The opinions expressed in this article are from national reporters and do not reflect those of the team.
The Washington Commanders have improved to 11-5 after a comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons. Here's how pundits rank Washington among the NFL.
ESPN
Rank: 9
Week 17 ranking: 9
- John Keim: Jonathan Allen returned from injured reserve Sunday after missing the previous eight games due to a torn left pectoral muscle. He's signed through 2025 with a cap hit of $23 million next season. Washington could save $17 million if it released him, or it could perhaps add a year or two to his deal and lessen the cap hit next season. Allen has been a Washington stalwart -- and two-time Pro Bowler -- but turns 30 next month. The Commanders still have Daron Payne and drafted Jer'Zhan Newton in the second round.
Sporting News
Rank: 7
Week 17 ranking: 9
- Vinnie Iyer: Jayden Daniels makes the Commanders a dangerous surprise playoff team — one that can give a home division winner a lot of trouble because of a running game that rarely goes into slumps.
CBS Sports
Rank: 7
Week 17 ranking: 8
- **Pete Prisco:** Two weeks in a row with Jayden Daniels winning games with touchdown drives late. They will be a tough out in the playoffs.
Yahoo Sports
Rank: 8
Week 17 ranking: 9
- **Frank Schwab:** Jayden Daniels broke the NFL rookie rushing record for a quarterback on Sunday night. He also has the third-highest passer rating for a rookie ever, ahead of C.J. Stroud's mark last season. At this point it would be a surprise if Daniels doesn't win an MVP award in his career.
Bleacher Report
Rank: 8
Week 17 ranking: 9
- **B/R staff:** It has been two decades since the Washington Commanders won a postseason game. The last time the team won 11 games in the regular season was over three decades ago. The franchise hasn't accomplished the former yet this season, but after outlasting the Atlanta Falcons Sunday night, the Commanders are an 11-5 playoff team.
The Score
Rank: 10
Week 17 ranking: 11
- **The Score staff:** Up, up, and way. The Commanders started near the bottom but kept climbing as they grew into a quality playoff team thanks to Jayden Daniels' emergence.
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium during their Week 17 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, shot on Sony. (Photos by Emilee Fails and Kourtney Carroll/Washington Commanders)
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The 33rd Team
Rank: 8
Week 17 ranking: 9
- Marcus Mosher: Jayden Daniels has completely changed the culture in Washington, as the Commanders might be the most fun team in the NFL to watch. With a win against Dallas in Week 18, they can win 12 games and clinch the No. 6 seed in the NFC. That is easier said than done, as they've already lost to Cooper Rush and Dallas once this year. But look for Dan Quinn's squad to get that done this time around.
For The Win
Rank: 9
Week 17 ranking: 10
- **Robert Zeglinski and Christian D'Andrea:** A Kliff Kingsbury offense made in-game adjustments to unlock its fullest potential and rallied for an overtime win on a night where Terry McLaurin was effectively thrown into football jail by A.J. Terrell. The Commanders may not have the personnel to pull off a Super Bowl run, but that's a meaningful improvement that paves the way for future success.
