Washington Commanders vs. Atlanta Falcons a 'Must Win' For Multiple Reasons
NFL regular season Week 5 is nearly wrapped up and the Washington Commanders will enter the next one as the third-place team in the NFC East Division.
However, thanks to similarly disappointing performances by the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, the Commanders are just one game back from second place in the win/loss column but two from taking sole possession of the spot.
Because of Washington's divisional loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, a matching record would give the Cowboys - who have yet to play an NFC East opponent - the edge.
That fact won't change next week with Dallas facing the Los Angeles Chargers, but a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6 would certainly change the mood around the Commanders organization right now and could impact a few other things as well.
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (8) carries the ball as Atlanta Falcons linebacker DeAngelo Malone (51) defends during the third quarter at FedExField.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
For starters, Washington currently sits 11th in the NFC for playoff positioning and has a 21 percent chance of earning postseason play.
Thankfully, and to coach Ron Rivera's point following his team's loss to the Chicago Bears, there's still a lot of season left to play.
A loss to the Falcons on the road next week, however, and Rivera's squad could fall as far as 13th in the NFC, just two spots from the bottom and six from the final Wild Card spot.
So a win isn't a mathematical must, but the Commanders will face a nearly insurmountable climb if they lose their fourth game of the year before Halloween with matchups against the Eagles, twice against Dallas, the Miami Dolphins, and the San Francisco 49ers still awaiting them.
Not to mention the other remaining teams in a league that clearly guarantees no franchise a win In any week.
A win over the Falcons and Washington could sit as high as 7th in the NFC after next weekend, as long as the Green Bay Packers fall to the Las Vegas Raiders this Monday night.
If the Packers win, however, then the best the Commanders could do after Week 6 is 8th which is still a lot better than 11th.
Ironically enough, no matter what happens on Monday night to wrap up Week 5 a win by Dallas next week actually helps Washington more than a loss does.
But that's where the remaining 'plenty of time' theory comes back in as I think most would be okay dropping back one spot in October if it meant the Cowboys tacked another loss onto their own win/loss record.
It's not time to start panicking or planning postseason plans just yet around the NFL, but make no mistake that every game matters when there are only 17 opportunities to earn your spot - and just 12 remaining.
For more reasons than one Washington needs a win in Week 6, and a loss might turn that need into a requirement moving forward.
