When the Washington Commanders stumbled to a 37-20 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1, the doubters were quick to dismiss their chances. One acquaintance even told head coach Dan Quinn to “hang in there” because “it’s going to be a long season.” But rather than accept that fate, Quinn responded with defiance.
“Hey f you, that’s not how it’s going to go down,” Quinn recalls saying. “It wasn’t disrespect, it was dismissiveness. And I felt some kind of way… It was we’re going to be a lot better than what we just showed today. And eventually we’ll show that.”
Proving the Doubters Wrong
Fast forward to today and the Commanders stand on the brink of a Super Bowl appearance. After dropping the opener, they reeled off 12 wins in their next 16 games to finish 12-5 and secure a wild card berth. Two road playoff victories later, they find themselves in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s a stunning turnaround for a franchise that went 4-13 last year and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2015 or won a postseason game since 2005. With a new-look roster and coaching staff, not many expected the Commanders to contend this quickly. But inside the building, the belief never wavered.
“Outside noise can be a false narrative. When you have that confidence within, that’s what transcends everybody in the building… Everybody just had that belief. There was no false motivation from external factors.”
Jeremy Reaves, Commanders safety
A Rookie Sensation Under Center
Leading the charge has been rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. The first-year signal caller has thrown for 29 touchdowns between the regular season and playoffs, with just 9 interceptions. His 86.8 postseason passer rating is tops in the NFL.
If Daniels can guide Washington to a win on Sunday, he would become the first rookie QB ever to start in a Super Bowl. It’s a tall task, but his poise and command of the offense has earned rave reviews from Quinn.
“He’s got rare, in the moment skills that have allowed us to be in this spot. When it’s mental chaos going down and two-minutes, in these tight moments where it could feel that tight, he’s got the experience of somebody that’s played a lot more football than a first year player.”
Dan Quinn on Jayden Daniels
Winning in Dramatic Fashion
Washington’s flair for the dramatic has been on full display during their current seven-game winning streak. Five of those victories have come on either the last play of the game or their final offensive snap.
- 23-20 win over Bucs in Wild Card round on last-second field goal
- 45-31 triumph in Detroit sealed on late defensive stand
No matter how tense the situation, this gritty Commanders squad keeps finding a way. As star receiver Terry McLaurin notes, they are staying focused on the task at hand rather than reveling in proving people wrong.
“Nobody is celebrating. The job is not done.”
Terry McLaurin
A Chance to Make History
For a franchise that hasn’t made a conference championship game appearance since 1991, this opportunity is immense. Washington’s loyal fans have endured over two decades of futility, including more name changes (2) than playoff wins (1) since 2006.
But with Quinn at the helm preaching “if you’re a dog-ass competitor, this is the place for you”, a culture shift is underway. The Commanders have adopted an underdog mentality and are on the verge of completing an improbable worst-to-first turnaround.
If they can defeat the favored Eagles on the road, Washington will hoist its first NFC Championship trophy in over 30 years. In doing so, they would emphatically prove all those who dismissed them wrong. But don’t expect this group to be satisfied.
“We don’t get into the historical stuff, man. It’s just how do we get down this weekend?”
Dan Quinn on team’s approach
One more win. 60 more minutes. The Washington Commanders are on a mission to show the world how they get down – by capturing an elusive Super Bowl title. The doubters be damned.
