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Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Commanders game-by-game predictions: Next stop Super Bowl?
What will Jayden Daniels do for an encore after winning the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2024? After leading the Washington Commanders to the 2024 NFC title game, can the star quarterback take the team one step further in 2025? The last time Washington appeared in a Super Bowl was 1992. The Commanders face a daunting 2025 schedule — the eighth-toughest in the league based on opponents' winning percentage last year — that includes five prime-time games, a trip to Madrid and a Christmas Day tussle with the Cowboys. Washington's road slate includes the Packers, Chargers, Chiefs and Vikings — all playoff teams last season. And in the final three weeks of the regular season, the Commanders play four straight games against NFC East rivals, including the Super Bowl-champion Eagles twice. Bottom line: Daniels & Co. have an uphill climb to duplicate the success of last year. Let's break down their season week by week. Week 1: vs. Giants, Sunday, Sept. 7 Head coach Dan Quinn gets his first look at a New York offense led by Russell Wilson, with whom he teamed up to win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. Daniels will have to contend with talented edge rusher Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. But the Commanders swept the season series with their NFC East rivals last year and have won four of the past six games. They'll continue to have the Giants' number here. Result: Win, 1-0 record Week 2: at Packers, Thursday, Sept. 11 Washington's first prime-time game of the season is in Green Bay, where the Commanders have a 5-13-1 all-time record. The last time Washington won in Green Bay was 1986. Packers QB Jordan Love has a new weapon in the passing game with speedy first-round receiver Matthew Golden. The Commanders do get the benefit of playing in Green Bay in late summer, avoiding cold weather, but they still take a loss. Result: Loss, 1-1 Week 3: vs. Raiders, Sunday, Sept. 21 Quinn faces his mentor in Pete Carroll as the Commanders host the Silver and Black. While Carroll-led teams have traditionally been competitive in cross-country games, the Raiders finished 2-7 on the road in 2024 and will still be finding their way at this point of the season. Result: Win, 2-1 Week 4: at Falcons, Sunday, Sept. 28 Daniels and fellow 2024 draftee Michael Penix Jr. meet for the second time in their short careers. Daniels won the first matchup, rushing for a season-high 127 yards in a hotly-contested 30-24 victory in Week 18. Former Falcons coach Quinn returns to Atlanta for the first time as a head coach, facing his former colleague Raheem Morris. Result: Win, 3-1 Week 5: at Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 5 Daniels and Justin Herbert face off at SoFi Stadium in a scintillating matchup between two of the top quarterbacks in the league. The Bolts also have one of the top defenses from the 2024 season, led by up-and-coming coordinator Jesse Minter. Washington's run defense will be tested by L.A.'s one-two punch in the backfield of first-round pick Omarion Hampton and free-agent signee Najee Harris. Result: Loss, 3-2 Week 6: vs. Bears, Monday, Oct. 13 Last season, the Commanders beat the Bears on a last-second Hail Mary, so Chicago will surely be looking for some payback. Plus, Caleb Williams, who was drafted ahead of Daniels, will want to show his progress under new head coach Ben Johnson, one of the league's best offensive minds. Note that Johnson spurned the Commanders during the 2024 hiring cycle, which ultimately led to the hiring of Quinn, who will beat the Bears again. Result: Win, 4-2 RELATED: Bears-Commanders among top 10 revenge games for 2025 Week 7: at Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 19 The Cowboys have won six of the past eight games in this classic rivalry, including the last four games in Dallas. New Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer will experience some growing pains in his first season, but having a healthy Dak Prescott back leading the offense should alleviate some of those issues. In Prescott's first matchup against Daniels, the veteran will come out on top. Result: Loss, 4-3 Week 8: at Chiefs, Monday, Oct. 27 After facing Prescott, Daniels takes on Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes for the first time in his NFL career. He'll also face the daunting task of going against longtime Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, whose scheme has been tough to decipher for young quarterbacks. Result: Loss, 4-4 Week 9: vs. Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 2 Legion of Boom founding member Bobby Wagner faces his former team for the first time as a Commander. And receiver Deebo Samuel is probably licking his chops in anticipation of seeing his former NFC West rival. Samuel totaled 766 receiving yards and four touchdowns in eight games against Seattle while playing for the San Francisco 49ers. Result: Win, 5-4 Week 10: vs. Lions, Sunday, Nov. 9 Washington faces one of last season's most explosive offenses in the Lions. However, how different will Detroit's offense be with John Morton replacing Ben Johnson as OC? The Lions also lost defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who left to become head coach of the Jets, so Dan Campbell will have his hands full resetting the culture on both sides of the football. Result: Win, 6-4 Week 11: vs. Dolphins, Sunday, Nov. 16 In the franchise's first international game since 2016, facing Miami in Madrid, the Commanders take on another explosive offense. Top of mind for Washington defensive coordinator Joe Whitt will be slowing down Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who loves to create explosive plays down the field for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Result: Win, 7-4 Week 12: Bye Week 13: vs. Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 30 Daniels takes on another quarterback from the 2024 draft class in Bo Nix, who surprisingly helped lead Denver to the playoffs in his first season. The Broncos also bring one of the top defenses to Northwest Stadium, led by last year's Defensive Player of the Year, cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Result: Win, 8-4 Week 14: at Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 7 With J.J. McCarthy set to lead the Minnesota offense, Daniels will face the fourth different quarterback from his 2024 draft class. This is an important game for the Commanders, as it could affect playoff seeding in the NFC conference. The Vikings have won five of the past six games against Washington, and Minnesota will extend its dominance. Result: Loss, 8-5 Week 15: at Giants, Sunday, Dec. 14 New York's vaunted pass rush — led by Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux — finished with five total sacks and 19 pressures in two games against Washington last year. The Commanders worked this offseason to provide better pass protection for Daniels with the addition of Laremy Tunsil via trade and the selection of Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round of the draft. Games like this one against the Giants will test if those were good moves for the Commanders. Result: Loss, 8-6 Week 16: vs. Eagles, Saturday, Dec. 20 Saquon Barkley averaged 138 rushing yards a contest and scored seven touchdowns in three games against the Commanders last season. But Washington needs this win at home. Result: Win, 9-6 Week 17: vs. Cowboys, Thursday, Dec. 25 The Commanders play their first-ever game on Christmas, hosting a marquee matchup against America's Team. How Washington matches up defensively with star receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens will go a long way in determining who gets the last present under the tree. Result: Win, 10-6 Week 18: at Eagles, Flex Game These final three games will likely determine if the Eagles can become the first team to repeat as NFC East champs since Philly won the division in four consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2004. They could also determine which of the Eagles, Commanders and Cowboys will move on to the postseason. A lot of Washington's offseason moves were made with defeating the Eagles in mind. We'll find out if they were the right decisions at the end of the season. Result: Loss Final Record prediction: 10-7 Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him at @eric_d_williams . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
21-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
New York Jets to exercise fifth-year options on Gardner, Wilson, Johnson, GM says
New York Jets to exercise fifth-year options on Gardner, Wilson, Johnson, GM says Show Caption Hide Caption ESPN's Mike Greenberg on what the future looks like for the Jets ESPN commentator and die-hard Jets fan Mike Greenberg chats about the team's offseason moves that included cutting Aaron Rodgers and signing Justin Fields. Sports Seriously The New York Jets are exercising the fifth-year options of all three eligible players ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Jets General Manager Darren Mougey announced that cornerback Sauce Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson – the Jets' three first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft – will all play on their fifth-year option in 2026. As former first-rounders, all three players were qualified for an additional fifth year added to their four-year rookie contracts, which would kick in after this year. The move is one of the final big roster decisions for Mougey and his staff ahead of the regime's first NFL draft, and it establishes the future of several positions on the roster. NFL FIFTH-YEAR OPTIONS: What they are and which players are eligible in 2025 Gardner was the 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-Pro after leading the league with 20 passes defensed. He earned a second straight All-Pro nod in his second season, but his hot streak snapped in 2024 with career lows in passes defensed (9) and tackles (49) and a career high in completion rate against (56.9%). Wilson won the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and has put together three straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career. He set career-high marks in receptions (101), receiving yards (1,104), and receiving touchdowns (7) in 2024 while playing and starting all 17 games. Johnson played in 14 games his rookie season and recorded 2.5 sacks and 29 tackles. His second season featured 17 starts from Johnson and an uptick in production: 7.5 sacks, 55 tackles, an interception (which he returned for a touchdown) and a forced fumble. In 2024, Johnson missed nearly the entirety of the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Week 2. All three players are now set to remain in New York for at least the next two seasons. With each player having played for three seasons, all three players are also permitted to negotiate contract extensions. Edge rusher Will McDonald is the Jets' lone first-round pick from 2023. He's coming off of a 2024 season with a team-leading 10.5 sacks, three passes defensed and two forced fumbles, and he'll be eligible to have his fifth-year option exercised next year.
