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Watch out, NFL fans: the Washington Commanders are going streaking.
They've won four straight, have a young quarterback playing like an absolute star, and have hit the ground running under new head coach Dan Quinn. Facor in the lack of expectations surrounding the team, and the Commanders might just follow the Houston Texans as a team that picked second overall one year and made the playoffs the next.
But before fans can really start talking about the Commanders winning the NFC East outright or becoming a favorite for a Wildcard spot, they have to take care of business against a Baltimore Ravens team that just might be the toughest go in the NFL.
With an unusual offensive scheme, two premier runners, and a very complex defense that is great against the rush but horrible versus the pass, the Ravens are a tough team to scheme for and an even harder team to bully. If the Commanders can show up, show out, and secure their fifth-straight win in a major way, it will only help to strengthen their reputation league-wide.
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1. Jayden Daniels has another marquee day in Week 6
Jayden Daniels might just be the most exciting young quarterback in the NFL.
The second-overall pick out of LSU, Daniels is completing 77.1 percent of his passes, which is the best mark in the league. He's picked up 1,135 passing yards and four touchdowns versus only two interceptions and has complemented his production with 300 more yards and four more touchdowns on the ground, opting for easy scrambles over incompletions more often than not.
Call it a masterful job by offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, or credit Daniels for doing the work, but five weeks in, the Commanders have gone from zero to hero in the NFL East and are a legit playoff contender as a result.
And heading into Week 6 on a four-game win streak, Daniels has a chance to out on another big show against a Ravens defense that has struggled mightily against the pass in 2024.
Taking the field in a Week 6 “Battle of Maryland,” the Ravens have allowed an astounding 1,401 passing yards in 2024, good for the second-worst mark in the NFL. They've allowed nine passing touchdowns, a mark only seven other teams have eclipsed, and they are coming off of a game where Joe Burrow threw for 393 yards in a losing effort. Factor in Marlon Humphrey being questionable to play with a leg injury, and the Commanders have a chance to put in work through the air.
With at least 230 yards and a touchdown recorded in each of the last three games, Daniels is on a roll for Washington; if he can complete 77.1 percent of his passes against a defense surrendering 37.4 attempts per game for 11.2 yards-per-completion, Daniels could be in line for his biggest-ever game in the realm of 323 yards.
2. Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson outrun the Commanders
While the Commanders have a pretty good chance to win the passing game in Week 6, considering the Ravens' horrible passing defense, the run game could be far more competitive, as Quinn's defense will have to go head-to-head against one of the most dominant running games in the league.
Leading the show is Derrick Henry, a two-time rushing champion who has led the NFL in attempts four times. Making the jump from Tennessee to Baltimore, Henry doesn't look like a road-worn 30-year-old in his ninth professional season but instead, a certified battering ramp who can still demolish a defensive line.
While his presence alone should strike fear in the hearts of defensive coordinators around the league, his backfield mate, Lamar Jackson, is just as effective, if not even more so. Averaging 6.8 yards per rush, Jackson has been a dominant force on the ground, with 363 yards on 53 attempts and two touchdowns for his efforts.
Now granted, the Commanders are a good rushing team, too, with Brian Robinson Jr. having picked up 325 yards on 73 attempts, Daniels going for 300 on 57 attempts, and the dynamic duo of Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols combining for 263 on 35 attempts as third-down specialists. The team collectively ranks second in rushing yards in the NFL and has the most rushing TDs through five games at 13.
But in Week 6? In Week 6, they are facing off against the best rushing defense in the NFL and the best rushing offense in the NFL. Even if the Commanders give the Ravens a run for their money, fight for every yard, and record the most rushing yards of any team versus Baltimore so far this season, they should still finish second on the ground in Week 6, even if that doesn't play a big role in the final score.
3. The Commanders record their first statement win of 2024
So, if the Commanders are able to put up over 300 passing yards in Week 6 and give the Ravens a run for their money on the ground, they have a pretty good chance to win the day and the “Battle of Maryland,” right?
Yes, yes, they should.
While this might just go down as the most compelling Sunday game of Week 6, the Commanders are incredibly hot, have a quarterback capable of capitalizing on the Ravens' biggest weakness, and should be able to keep pace on the ground even if they ultimately finish second on the final scorecard. If the Commanders don't let the moment feel too big, play to their strengths, and keep the ball matriculating down the field, they might just earn their first signature win of the 2024 season and prove once and for all that they are legit.
