Washington Commanders' quick turnaround is nothing short of startling

There’s an awfully long way to go in an NFL season in which every team has at least a dozen games to play. That means it’s far too early to make any bold predictions. However, it is certainly worth mentioning that the league has seen its share of teams rise from the ashes in the blink if an eye.

There have been numerous clubs in recent years to either win a division title or clinch a playoff appearance one year after finishing dead last in their respective division.

Dan Quinn’s team is on a four-game roll

In 2023, the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns were coming off last-place finishes. The former went from 3-13-1 to 10-7 and the club’s first division title since 2019. The latter rode the league’s top-ranked defense, dealt with five different starting quarterbacks, and clinched a wild-card berth.

Could this year’s Washington Commanders be the latest team to go from the outhouse to the penthouse in a year’s time? A season ago, the club got off to a 4-5 start, then dropped their final eight games by a combined 273-138 score. That team allowed a whopping 518 points, the third-highest single-season total in league annals.

This offseason, the franchise hired Dan Quinn to be their head coach, and named one-time Cardinals’ sideline leader Kliff Kingsbury. The teams added plenty of veterans and used the second overall pick in April’s draft on 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. The former LSU signal-caller has been nothing short of sensational, and the Commanders’ offense is the hottest unit in the league these days.

After stubbing their cleats in a 37-20 Week 1 loss at Tampa, Quinn’s club has won four straight games, which equals the team’s 2023 victory total. In those triumphs, Washington outscored their foes by a combined 135-78 count.

Daniels has thrown for 1,135 yards and is connecting on 77.1 percent of his throws. The Commanders’ offense has reached the end zone 17 times, with Daniels (4) and Brian Robinson Jr. (5) combining for nine of the club’s 13 rushing touchdowns.

Washington’s defense is still very much a work in progress. The pass rush has produced 15 sacks, but the Commanders have allowed 11 scores through the air and have yet to pick off a pass.

Talk about an explosive encounter? The rejuvenated Baltimore Ravens host Quinn’s team on Sunday. It may be time to get that calculator out.