The Washington Commanders host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday and look to extend, or at least hold on to, their status at the top of the NFC East. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has led this team to a 3-1 record and has displayed poise and confidence typically reserved for veteran players.
The Browns are, well, the Browns. They’re 1-3 this season with Deshaun Watson under center and hope to get star running back Nick Chubb back from a knee injury sooner than later.
While it seems the Commanders should have things well in hand, there’s always that little seed of doubt that creeps in, so let’s peek at three reasons for optimism heading into this Week 5 matchup.
Jayden Daniels is the quarterback
This may be pointing out the snake that bites you, but seriously, Jayden Daniels’ ability to lead this team and perform consistently at this level has been unmatched. He acclimated to this league like he knew what to expect and was prepared to make the necessary changes.
All of that work is paying off now, as he’s leading a team that hasn’t had a winning season in eight years. The Commanders need one more win to tie the number of wins they had in all of 2023, and it’s likely they will earn that against Cleveland on Sunday.
Austin Ekeler returned to practice
After spending the previous seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Austin Ekeler joined the Commanders as a free agent this year. A dynamic back, his addition was a huge improvement to the Commanders’ offense. Unfortunately, Ekeler suffered a concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals team in Week 3. He missed the outing against the Arizona Cardinals last week but returned to practice on Thursday.
Returning to practice is a good indication that Ekeler is ready to return, especially since he practiced in full. When he returns to the field, opposing teams will be hard-pressed to stop the Ekeler/Daniels combination.
Myles Garrett has an injury
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is by far the biggest threat the Browns’ defense has to offer. He is notorious for being everywhere on the field, causing chaos, sacking quarterbacks, and stopping the run. However, Garrett is hampered by an Achilles’ injury, which bodes well for the Commanders’ offense.
Now, no one wants to see a player get hurt, this is their livelihood. But if he doesn’t play, the Commanders’ offense will have more luck getting down the field. Even if he does play, the injury could slow him down enough to lessen his impact.