A notable subsection of the Washington Commanders' fan base was already dreading having to deal with the NFC West as part of their 2026 matchup schedule, and anyone already trembling at the thought of having to fend off even more contenders started quivering even more when the Los Angeles Rams swung the trade of the offseason. They brought the league's top defender, Myles Garrett, over from the Cleveland Browns, confirming their super-team status as they tried to seize power back from their divisional rivals, the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. If Garrett plays Sunday, Washington would be the first team to face him and Aaron Donald together.

Interestingly enough, the Commanders may not need to cower in the shadow of their surprisingly sloppy opponents. They've already handled the Seahawks in a Week 3 upset, proving that they do have enough talent to make games interesting against the league's preeminent powers. They doubled down on such in a narrow loss to the San Francisco 49ers before their bye, and quickly got back on the horse with an admittedly-grisly victory over the Philadelphia Eagles last weekend.

Their 2-4-1 record is well below the standard that their believers had in mind for their mostly foiled attempt at a 2026 bounce-back, but the Rams have yet to prove that they're healthy or coordinated enough to buck their own 4-4 mark. Los Angeles has won two straight for the first time this season.

The Re-Working Rams Figure It Out on the Fly

Since moving back west, the Rams have regularly handled their business in the regular season pre-Garrett acquisition, though this iteration of the Commanders has yet to see the perennial contenders at it in person. They've earned trips to seven of the last nine postseasons, with a Super Bowl LVI victory thrown in there behind eventual MVP winner Matthew Stafford and an already-dynamic defense headlined by Aaron Donald.

It's been long enough since they played the Commanders that Donald hasn't missed a Rams game against Washington despite spending the 2024 and '25 seasons in a brief retirement. His last Commanders showdown, a 28-20 victory in Los Angeles' favor, landed squarely in the middle of Washington's eight-game skid to close the '23 campaign, netting just enough losses to replace Sam Howell with Jayden Daniels under center.

Similarly-familiar on the Rams' defense: Emmanuel Forbes, the Commanders' first round-selected cornerback prospect who's since earned rotational play in LA's secondary. He wasn't nearly as productive in Washington, and he could see more work Sunday with Jaylen Watson out with a shoulder injury and Trent McDuffie questionable with a back injury.

Sean McVay said Friday he expects Garrett to play Sunday. He was ineffective in his Los Angeles debut and said his knee hampered him against San Francisco. The five-time first-team All-Pro underwent surgery after that game and hasn't played since.

Coach Sean McVay has now confirmed: Myles Garrett is expected to go, as is Terrance Ferguson. https://t.co/ef341gvGbx

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 6, 2026

The Commanders' Own Positive Strides

Self-inflicted penalties continue to haunt a consistently leaking offense, still without Laremy Tunsil and dealing with Terry McLaurin's season-ending injury, but the Commanders always seem to have a shot as long as Daniels is under center.

Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown are also out Sunday, leaving Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams as the only available wide receivers who have caught a pass for Washington this season.

Daniels has averaged 284 combined passing and rushing yards per game in three starts since returning from a multi-week absence with a dislocated elbow, combining his scrambling maneuverability with an arm that's converted 62 of his 94 passing attempts for a 66% completion percentage. He's yet to commit a turnover this season despite an occasionally questionable downfield decision, still armed with enough scoring weapons to keep the chains moving as he did during that 27-10 victory over the Eagles.

If Garrett forces Daniels to step up, Donald can close that space from the inside and force a quicker decision with the ball. Daniels is in for a gun-slinging duel against Stafford, a future Hall of Famer who hasn't lost to Washington in six career matchups. Washington's tweaked defense will have to deal with Stafford's connection with star receiver Puka Nacua. The corners have thrived in blowing up handoffs and screen passes with an aggressive blitzing attack, so expect the opposing quarterback to be as unafraid to throw into the Commanders' relative weak points up the middle as anyone they've seen.

Matthew Stafford's career record against Washington:

6-0

2009: W 19-14, his first career win, snapped Detroit's 19-game losing streak
2010: W 37-25, 4 TD in his return from a shoulder injury
2013: W 27-20, 385 yards in the Lions' first ever win in Washington
2016: W 20-17,…

— SleeperCommanders (@SleeperWSH) November 6, 2026

This could be a big test for the Commanders' front seven, especially on the heels of a Philadelphia rout that featured sacks from five different defenders. They're willing to get deceptive by layering in disguised rushers. According to the Rams' preview, Washington blitzes at the NFL's fourth-highest rate, and Stafford's four interceptions against the blitz are tied for the league lead.

The Rams' kicking game has struggled this season, converting seven of 11 field goals for an NFL-low 63.6%. They're certainly talented and tough to scout, especially with Garrett expected to return, but the hometown Commanders have a bit of house money to play with as they look to avoid so many self-inflicted mistakes.

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