Democracy Dies in Darkness

Commanders are ripe for regression. Then again, they have Jayden Daniels.

It has been popular to compare Washington to the Houston Texans, who thrived in C.J. Stroud’s rookie season but took a step backward last year.

August 11, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. EDTYesterday at 8:00 a.m. EDT

6 min

Can Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels maintain his glow in his sophomore season? (Adam Glanzman/For The Washington Post)

Analysis by Jason La Canfora

Strike up a candid conversation with an NFL executive or coach about the Washington Commanders, and good luck counting to 30 before hearing the words “regression” and/or “Houston Texans.”

The comparison between this edition of the Commanders and the 2024 Texans has been a frequent subject in the scouting and evaluating communities.

What readers are saying

The comments reflect a mix of optimism and caution regarding the Washington Commanders' potential for regression this season. Many commenters acknowledge the team's overperformance last year, aided by a favorable schedule and some luck, which may not be replicable. Concerns... Show more

This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.

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