In 2024, the Washington Commanders found a way to turn their previous three-wins the year prior to a 12-win juggernaut that reached the NFC Title Game in just one season.
That turnaround was one of the greatest in league history.
But now the most difficult part of their rebuild is about to begin. Sustaining success is something that Washington hasn't dealt with, but has hurt many ascending teams over the years.
And that natural regression is something that Mike Clay of ESPN is concerned with. Especially with a tougher schedule upcoming for the organization.
"Jayden Daniels is awesome. I'm not disagreeing with that assessment. I am, however, highly concerned about the abundance of red flags signaling an upcoming regression for Washington," Clay said. "For starters, the Commanders finished 12-5 last year despite a +94 point differential, which is more indicative of a 10.6-win team. Second, Washington went 8-4 in one-score games. Those are two metrics which demonstrate how Dan Quinn's team performed above expectations in 2024.
"Throw in a defense that ranked 19th in EPA, a much tougher schedule this season that features crossovers with the AFC West and NFC North and a unit that concluded 2024 as the fifth-healthiest team in the NFL and you've got plenty of reasons to suspect a regression."
Related: Jayden Daniels Faith Revealed In Commanders Major Oddsmakers Update
Washington is banking on further development for Daniels to carry the offense and a defense to get better after a full offseason working under Dan Quinn's overall statistical improvements.
Nothing is guaranteed, though.
And if the Commanders cannot sustain their success, their fast-moving rebuild could take a major step back at this rate.
Related: Commanders Draft 'Explosive' Element To Kingsbury Offense In Mock Update
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This story was originally published March 29, 2025 at 8:49 AM.