Predicting Commanders 2025 Wins by Schedule

Zak Drapeau
Jul 31
7 min read

by Zak Drapeau 7/31/2025 FansOnlySportz

Team Overview

The 2024 Commanders may have been the greatest example of a 1-year rebuild. Along with hiring Kliff Kingsbury as OC and Dan Quinn HC, they would draft the future OROY Jayden Daniels to lead their Franchise in their first season since going 4-13, would make it to the NFC Championship game.

Behind Daniels the Commanders offense would rank 5th in points and 7th in total yards. Not completely responsible for the turn around, Jayden Daniels OC, Kliff Kingsbury should be credited as a huge reason for the team's and rookie's success.

After an awe-inspiring season, the Commanders would make even more moves to give Jayden a better chance to succeed in 2025. Trading for WR Deebo Samuel and OT Laremy Tunsil while also signing pass rusher Von Miller, the team has seemingly added stars to try and make a push past the NFC Championship they were lucky to even make last season.

With all of this said, I will be the first to admit I underestimated Daniels last season and I will be underestimating him again this year as I predict a sophomore slump. With an extra year of tape defenses will be ready to contain Daniels and even though Samuel and Tunsil are interesting additions, they are getting older. On the opposite side of the ball the Commanders' defense doesn't do much for me.

Will I be proven wrong again as the Commanders take over the league like last season or will Jayden Daniels and Kliff Kingsbury's offense take a huge step back? Let's try to predict how their season will go, game-by-game.

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Week 1: vs Giants

A huge start to the season at home and the Commanders have a much taller task than most would think. Over the off season the Giants have unquestionably gotten better especially on defense and in their secondary. The Commanders will have all they can handle and more and unless Jayden Daniels plays a perfect game I see the Giants overwhelming the young Quarterback.

Prediction: Giants 24-17

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Week 2: @ Packers (TNF)

After a shocking upset at home, the Commanders now have a short week and a game at Lambeau field. With a much easier matchup in the Packers' secondary this game will be a shootout. Having to keep pace with Packers offense will be tough. The coaching may be the biggest hurdle however as LaFleur has shown he's tough to beat at home.

Prediction: Packers 37-31

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Week 3: vs Raiders

An 0-2 start is not how the Commanders saw this season going but a matchup with the Raiders should help things get back on track. With the offense rolling, the defense will have to contain Ashton Jeanty and Pete Carroll and I'm not sure they can. Besides an aging Bobby Wagner, this team will have no hope to stop Jeanty and I can actually see a huge upset to continue the Commanders' terrible start to the season.

Prediction: Raiders 31-28

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Week 4: @ Falcons

The Falcons pose another threat of a dangerous run game but have a better pass offense than the Raiders. I'm not sure Michael Penix won't throw a lot of turnovers though and after losing 3, the Commanders should be pissed enough to will this one in their favor and finally get a W.

Prediction: Commanders 28-24

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Week 5: @ Chargers

Another tough road trip and this game is a nightmare matchup for both teams. The Chargers are a well-coached team who control the line of scrimmage and make few mistakes but have weaknesses in the pass game on both sides. The Commanders are a run & gun team who attract a lot of turnovers but struggle in the run game. The game's tempo will decide who wins this equally tough matchup so I'll have to give the advantage to the home team.

Prediction: Chargers 24-21

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Week 6: vs Bears (MNF)

This is my pick for Game of the Year and a total shootout on Monday Night. After last year's matchup saw Jayden Daniels win the game on a Hail Mary, the Bears are a new team and will be coming for payback. After 4 weeks of not getting the job done on offense like they game planned for, the Commanders come out HOT in this one and do just enough to win the game at the end once again.

Prediction: Commanders 44-42

___________________________________ Week 7: @ Cowboys

Another divisional game on the road and the Commanders will be facing a Cowboys team that has had the opposite luck than them this season. A 2-4 Commanders team versus a 4-2 Cowboys will see another battle of a team winning the trenches versus a team winning the air. Just like the Chargers away game, the Cowboys will barley take this one as well.

Prediction: Cowboys 27-24

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Week 8: @ Chiefs (MNF)

This is a breaking point for the team who had all the momentum in the world before the season. At 2-5, the Commanders take on the Chiefs in Kansas City and on Monday Night and it is a Must-Win. Urgency will be a big deal in this one and if Jayden ends up with the ball at the end of the game, I see him finally living up to his hype.

