The Washington Commanders have lost only one game since dropping a heartbreaker to the Tennessee Titans in Week 5. The Commanders held a 10-point lead over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9 but ultimately lost on a last-second field goal.
Washington rebounded with three consecutive victories before facing the New York Giants in a critical Week 13 battle. In some good news, the Commanders did not lose to the Giants. Unfortunately, they didn’t win either, ending the game with a 20-20 tie against a team they’ll face again in two weeks.
How does a tie impact Washington in this week’s power rankings?
We go around the media world to see where the Commanders are ranked in the various NFL power rankings.
Ranking: No. 15
Last week: No. 16
They’ve been surprisingly competitive in a stacked NFC East … even if it feels like they’re definitely no better than a one-and-done playoff outfit.
Ranking: No. 16
Last week: No. 12
Washington came out on the positive end of the tie with the Giants as they at least fought back. Nevertheless it is concerning that they were not able to score any points in overtime to force the Giants’ hand. If this is the type of interruption Washington gets during their winning streak, it better count as a half-loss.
Ranking: No. 13
Last week: No. 12
The Commanders lead the NFL by averaging 32:59 time of possession each week. They’ve been good in this area all season, but it’s been pronounced in the past eight weeks when they’ve gone 6-1-1, in part by keeping the ball for an average of 33:48. Their renewed commitment to the running game has helped a lot — they averaged 89 yards and 3.87 yards per carry in the first five games; it’s 146.6 and 4.10 in the past eight. Finally, the result has been the defense playing five fewer plays per game since Week 5, keeping it fresh.
Ranking: No. 13
Last week: No. 13
Taylor Heinicke isn’t as naturally talented or consistent as you might want your starting quarterback to be, but then he hits a throw like we saw on Sunday with the game hanging in the balance at the Meadowlands, and you’re reminded why the quarterback has endeared himself to so many Commanders fans. Heinicke’s clutch fourth-down conversion to Curtis Samuel set up a game-tying touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson, and even a scoreless overtime period couldn’t shake the feeling that these Commanders aren’t going away in the NFC playoff chase. Up next: A long-awaited bye before a pivotal rematch with the Giants at FedExField.
Ranking: No. 15
Last week: No. 16
Sunday’s tie with the Giants was ugly, but the Commanders still control their own destiny in the NFC wild-card race. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke has brought life to an offense that ranked 28th in points per game before he took over as the starter, and the defense remains one of the league’s best. Washington will play the Giants for the second time in three weeks when they host them Sunday Night Football after their Week 14 bye. FiveThirtyEight gives the Commanders a better than 85-percent chance to make the postseason if they can handle business at home in the rematch with New York.
Ranking: No. 13
Last week: No. 15
Make the playoffs: 45.5 percent
Win the Super Bowl: 2 percent
Make sure Chase Young still exists. It has been a frustratingly long wait for Young’s return for a Washington defense that nevertheless ranks 10th in DVOA. But he could use his pass-rush juice, which could have made the difference in Sunday’s stilted tie. Now, the Commanders kiss their wounds over the bizarrely timed bye before a rematch with the Giants that feels like someone in charge of the schedule simply wasn’t paying attention.
Up next: Bye
Ranking: No. 15
Last week: No. 15
Chase Young is being brought along very slowly by Washington off his torn ACL. The Commanders’ defensive line is playing well, so the Commanders don’t need to rush. But it would be nice to see Young back on the field, resuming a career that has a lot of promise.
Ranking: No. 11
Genius proposal: when they’re done with their bye week, the Commanders play the Giants again. What if we just give the winner credit for both wins, rather than bother with this tie nonsense?
Ranking: No. 12
Last week: No. 15
Seventy minutes against the Giants, a week off, and at least 60 more minutes against the Giants after that.
.