The Washington Commanders surprised many around the league by winning double-digit games for the first time since 2012 and coming one victory away from reaching the Super Bowl. Now, there are higher expectations for the squad in the second year of the Jayden Daniels era.
The Commanders will have a tougher schedule this year by virtue of finishing second in the NFC East. Super Bowl contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions loom later in the year along with talented teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. They will also experience a dramatic increase in travel miles, which includes a trip to Europe to play the Miami Dolphins.
Now that the season is on the horizon, Commanders.com is going to break down each of Washington's opponents. Next up are the Las Vegas Raiders, who are traveling to Northwest Stadium for the first time since 2017.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Sept. 21
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Northwest Stadium
Individual stats leaders
- Passing Yards -- QB Gardner Minshew (2,013)
- Passing TDs -- QB Gardner Minshew (9)
- Rushing Yards -- RB Alexander Mattison (420)
- Rushing TDs -- RB Alexander Mattison (4)
- Receiving Yards -- TE Brock Bowers (1,194)
- Receiving TDs -- TE Brock Bowers (5)
- Tackles -- LB Robert Spillane (158)
- Sacks -- DE Max Crosby (7.5)
- Interceptions – CB Jack Jones (3)
Key additions
- QB Geno Smith (trade)
- S Jeremy Chinn (free agency)
- RB Raheem Mostert (free agency)
- RB Ashton Jeanty (draft)
- G Alex Cappa (free agency)
Key questions
- Can Geno Smith elevate the Raiders' quarterback room? The Raiders rolled into 2024 with Gardner Minshew, Aiden O'Connell and Desmond Ridder all getting snaps, and while each player ended the year with a completion rate of at least 61%, it was obvious they needed an upgrade at the position. Enter Smith, who has revived his career over the last three seasons with 12,226 passing yards in that span. Although he still has some issues, particularly when it comes to committing turnover-worthy plays, he's ranked in the top 10 in big time throws, according to Pro Football Focus, over the last three seasons. He was also one of the best deep ball throwers in the league last season, tying Lamar Jackson for fifth among quarterbacks with at least 30 throws of 20 yards or more. All signs point to the quarterback play being better than what it was last season, but with the overall roster still needing more work, it's unclear how much Smith can elevate a team that finished 4-13.
- How effective can Ashton Jeanty be as a rookie? Jeanty was clearly the best running back in college football last season. He had the best offensive grade at his position from PFF with 1,695 yards after contact, 125 missed tackles forces, 55 runs of at least 10 yards and 1,247 breakaway yards (all of those stats were the best in the FBS). It was an easy decision for head coach Pete Carroll, who clearly wants to lean more heavily on the run game in the first season with his new team, to add him to a backfield that already had Raheem Mostert as a change of pace option. The key for Jeanty will be whether he can be more of a pass-catcher in the NFL. While he dominated Boise State's ground game with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns, he only had 23 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. To be fair, Jeanty was more available as a receiver in 2023 and averaged 13.2 yards on 43 catches, so he does have the ability to be a more dynamic weapon. He'll be a heavily utilized piece in the Raiders' offense this year, so he'll have plenty of opportunities to work on it.
- Can the Chip Kelly experiment work? Kelly's last stint in the NFL was an interesting one. His unique offensive style gave the Philadelphia Eagles back-to-back winning records, but things soured quickly with him being fired in Week 16 of the 2015 season and one 2-14 campaign with the San Francisco 49ers. After a stint with UCLA and Ohio State, Kelly is back in the NFL as the Raiders' offensive coordinator. By many accounts, Kelly has tweaked his playcalling style, which can still be more fast paced but is also more methodical and uses heavier tight end personnel sets. There are certainly pieces for Kelly to work with, including Smith, Jeanty and Brock Bowers, and there is potential for it to be a fun offense. A large portion any success the Raiders have will hinge on whether Kelly's second attempt at bringing his system to the NFL is an improvement from his first.
