4. Jayden Daniels vs. Daiyan Henley
The Bolts will welcome a young quarterback on the rise when the Commanders come to town.
Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, is coming off one of the more impressive rookie seasons in recent memory after leading Washington to the NFC Championship Game.
It will be one of the many challenges for Minter's defense this season, but it could end up being a big game for Henley in particular.
The athletic linebacker was stellar his first season as a starter, leading the Chargers defense in tackles while also showing off his range in coverage.
The traits in coverage and athleticism Henley possesses in particular could be an important factor in this matchup.
Daniels did a lot of damage through the air last season over the middle of the field, more specifically within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
The quarterback had his most attempts (132), completions (101), yards (894) and touchdowns (seven) when targeting the middle within 10 yards of the line as opposed to others during the regular season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Meanwhile that same area of the field was where Henley thrived when targeted during the regular season, allowing a 55.5 quarterback rating on 29 attempts as well as intercepting a ball and breaking up a pass that led to an interception, according to PFF.
Where Henley can also be key to limit the Washington offense is on the ground, where Daniels broke the record for most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback with 891. And 600 of those yards came on scrambles, according to Next Gen Stats, where he could use his legs to extend plays.
It will be an intriguing battle between the Commanders offense and Chargers defense overall, but Henley could be a major game changer.
5. The Texans Trenches
We'll end with a 2024 playoff matchup that will be played in Los Angeles this time.
It is certainly a star-studded affair at the quarterback position between Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud that will attract the headlines, but the offensive and defensive trenches are what will separate the matchup.
For the Chargers offensive line, the addition of 6-foot-7 Mekhi Becton slotting in at right guard next to Joe Alt is the biggest change from their playoff matchup, as the physicality of the Texans defensive line led by Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson, Jr., will certainly be a big test in the run and the pass.
However, the Bolts center and left guard positions are still up for grabs as the offseason rolls along, so it will be something to watch heading into the matchup.
Perhaps the biggest thing remaining to be seen for both sides however is on the other side when the Texans offensive line goes against the Chargers defensive line.
Both sides have gone through some changes in personnel, with the Texans having a new left tackle and reshuffling the interior of the line and the Bolts also looking different on the edge and on the interior.
With both teams having a similar philosophy of building and having strong trenches, the playoff rematch will surely be another physical battle at SoFi.