The Washington Commanders' Week 17 game against the Atlanta Falcons has been flexed to Sunday Night Football, the league confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
Fans can get their tickets to the primetime game **HERE.**
The Commanders (9-5) have far exceeded the expectations of many in the first year of head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters' regime. Thanks in part to No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels and pieces Peters added in the offseason, the team has secured their first winning season since 2016 and their best start since 1992. Their record includes a 7-2 start that saw the team set several franchise and league offensive records, along with several memorable moments like taking down the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football and a Hail Mary win against the Chicago Bears.
After winning games against the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints, the Commanders have a strong hold on the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, and should they maintain that spot, it will be the team's first postseason berth since 2020.
The Commanders are set to take on the Falcons at Northwest Stadium following their matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons (7-7) are also vying for a playoff spot but still have a shot at winning the NFC South, as they are only one game back from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A win over the Falcons, according to the New York Times' playoff simulator, would push the Commanders postseason chances past 99% because of the tiebreaker they would hold.
Aside from the playoff implications for both teams, Washington's Week 16 matchup will feature quarterback Kirk Cousins returning to Northwest Stadium against the team that drafted him in 2012. It will also be the first time Quinn will coach against the Falcons, where he served as their head coach from 2015-20, with the Commanders. Quinn had a 43-42 record with the Falcons and led the team to the Super Bowl in 2016.