Prediction: Commanders 31-26

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Week 9: vs Seahawks (SNF)

The Seahawks are traveling far for this one but are also coming off a BYE Week to even the preparation. The Seahawks fit in the same mold as the Commanders do in my eyes of having an overhyped QB and could make this game a battle of mediocrity. I trust the Seahawks defense to be better however and after their BYE Week, to take this one.

Prediction: Seahawks 24-17

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Week 10: vs Lions

In the middle of a 4-game home stand with a BYE week in the middle, these games are crucial and it doesn't make things easier when they're against teams like the Lions. In a playoff hunt and NFC North title race of their own, the Lions' secondary will be too tough for Jayden to overcome.

Prediction: Lions 28-24

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Week 11: vs Dolphins (NFL Europe Game)

Not even I expected the Commanders to be sitting at 3-8 at this part of the season. For the first time in 9 years the Commanders will have an international game against a Dolphins' team that's eerily similar to themselves. Without a strong secondary and a great pass game that's maybe just weaker than the Commanders, give me Washington in this one.

Prediction: Commanders 31-27

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Week 12: BYE Week

The Commanders are in shock as they sit in their BYE Week with a record of 4-8. The biggest problem they've had this season is the lack of scoring that this team was built around. In the midst of a sophomore slump similar to C.J. Stroud's last year, Daniels hasn't gotten much help from his defense either who have struggled against the run all year. The Commanders will need to fall back on their strengths and get back into form along with get a lot of luck to make this season anything worth remembering.

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Week 13: vs Broncos (SNF)

Another wallop of a defense coming to town, the Broncos pass rush and Captain CB Pat Surtain should make for hurdles this week. Thankfully, the Commanders had an extra week to prep, a good O-line and more than one receiver. This game looks like a L on paper but has some serious matchup advantages for Jayden Daniels that I can see him exploiting.

Prediction: Commanders 28-23

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Week 14: @ Vikings

Going on the road for the first time in over a month, the Vikings and Commanders should have a shootout. With neither team's secondary being that good, the difference will be how Jayden Daniels handles the Vikings pass rush. Aaron Jones may play another big role if he can find holes in the middle of the Commanders' D and if he can, we could see another Washington L.

Prediction: Vikings 38-31

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Week 15: @ Giants

Needing only one more loss to miss the playoffs and having lost to the Giants already, the Commanders come to New York with fire in this one. The Giants' secondary is still stiff but Jayden is able to outduel whoever their QB is in this one.

Prediction: Commanders 28-20

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Week 16: vs Eagles (TBD)

The first matchup against the reigning champs couldn't happen at a worse time with the Commanders on the brink of missing the post season and the Eagles looking to clinch the #1 seed. With the Commanders defense in a crisis point, the Eagles should be able to take advantage.

Prediction: Eagles 38-21

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Week 17: vs Cowboys (NFL Christmas Game)

A beautiful Christmas matchup between NFC East foes should be very exciting. The Cowboys took the earlier-season matchup in Dallas so it may be time for revenge. Look for Jayden to have some magic at the end of the game and take advantage of a "likely" tattered Cowboys' defense.

Prediction: Commanders 31-28

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Week 18: @ Eagles (TBD)

The Eagles will likely have the #1 seed locked up here and rest their starters. With no post season to play for, the Commanders will come in looking to get revenge and end their season on a high note and as long as the offense doesn't blow it, they should take this game easily.

Prediction: Commanders 31-21

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The Commanders end this exercise with an 8-9 record, including a 3-5 home record and a 3-3 record within the NFC East.

This is definitely my hottest take of the year but one I feel good about. The Commanders played out of their shoes last year and could seriously get exposed after a year of other teams watching tape. Combine this with a defense that is well-short of complete and a team built for shootouts could easily lose several this season.

Through it all Jayden Daniels will have a good season similar to Stroud last year but the team will have a few glaring holes by season's end. A defense that needs a much better pass rush and D-line, the amount of time teams have in the pocket could really expose this secondary that has potential but also combines 2 players younger than 24 with 3 players older than 29. Anything could happen but I'd bet on the worse outcomes.

This is not to say the Commanders aren't full of potential because they are but they have holes in their team that people are looking over and a breakout rookie season won't solve them for a second year in a row. With a coaching staff like Quinn and Kingsbury this team will be contenders for years to come but a hill to climb over this season for sure.

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