with Quinn, Jayden Daniels (your massive OROY favorite) and a vastly more complete depth chart, Washington enters the postseason as not only a terrific turnaround story but also a very dangerous team, overflowing with self-belief. The Commanders have nothing to lose, and they’ll take on all comers. Who actually wants to face them now? Last week: 8

Jayden Daniels broke the NFL rookie rushing record for a quarterback on Sunday night. He also has the third-highest passer rating for a rookie ever, ahead of C.J. Stroud’s mark last season. At this point it would be a surprise if Daniels doesn’t win an MVP award in his career. Last week: 9

Jayden Daniels is simply incredible. The rookie delivered another MVP-caliber performance on the national stage, with the latest insane showing punching the Washington Commanders’ ticket to the playoffs. Washington is even in a position to take the NFC’s No. 6 seed for a Wild Card matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the level Daniels is playing at, the Commanders have a legitimate shot at making it to the Divisional Round. Last week: 9

It has been two decades since the Washington Commanders won a postseason game. The last time the team won 11 games in the regular season was over three decades ago. The franchise hasn’t accomplished the former yet this season, but after outlasting the Atlanta Falcons Sunday night, the Commanders are an 11-5 playoff team. There’s little question that Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will be the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year, and the effect the second pick in last year’s draft has had on the franchise. As veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner told reporters after the win, the players in Washington believe they are in every game with No. 5 leading the offense. “You want to be in these moments,” said Bobby Wagner. “Him getting hit and making big plays, his confidence, his demeanor never changes. You know that he knows he’s going to make a play, and everybody on the sideline and on the field believes he’s going to make a play.” Analyst’s Take Jayden Daniels is special. More importantly, he’s dangerous. The Commanders are set to enter the postseason for the first time in four seasons mainly due to the play of the future NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Daniels has been calm late in games to help the Commanders escape with victories. He’s dealing from clean pockets. He’s also a historically good running quarterback, setting the league’s rookie rushing record for the position after Sunday’s 127-yard effort. Daniels can and will make mistakes. He’ll make up for them as well, which makes the Commanders a difficult opponent once the playoffs begin. — Sobleski Last week: 9

Last week: 9

#9

Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen Allen returned from injured reserve Sunday after missing the previous eight games due to a torn left pectoral muscle. He’s signed through 2025 with a cap hit of $23 million next season. Washington could save $17 million if it released him, or it could perhaps add a year or two to his deal and lessen the cap hit next season. Allen has been a Washington stalwart — and two-time Pro Bowler — but turns 30 next month. The Commanders still have Daron Payne and drafted Jer’Zhan Newton in the second round. — John Keim Last week: 9

Probably the most devastating part of the Jayden Daniels experience is that you cannot get him off the field on critical downs. In a huge game against the Atlanta Falcons, Daniels was 9-for-12, picked up 10 first downs and threw three touchdowns on either third or fourth down. That is absolutely brutal. Last week: 9

I don’t believe in quarterback wins, but I do believe in winning plays. Rookie quarterback Daniels makes them in spades, and he’s done so with his legs rather than his arm in the past two weeks. His 127 yards on 16 carries forced Atlanta’s defense to respect him on the ground on Sunday, and I thought his patience and willingness to take underneath throws kept this offense on schedule in the second half, long enough for his legs to be the deciding factor. Not only is Daniels the offensive rookie of the year, but you can also argue that he’s been more impactful as a singular force than Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was in 2023 because he’s been asked to do the heavy lifting as both a runner and passer. We deserve to see the NFL’s most dynamic athletes in the postseason, and I can’t wait to watch what he tries under the brightest lights. Last week: 14

Offense+ Rank: 5

Defense+ Rank: 19

Special Teams+ Rank: 7

SOS Rank: 31

Entering Week 16, the Commanders had zero wins against teams with a winning record this season, as they were 0-4 when facing teams at or above .500. Now, after back-to-back wins over the Eagles and Falcons, Washington clinched a playoff spot. Washington clinched its postseason berth dramatically, as Jayden Daniels marched the offense down the field in overtime on Sunday Night Football and threw a touchdown pass to Zach Ertz to punch the ticket. Daniels has thrived in clutch situations this season, and he looks like the real deal for Washington. Last week: 9

It took overtime to finish it off, but the Commanders overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Falcons, 30-24, on Jayden Daniels’ walk-off touchdown pass to Zach Ertz. Daniels’ third touchdown pass of the game clinched a playoff berth — and was made possible after the Falcons missed a 56-yard field goal at the end of regulation. Last week: 9

The Redskins won to clinch a playoff spot, but there has to be some concern with the offensive line injuries they suffered in the victory over Atlanta. Last week: 9

Last week: 8

#10

Of all of rookie QB Jayden Daniels’ insane numbers, consider this – he has five TD passes in the final 30 seconds or overtime of a game this season, which is two better than any other quarterback since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Last week: 10

Up, up, and away. The Commanders started near the bottom but kept climbing as they grew into a quality playoff team thanks to Jayden Daniels’ emergence. Last week: 11

#11

Last week: 11

#12

Last week: 12

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