Broncos vs. Commanders: 5 things Denver fans should know

Ahead of the Denver Broncos' Sunday Night Football showdown with the Washington Commanders, we asked Bryan Manning of Commanders Wire five questions about DC's quad and Sunday's game. Check out our questions and Manning's answers below.

1) One of the biggest NFL storylines this year was how quarterback Jayden Daniels could follow up a huge Offensive Rookie of the Year and NFC Championship appearance. What is your assessment of Daniels 13 games into the season, bearing in mind Daniels has been injured for several games in 2025?

Daniels has had a lot of bad luck this year. As a team, the Commanders have lost a ton of players due to injury. He didn't have his top receiver (Terry McLaurin) in OTAs, training camp, or the preseason and they only played two games together before each got hurt. It's been difficult for Daniels to get into any type of rhythm due to the injuries. Fortunately, none were major, as Daniels dodged a bullet with the elbow injury. The offensive line play has improved and the offseason will be about adding another top-tier outside weapon for Daniels. The future remains bright for him.

2)  Who has been the best rookie contributor thus far in 2025?

I would say second-round pick Trey Amos. Unfortunately, he was lost for the season with a leg injury in Week 9. Amos was Washington's best cornerback before he went down. First-round pick Josh Conerly Jr. struggled early, but look at the competition he was facing. He has played much better in recent weeks and looks like a long-term building block on the offensive line.

3) What has been the strength of the Commanders? The biggest weakness?

I would say the offensive strength is the running game. But with so many receiver injuries, teams loaded up the box to take the run away from Washington. Deebo Samuel has been excellent in his first year with the Commanders despite all the chaos around him. The biggest weakness overall is the defense. They can't stop the pass, aren't great against the run, and do not force turnovers. Injuries haven't helped, but it is bigger than that.

4) What will be the key for the Commanders going forward through the rest of the season?

The key is good health. The good news is Washington gets back receivers McLaurin and Noah Brown for Sunday. Starting safety Will Harris is also back after being out since Week 3. That helps. Will it make a huge difference in the win column? I do think Washington picks up a couple of wins no one expects, especially when Daniels comes back, likely next week.

5) Final score, and why?

I think this is going to be a lot closer than people think. Denver is clearly the better team and that matters. I think it's competitive into the fourth quarter, but the Broncos keep finding ways to win. Denver 23, Washington 20.

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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos vs. Commanders: 5 things fans should know