The Washington Commanders' momentum came screeching to an abrupt halt in Week 2. As if their heavy loss to the Green Bay Packers wasn't enough, head coach Dan Quinn is also navigating some serious injury concerns to further cloud the team's outlook moving forward.
It's been a sluggish start. Several established stars aren't performing up to expectations. Things just aren't clicking on either side of the football. There is also a danger of the Commanders being understrength heading into some tricky upcoming matchups.
Sounding the alarm is extremely premature. The Commanders have plenty of talent, and their experienced coaches should be capable of getting everyone on the same page quickly. Fans are rightfully despondent after such a disappointing defeat with the national spotlight glaring, but it's easy to forget how far this once-downtrodden club has come in such a short space of time.
A big response is needed. With this in mind, we predicted how things might go over Washington's next five games after its 1-1 opening to the 2025 campaign.
Predicting the Commanders' next five games after 1-1 start in 2025
Commanders vs. Raiders — Week 3
Date: Sunday, September 21
Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
Venue: Northwest Stadium
Channel: FOX
The Washington Commanders come off their mini-bye week with a home clash against the Las Vegas Raiders. This looks like a winnable contest for Dan Quinn's squad. However, some key individual battles must be won to improve their hopes.
Las Vegas has some exceptional performers who could exploit Washington's weak links. Looking at how the Green Bay Packers' tight ends carved up the Commanders' defense on Thursday Night Football, prolific first-rounder Brock Bowers instantly becomes the primary danger.
Bowers came into the league with generational traits, and he's done nothing to alter this perception so far. If the Commanders can't figure out a way to limit his influence, especially in red-zone situations, it could be another long afternoon at the office.
There's also the presence of All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby to factor into the equation. Washington's tackle tandem of Laremy Tunsil and Josh Conerly Jr. did not fare well at Lambeau Field. That won't go unnoticed by the Raiders, who will likely target the rookie as a potential weak link to exploit.
Prediction: Win (2-1)
Much will depend on the injury concerns with John Bates, Noah Brown, and potentially even Jayden Daniels, but the Commanders' added urgency to right their primetime wrong might be enough to steer them through.