The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team unless specified by a direct quote.

The Washington Commanders are coming back to Northwest Stadium to face off against the Las Vegas Raiders for Week 3. Here are three keys to securing a victory.

1. Find solutions for positions affected by injuries.

The Commanders are heading into Sunday's game with the possibility that several key players won't suit up. Noah Brown and John Bates are considered "long shots," according to head coach Dan Quinn; Austin Ekeler, Deatrich Wise Jr. and Jonathan Jones are on Injured Reserve with Ekeler and Wise done for the year; and Jayden Daniels is dealing with a knee injury.

Injuries are commonplace in the NFL, and the Commanders aren't going to get any sympathy from the Raiders on Sunday. So, they will need to figure out how to get a win without those players.

As defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said during his Thursday press conference, the injuries will provide other players with chances to step up and prove their worth. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, for example, is now listed as the starting running back, and he will need to develop fast. He has dynamic playmaking ability, but he will also need to show he can provide pass protection support -- a skill set that takes time for NFL running backs to develop -- and be a weapon in the pass game.

There are no direct replacements for Brown or Bates on the roster, so the Commanders will need to tweak their game plan if they are unavailable. The Commanders aren't going to provide any hints on how they plan to do this, but perhaps young Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey and Ben Sinnott will get more snaps to help mitigate the loss of those two veterans. It's a similar situation with Wise and Jones, as Javontae Jean-Baptist and Noah Igbinoghene could see more time on the field.

Regardless of how the Commanders sort out their problems, it will be a test to see how well they built their roster over the offseason.

2. Get the offense rolling early.

The Commanders' offense has been disjointed at times in their last two games. Last year's results don't play a role in helping them win games in 2025, but it is worth noting the Commanders have had 13 drives end without points compared to five from the first two weeks of the 2024 season.

Part of those struggles have come from a lack of opportunities for the Commanders' weapons to make explosive plays early in games. Terry McLaurin's first target didn't come until the second quarters of the New York Giants (Jayden Daniels said after the game that the Giants did a good job of covering him and Green Bay Packers game) and Packers games.

There are several reasons for this, from defenses bringing more pressure on Daniels to there being fewer opportunities on the ground and opposing secondaries providing tight coverage. Still, the Commanders must find a way to get more from their playmakers earlier in games.

"I think just playing better...as a collective offense being able to stay on the field on third down, things of that nature," offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said Thursday. "Have really limited our drives and shortened some things that we have to be better at."

The Commanders were one of the best in the league at scoring points early in games last season. They ranked in the top five in average points scored in the first and second quarters in 2024. This season, they rank in the bottom half of the league with an average of 3.5 points scored in the first quarter (T-19th) and five points in the second (T-21st).

There have been moments when the Commanders looked like the talented unit they were predicted to be in the offseason. Consistency, however, has been an issue due to a mixture of penalties, drops and missed opportunities in scoring position. Quinn said the growing pains of "September football" are a contributing factor, while Kingsbury pointed to the lack of time spent together in training camp.

While those points have merit, it will be important for the Commanders to work out their issues soon.

3. Take advantage of turnover opportunities.

The Commanders are even in the turnover margin, which is a positive stat in a certain context. They haven't turned the ball over, but they haven't created any turnovers, either. It's still early, but the Commanders are determined to change that quickly.

"It's really important and we know it helps us win," Quinn said. "You can't be reckless to just take a shot at the ball and not tackle and hit, but we have to improve in that spot."

There should be chances for the Commanders to do that with Geno Smith heading to town. He threw three interceptions in the Raiders' 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and is tied for the third-most turnover worthy plays among quarterbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. He also has the ninth-lowest completion percentage under pressure.

Smith also likes to take shots when under pressure, as his average depth of target while under duress is 15.6 yards -- the fifth highest in the league. It could lead to chances for Trey Amos and Marshon Lattimore, both of whom have reputations for being solid in man coverage, to bat away passes or even grab their first interceptions of the season.

The Commanders' secondary will need to put themselves in a better position than they did against the Packers, but there's a good chance they can take advantage of Smith's tendency to put the ball in harm's way.