Commanders Preparing for Tough Test Against Buccaneers in Week 1

The Washington Commanders face a tough Week 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Preview key challenges and strategies for both teams as the NFL season kicks off.

Aug 15, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn talks to reporters before joint practice with the Miami Dolphins at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Washington Commanders have a tough matchup to open the season.

Facing the defending NFC South Division Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Commanders know they’re facing a team that may not reside in the most highly touted group in the NFL, but has plenty of talent to not only win, but make it to the conference semifinals in 2023. 

Washington has also had some recent success against the Buccaneers, winning in the regular season and taking them to the wire during their Super Bowl run despite having what most considered to be an inferior squad by comparison.

Tampa Bay is favored to win this matchup, and Commanders head coach Dan Quinn knows his team is in for a hard test this Sunday, all starting with the opposing head coach, Todd Bowles.

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Aug 15, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn talks to reporters before joint practice with the Miami Dolphins at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

“Starting with [Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach] Todd Bowles…Todd's an excellent coach and one we've matched up against numbers of times and a lot of respect for him,” Quinn said when first discussing his team’s Week 1 opponent. “Offensively, when you think about Tampa, there's playmakers, outside at receiver and running back as well, and quarterback. And so that presents the challenge for the defense. Quarterback who can extend plays and receivers with size to go extend plays, and so those are definitely the ones that I've certainly been impressed by. The back, this is a true every down back that you can get, this many catches, this many runs, and that doesn't happen as much anymore in our league and so, respect for that. Defensively, this is a group that's really known for their blitz package. I think that's one of the things through the years with Todd that always been impressed with by watching their teams, the run defense. And then for them, some playmakers, both at safety, linebacker, at defensive line, they've kept a deep crew, it feels like for a while, a defensive line and some good ones.”

The Bucs present challenges at every level for Washington this weekend. And it’s going to take a group effort to pull off an upset win to start the season.

Fortunately for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels this means he’s not expected to lift the whole team by himself, though his play will still be arguably the most impactful on the team this Sunday.

“You have to be able to process quickly, because part of the blitz package is showing blitz, getting out, showing blitz, bringing it, and that's part of the disguise that goes with that,” Quinn said of what his young quarterback will need to be able to do in his true NFL debut. “The ability to process things quickly, sometimes as a quarterback, you need to speed it up in terms of, 'Okay, this is an unblocked player. We're only protecting with five, they're bringing six. How do we get it to the playmaker and get yards in that way?'. So, it's one of the things that he's been strong with, decision making and the ability to speed it up."

Daniels has impressed throughout the preseason and training camp with his ability to make timely decisions, smart ones, and protect the ball while giving his playmakers chances to do what they do best. 

Similarly, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme has been designed to get those playmakers the ball with opportunities to do more with it than simply catch it or run through the designed gap. 

Taking advantage of those things, along with a strong respect and appropriate response to the opponent this weekend, are the two biggest ways Washington is going to try and steal a game on the road to open its 2024 campaign.

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