Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders have been the biggest surprise this year. Before the season began, not many would have expected the rookie QB to lead his team to a 3-1 record in the first four games. Having done the unthinkable, fans are rightfully buying into the Jayden Daniels hype. However, Tom Brady remains unconvinced.
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Heading into Week 5, Brady released his weekly power ranking list with one notable name missing — the Washington Commanders. Given that the Jayden Daniels-led team has won three consecutive outings, including impressive victories against the Bengals and the Cardinals, many expected the Commanders’ inclusion to be a no-brainer.
But much to everyone’s surprise, the former NFL quarterback ranked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers [5th], the Detroit Lions [4th], the Houston Texans [3rd], the Minnesota Vikings [2nd], and the KC Chiefs[1st], in his top 5.
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Considering that the Lions, Bucs, and Texans share the same 3-1 record that the Commanders currently hold, along with a rookie at the helm, the omission from the list comes off as quite surprising.
That said, Brady’s unpopular ranking might fall flat on his face as the Commanders have a very favorable fixture schedule ahead of them.
Daniels & Co. now have the incentive to prove Brady wrong
For the Washington Commanders, riding out the first four fixtures without much damage was key to keeping their playoff hopes alive.
With two powerhouses in the Bucs and the Bengals, along with a tricky opponent in the Cardinals, Daniels navigating this run of fixtures with just one loss is commendable. Now that a tough stretch has been conquered, even better days are on the horizon for the Commanders.
The next four fixtures for the Commanders start off against a tough opponent: the Browns. However, they do have the home advantage, which makes a win arguably achievable. Up next are the Ravens, whom the Commanders will face at M&T Stadium — the toughest matchup of this stretch.
The rest of the games, however, are considerably easier than those they will face by Week 6. In the next two weeks, the club will be squaring off against two of the most unimpressive teams of the season so far: the Panthers and the Bears, both at home.
Considering that three out of the four games are home games against arguably inferior opponents on paper, the Commanders should win at least two of those comfortably. If things go according to this conservative estimate, the Commanders will be 5-3 or 6-2 by the end of this stretch, keeping them in a strong position to make it to the playoffs.
In such a scenario, it makes a lot of sense to have Jayden Daniels & Co. in your power rankings, something which Brady didn’t do. That said, Tom is the GOAT for a reason.
Bill Belichick, before the season began, was famously criticized for not being fully convinced by Caleb Williams. Thus, when legends of the game make such unpopular calls, it’s always best to not overreact.
