The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the team.

The Washington Commanders just wrapped up their week of preparation for their Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Here are three keys to them getting to 2-2.

1. Make life difficult for Jonathan Taylor.

Alec Pierce is on Injured Reserve with a heel injury, leaving Taylor as the Colts' definitive playmaker on offense. The seven-year running back has gotten off to a good start this season, rushing for 258 yards on a league-high 66 carries. There's also a large gap between Taylor and the rest of the Colts' running backs; backup Seth McGowan has just 14 yards on six carries.

Not that the Commanders need any extra reason to contain Taylor, but that does make it even more paramount for their defense to have an answer for him. In that regard, the Commanders are well-equipped for the task. They're third in rushing yards allowed, and some of that is inflated by one 42-yard run Saquon Barkley had in Week 1. FTNFantasy has the Commanders ranked first in run defense DVOA. The Commanders have seen 62 run plays so far this season, and 27 of them have resulted in gains of two yards or fewer.

While the Commanders' defense still has plenty of room to grow, their presence against the run could be a foundational piece for their development. The investments they made in signing Tim Settle, Charles Omenihu and Odafe Oweh have been paying off. Their outside linebackers are active on the edge and prevent running backs from getting to the perimeter. That led to the Seattle Seahawks, who had the ninth-ranked rushing offense heading into Week 3, abandoning the run in a high-scoring matchup.

If anything, the Colts have shown they are going to lean on Taylor. He led the league in carries last season as well, and it led to him scoring an NFL-best 18 rushing touchdowns. If the Commanders can take him away, it's going to severely disrupt the Colts' game plan.

2. Win on third down.

The Commanders' offense had moments of efficiency in the first three games, and at times, there is a clear vision of their ceiling as a unit. They are sixth in time of possession, which is even more impressive given that they have had long stretches where they struggle to convert third downs. It's not a formula for consistent success, and they must find ways to stay on the field to reach their potential.

The Commanders only converted three third downs against the Seahawks, although their final two of the day were some of the most important of the game. They moved the markers on a third-and-9 and third-and-7 thanks to runs from Rachaad White and Marcus Mariota, respectively, that sealed the victory. They had one prior to that drive, and many of those struggles can be credited to their own mistakes as much as the Seahawks' defensive talent.

Washington was plagued by multiple pre-snap penalties against the Seahawks. The most damning was an illegal formation that wiped away a 48-yard touchdown from Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but there were others that made manageable downs even more difficult. A false start from Josh Conerly moved them back five yards after an 11-yard gain. Another from John Bates turned a second-and-7 into a second-and-12. In the third quarter, an illegal shift turned a second-and-13 into a second-and-18. The Commanders punted two plays after that.

While the Commanders obviously need to execute on third down against a Colts defense that ranks 10th in getting their opponents off the field, they also need to make third downs easier on themselves. It will allow them to get in a rhythm, and as they showed last week, they can compete against the best defenses in the league when that happens.

3. Force takeaways from Daniel Jones.

Jones has played well against Washington in his career with a 69% completion rate and 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions in nine games. This will be the first time Jones will play against the Commanders with a different team, and the change in scenery seems to have done Jones some good, as he hit a career high in passing yards and completion percentage in 13 games.

But Jones, who has turned the ball over 89 times in his career, is still giving defenses chances to generate takeaways. He already has three interceptions this season and had two fumbles recovered by the Houston Texans last weekend. The chances are going to be there for the Commanders to give the ball back to their offense, and they'll need to capitalize on it.

Turnovers have been a talking point for the Commanders' defense this season. After failing to generate takeaways in the first two games, they had three against the Seahawks that led to 20 points. It undoubtedly played a role in Washington's victory and helped wipe away the nearly 400 yards that Sam Darnold had through the air.

The hope is that this performance will start a trend for the Commanders' defense going forward. Jones has accounted for five of the Colts' six turnovers, which are tied for the third-most in the league, so putting pressure on him to make poor decisions will be key. He hasn't run the ball as much since recovering from his injury -- he has just 19 yards on seven attempts -- so the threat of him escaping the pocket should be limited. They shouldn't need to indirectly generate 20 points like they did last week, but the Commanders must make sure they get their hands on the ball when Jones gives them the chance.