How Commanders Playoff Fate Could Be Impacted by Rams Coach Sean McVay

The Washington Commanders are currently slotted to face the Los Angeles Rams, but that opponent may be making moves that could lead to that matchup not happening.

Dec 12, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay jogs on the field before the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

If the NFL Playoffs started today, the Washington Commanders would be heading West to face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round.

That all changes if, in Week 18, the Commanders lose or the Rams do.

If Washington loses, it is highly likely that it will fall to No. 7 in the NFC bracket and face the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round, The Green Bay Packers will move up to No. 6 after beating the Chicago Bears, and then they'd face the Rams or whichever team sits in the No. 3 position.

Dec 12, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay jogs on the field before the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

That brings us back to Los Angeles, and head coach Sean McVay's comments that make it seem that he's not all that interested in securing the third seed as much as he is getting–or keeping–his team healthy for the postseason.

"I think you have a responsibility as a head coach and really with your coaching staff to collaborate and say, 'Hey, we're going to compete every opportunity that we get,' and you don't minimize the importance of every single game, but relative to what's at risk, what's at reward in terms of either or and being able to maybe get some guys there, the toll that a season takes, get 'em back, refresh rejuvenated," McVay said in an interview with the team's site when asked about the decision to go after the No. 3 seed or to rest players as he's done in the past. "Typically, we've erred on the side of leaning a little bit more toward that and I would imagine as we continue to finalize our plans, that's probably the direction that we'll go."

If the Rams do choose to rest key players and lose to the Seattle Seahawks this weekend, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints, then things would get shuffled some more. In that case, the Buccaneers would be the third seed, and if the Commanders were to beat the Cowboys, they'd travel south to face the same team in Week 1 of the playoffs they lost to in Week 1 of the regular season.

Of course, there's another option: if the Atlanta Falcons win and Los Angeles loses then Washington would still travel to California, assuming it wins.

If it feels like a lot to track it can be, but really it is a clear sign that even with a lot of what is about to take place in the months of January and February already decided, there's plenty up in the air this weekend.

Which is why Washington coach Dan Quinn has no intentions of doing anything short of competing for a win in Week 18 against the Dallas Cowboys. Because No. 6 is better than No. 7, and Quinn wants better for his Commanders.

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