At the time of writing the Washington Commanders sit atop the NFC East with a record of 5-2.
If you successfully predicted the Commanders strong start to the season you were either a well-informed time traveller or a far too optimistic fan.
It was only last year that Commanders players ranked their own franchise as 32nd out of 32 for club operations and facilities. An issue which seemingly bled over onto the field as the team went 4-13, finishing rock bottom of the NFC East along the way.
There were however rays of sunshine peeking through the clouds for Commanders fans as controversial owner Daniel Snyder made way for an investment group headed by Philadelphia 79ers owner Josh Harris.
The radical overhaul of the training facilities and roster that was implemented over the summer was supposed to mark the first steps on a long road to recovery for the team, but as the league standings highlight, those changes are already beginning to bear fruit.
The question then is: who are the key players behind the Commanders sudden upturn in fortunes? Read on to find out…
Jayden Daniels
It is one of our favourite quirks about America that whilst it is inarguably the home of modern capitalism, it is also home to some of the most socialist and perhaps even Marxist sports leagues on the planet.
One of the beauties of the NFL is that bad teams are never cut adrift for too long because they are offered first picks in the draft as a consolation for their poor performances. Still, teams have to make sure they pick right and that’s just what the Commanders did this summer when they signed up Jayden Daniels.
The 23-year-old former LSU and Arizona State quarterback has taken the step up to the NFL with ease and is fast on his way to a record breaking rookie season. Currently Daniels is just behind Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen with a QBR of 73.9.
If he keeps on improving we might not be talking about a breakout rookie performance, we could instead be talking about a dramatic shortening of his NFL MVP odds.
(Everyone knew Jayden Daniels was talented but no-one could have predicted just how quickly he would take to the NFL.)
Austin Ekeler
Every good quarterback needs an equally good running back and in Austin Ekeler, Jayden Daniels has got exactly that. The 29-year-old made the move from the Los Angeles Chargers to Washington, signing a two-year contract back in March of this year.
The only downside to his time at the franchise so far has been the concussion he suffered in Week 3. Barring that, Ekeler’s Commanders career has gotten off to a great start with; he has been the most productive running back in the league and ransks third in the NFL in rushing average.
Not bad for a man that suffered a concussion just a few weeks into the start of the season!
Dorance Armstrong Jr.
The main role of an edge defender is to rush the opposition passer, which is an area the Commanders were woefully poor in last season. The addition of Dorance Armstrong Jr. from the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason didn’t really get fans’ pulses racing, but it has turned out to be a super savvy acquisition.
Armstrong was seen at best as a like for like replacement for Montez Sweat, but so far he has completely overshadowed Sweat, maintaining an average pressure percentage that puts him in the Top 10 for edge defenders in the league.
Just behind him in terms of performance has been Devante Fowler. The pressure generated behind the two has been a key factor in the Commanders upturn in fortunes thus far this season.
(Armstrong wasn’t seen as a star signing but he has had a huge impact on the team since arriving in the offseason.)
Dan Quinn
Okay he isn’t a player but he has been hugely influential in the Commanders turnaround this season. Building from the ground up is never easy, particularly when you’re coming to a team with a fanbase that has been so routinely disappointed in recent years.
Quinn has taken to that challenge well though, handling everything that come his way whilst implementing subtle changes of play that have totally revolutionised the fortunes of the team on the field.
With the 54-year-old at the wheel, we’re a lot more confident about the team’s short, middle and long-term future than we were 12 months ago!
