The Washington Commanders (10-5) will host the Atlanta Falcons (8-7) on Sunday Night Football in Week 17, looking to clinch a playoff berth. Despite the Commanders having the better record, the Falcons are currently a higher seed in the NFC playoff picture because they lead the NFC South.
The Bucs play the Carolina Panthers at 1 p.m. ET, and the result of their game could impact the Falcons and Commanders. Tampa Bay is also 8-7, but the Falcons currently hold the tie-breaker advantage. However, if Carolina upsets the Buccaneers, the Commanders will clinch a playoff spot before their game kicks off.
This matchup looks much different than it did two weeks ago. The Falcons benched quarterback Kirk Cousins and replaced him with first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. Sunday’s game will feature two rookie first-round quarterbacks starting against one another in prime time for the first time in NFL history.
The Falcons have multiple playmakers on both sides of the ball, which makes it a tough matchup for the Commanders. We’ve identified four key matchups for Sunday’s game.
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin vs. Falcons CB A.J. Terrell
Outside of Daniels, the key for opposing defenses is always to slow down wide receiver Terry McLaurin. The veteran wideout went over 1,000 yards receiving for the fifth consecutive season last week, joining some elite company. He is having the best start to his NFL career with 12 touchdown receptions.
On the other side is A.J. Terrell. The fifth-year cornerback signed an extension before the season, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid cornerbacks. Terrell is having another solid season for Atlanta, but McLaurin presents a big challenge. The Falcons need Terrell to limit any big plays from Daniels to McLaurin.
Commanders CB Benjamin St-Juste vs. Falcons WR Drake London
Yes, you read that correctly. Benjamin St-Juste will likely be back in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game, as Marshon Lattimore looks unlikely to play. Lattimore reaggravated a hamstring injury in his second game for the Commanders last week against the Eagles. Philadelphia targeted Lattimore often, with him and A.J. Brown taking turns getting the best of one another — when officiating let them.
St-Juste hasn’t played much the past two weeks, but in just a few snaps against the Saints two weeks ago, he committed a critical penalty. Last week, with Lattimore out, St-Juste gave up a key fourth-down reception and missed the tackle.
London is a different matchup for St-Juste because they’re built similarly. St-Juste has struggled against smaller, quicker receivers. St-Juste cannot allow London to make multiple big plays downfield. You can guarantee that Penix will target him.
Commanders LB Bobby Wagner vs. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson
Bijan Robinson is similar to Saquon Barkley. Both were former top-10 picks capable of dominating games as a runner or receiver. While Robinson has yet to reach Barkley’s productivity, he’s had to share time. Robinson is the type of player who has hurt the Commanders. Washington did a good job of bottling up Barkley in the second half last week after he went off in the first 30 minutes. The Commanders should employ a similar strategy to slow Robinson, as he will be the focal point of Atlanta’s offense to ease the pressure off Penix.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels vs. Falcons S Jessie Bates III
The Falcons get their first look at Jayden Daniels this week. After it looked like an injury impacted Daniels midway through the season, or he hit the rookie wall, he’s back on track over the last three weeks. Daniels had his signature moment last week, passing for five touchdowns and rushing for 81 yards against the NFL’s top defense. He led the Commanders to an upset win over the Eagles, snapping their 10-game winning streak.
Daniels did throw two interceptions, and there’s no better defender at forcing turnovers than Falcons safety Jessie Bates III. Bates isn’t just around the ball; he’s excellent at baiting quarterbacks. Daniels isn’t your average rookie. It will be fascinating to see if the Falcons and Bates can trick Daniels into a mistake or two, which could prove to be the difference in the game.