After starting the season with a 1-4 record, the Washington Commanders have won six of the last eight games and have playoff aspirations in December. Here is how the national pundits are viewing the team in their most recent power rankings.
CBS Sports
Rank: 10
Previous week: 11
Pete Prisco: "They come off their bye with a home game against a Giants team they tied two weeks ago. Win that one, and they will have a great shot to be a playoff team."
New York Post
Rank: 10
Previous week: 12
Ryan Dunleavy: "What a meteoric rise. The Commanders were dead last in these rankings after a 1-4 start. But Taylor Heinicke is 5-1-1 since taking over as the starting quarterback and better utilizing the receiver trio of Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson."
Sporting News
Rank: 11
Previous week: 11
Vinnie Iyer: "The Commanders liked their bye week with the Seahawks and Giants losing to push them to the No. 6 seed and second wild-card position behind the Cowboys. Now they need to play like they want to keep it with Taylor Heinicke."
FOX Sports
Rank: 11
Previous week: 11
David Helman: "The Commanders went into their bye after a tie against the Giants, and now they head out with … the Giants. With Detroit surging and Seattle still hanging around, this is a game they can't afford to give away."
FanSided
Rank: 11
Previous week: 12
Matt Verderame: "Washington is off its bye and has the aforementioned enormous tilt with Big Blue. The winner is in good shape. The loser is in anything but."
ProFootballTalk
Rank: 12
Previous week: 12
Mike Florio: "They're built to make it to the playoffs, and to make some noise when they get there.."
Bleacher Report
Rank: 12
Previous week: 14
Analysis: "The Washington Commanders have exceeded expectations this season. At 7-5-1, they are in the thick of the wild-card chase in the NFC. After starting the season 1-4, they have lost just once in their late eight games."
ESPN
Rank: 13
Previous week: 13
John Keim: "It's not surprising that defense is Washington's best unit; it ranks among the top 10 in multiple key categories, including third downs (third), yards per game (fourth) and scoring (eighth). Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne have combined for 36 tackles for loss and 16 sacks."
The Ringer
Rank: 14
Previous week: 15
Austin Gayle: "The Commanders' chances of making the postseason could clear 90 percent, according to FiveThirtyEight, if they just handle business as a 3.5-point home favorite over the Giants in Week 15. If it feels like you just saw this game, you're right: Washington and the Giants tied two weeks ago, and the Commanders were off last week, giving Ron Rivera's team an edge in preparation and rest for this rematch."
NFL.com
Rank: 14
Previous week: 13
Dan Hanzus: "It's all in front of the Commanders now. The Giants were pasted by the NFC-leading Eagles in Week 14, putting Washington in position to leave New York in its dust in the wild-card standings with a win on Sunday night at FedExField."
USA Today
Rank: 15
Previous week: 15
Nate Davis: "After dominating their bye week -- i.e., moving up to sixth place in the NFC -- they very much look like a team that could reach 10 victories. And Sunday could mark the 2022 debut for DE Chase Young."
Yahoo Sports
Rank: 15
Previous week: 15
Frank Schwab: "The Commanders play the Giants on Sunday night and it's practically a playoff game. The winner will have a huge edge to get an NFC wild-card spot. The Commanders have to feel good about their chances to win that home game, especially off a bye."
Sports Illustrated
Rank: 17
Previous week: 17
Conor Orr: "In contrast to the Patriots facing a sudden plummet, the Commanders may have to prepare for a vault up the rankings. God bless them, they're turning the NFC playoff picture into absolute chaos, and now have an almost 70% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight. A phenomenal scheduling quirk allows them to get the Giants again coming off a bye (while the latter has to go through Philadelphia), increasing the odds that Washington could legitimately contend for the No. 6 or No. 7 seed in the NFC."