Fox News
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Broncos' Evan Engram on Bo Nix: 'He has everything that it takes to be great'
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a terrific rookie season that caught the attention of the NFL world at large. Consider one of the quarterback's newest teammates, tight end Evan Engram, sold on Nix. "He has everything that it takes to be great in this league," Engram said of Nix in a recent interview. "The biggest thing that stood out to me was his presence in the pocket. He's very calm, very collected. "When the pocket does break down, the plays he can make on his feet while having his eyes downfield is something that you have to continue to put great talent around, because that is a weapon. That is a true weapon." Denver signed Engram to a two-year, $23 million deal earlier this offseason. The tight end spent the previous three seasons (2022-24) with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who released Engram in March, preceded by a five-year stint (2017-21) with the New York Giants. Engram, a two-time Pro Bowler, was limited to nine games in 2024 due to hamstring and shoulder injuries, totaling 47 receptions for 365 yards and one touchdown. That said, he ranked 11th among tight ends with a 72.5 overall grade, according to Pro Football Focus. The year prior, he logged 114 receptions, which was fourth in the NFL. Nix, who Denver selected with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Oregon, started 18 combined games for the Broncos last season, helping them go 10-7 and earn a wild-card berth before losing to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. After a bumpy first six games, which saw him total just 1,082 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, five interceptions, a 73.7 passer rating and complete 61.1% of his passes, Nix came into his own in a big way the rest of the season. Across the Broncos' last 11 regular-season games, Nix totaled 2,693 yards, 24 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 103.9 passer rating, while completing 69.1% of his passes. In all, he totaled 3,775 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 93.3 passer rating, while completing 66.3% of his passes in the regular season. Nix also rushed for 430 yards and four touchdowns. "Just this poise that he plays with," Engram said about Nix. "The swagger that he plays with. When you put all of those things together, there's something special there. Obviously, the rapport he has in the building. The way the coaches talk about him, it was something that really meant a lot to me, as well. Really excited to get to work with Bo. "He has a bright future ahead of him. Whatever I can do to make his job easier and to help him evolve to be the great player he can become is a great opportunity for myself." Nix was one of six quarterbacks taken in the first 12 selections of last year's draft, Caleb Williams (No. 1), Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winner Jayden Daniels (No. 2), Drake Maye (No. 3), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8) and J.J. McCarthy (No. 10) being the other five. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Fox Sports
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Broncos' Evan Engram on Bo Nix: 'He has everything that it takes to be great'
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a terrific rookie season that caught the attention of the NFL world at large. Consider one of the quarterback's newest teammates, tight end Evan Engram, sold on Nix. "He has everything that it takes to be great in this league," Engram said of Nix in a recent interview. "The biggest thing that stood out to me was his presence in the pocket. He's very calm, very collected. "When the pocket does break down, the plays he can make on his feet while having his eyes downfield is something that you have to continue to put great talent around, because that is a weapon. That is a true weapon." Denver signed Engram to a two-year, $23 million deal earlier this offseason. The tight end spent the previous three seasons (2022-24) with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who released Engram in March, preceded by a five-year stint (2017-21) with the New York Giants. Engram, a two-time Pro Bowler, was limited to nine games in 2024 due to hamstring and shoulder injuries, totaling 47 receptions for 365 yards and one touchdown. That said, he ranked 11th among tight ends with a 72.5 overall grade, according to Pro Football Focus. The year prior, he logged 114 receptions, which was fourth in the NFL. Nix, who Denver selected with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Oregon, started 18 combined games for the Broncos last season, helping them go 10-7 and earn a wild-card berth before losing to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. After a bumpy first six games, which saw him total just 1,082 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, five interceptions, a 73.7 passer rating and complete 61.1% of his passes, Nix came into his own in a big way the rest of the season. Across the Broncos' last 11 regular-season games, Nix totaled 2,693 yards, 24 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 103.9 passer rating, while completing 69.1% of his passes. In all, he totaled 3,775 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 93.3 passer rating, while completing 66.3% of his passes in the regular season. Nix also rushed for 430 yards and four touchdowns. "Just this poise that he plays with," Engram said about Nix. "The swagger that he plays with. When you put all of those things together, there's something special there. Obviously, the rapport he has in the building. The way the coaches talk about him, it was something that really meant a lot to me, as well. Really excited to get to work with Bo. "He has a bright future ahead of him. Whatever I can do to make his job easier and to help him evolve to be the great player he can become is a great opportunity for myself." Nix was one of six quarterbacks taken in the first 12 selections of last year's draft, Caleb Williams (No. 1), Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winner Jayden Daniels (No. 2), Drake Maye (No. 3), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8) and J.J. McCarthy (No. 10) being the other five. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Denver Broncos Bo Nix Evan Engram recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
