1 week Ago By Ryan McCafferty
Before Sunday's matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Washington Commanders were the second seed in the NFC at 7-2. After their 28-27 loss, they're the second Wild Card. Because of Washington's defeat, in addition to both the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings winning, the Commanders have taken a tumble in the standings.
If the playoffs were to start now . Washington would go on the road to face the Atlanta Falcons -- and former Commanders QB Kirk Cousins -- to begin its playoff run. The good news is that Washington is still in a solid position to make the postseason, with a game-and-a-half advantage over the 5-4 San Francisco 49ers, the first team currently outside looking in.
Currently, NFL.com gives the Commanders a 79 percent chance to make the 14-team field. There are several teams currently outside the picture who could conceivably get hot, including the 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The easiest way for Washington to secure its spot will be to win the NFC East. Where that's concerned, they won't have to wait long for a chance to regain the edge over the 7-2 Eagles, as the two teams will face off on Thursday night in a prime-time battle. A win there would considerably boost the Commanders' chances.
Even with a loss, though, the Commanders' schedule should work in their favor. They have four games remaining against sub-.500 teams, as they are set to play the Dallas Cowboys twice, the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints.
If Washington wins all four of those, it would go no worse than 11-6, and no 11-win team has missed the playoffs since the 2008 New England Patriots. It would be ideal for the Commanders to earn at least one home playoff game, which they would do by reclaiming the division. Barring a late-season collapse, though, Washington should be at least postseason bound.
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