Broncos vs. Commanders Preview (11-29-25)
By: Jaden Golding
Headline Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Image
LANDOVER, MD — The Washington Commanders return to the field Sunday evening after a bye in week 12 and the Thanksgiving holiday. Washington (3-8) welcomes the Denver Broncos (9-2) to Northwest Stadium for a showdown on Sunday Night Football.
Denver has had a great season, currently sporting one of the best defenses in the league, a franchise quarterback with young up-and-coming talent around him, and sitting atop the AFC West, one of the toughest divisions in the NFL.
Washington’s season has seen way more lows than highs. Franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels has been in and out of the lineup with injuries, star receiver Terry McLaurin has missed most of the season, and the defense has been dealt numerous injuries and has played below preseason expectations.
The Commanders are hoping to finish the season strong despite the rough stretch, and Sunday night provides them a chance to play spoiler with one of the league’s best groups at home.
Betting Odds
Denver is a 6.5-point favorite heading into Sunday’s game in the DMV.
Injury Report
Denver
● LB Jonah Elliss: Hamstring (Out)
● TE Nate Adkins: Knee (Out)
Washington
● LS Tyler Ott: Illness (Questionable)
● WR Ja’Corey Brooks: Undisclosed (Out)
● QB Jayden Daniels: Elbow (Out)
How to watch the game?
Location: Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland
Start time: 8:20 p.m.
Where can I watch: NBC / Peacock
McLaurin Returns For The Second Time
Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin is back on the field after reinjuring his quad in week eight at Kansas City. His presence has been missed on offense, including his big-play ability to stretch the field, come down with 50-50 balls, beat people off the line, and more.
Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota gets the No. 1 weapon for Washington’s offense back. Hopefully, this will help open the run game up for Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez to get more lanes and explosive plays on the ground.
Can Dan Quinn and His Defense Have Back-To-Back Good Performances?
In Spain, Dan Quinn’s first outing spearheading the defensive play-calling did not go badly. Yes, it was against a Miami Dolphins team that, like Washington, has not been having a good 2025 season, but they were coming off an upset of the Buffalo Bills the week before, 30-13. They still sport one of the top rushers in the league in De’Von Achane and star wideout Jaylen Waddle.
Washington’s defense held the Miami offense to 16 points, 3-for-9 on third downs, and two fourth-down stops in the red zone, one in the fourth quarter at the one-yard line, preventing the Dolphins from going ahead and keeping it a 13-13 game.
The communication in the secondary was much better, with players more within the areas they were assigned to cover and playing much tighter coverage. Yes, there were still plays that were made in the passing game, and Achane did gain 120 yards on the ground (5.7 per carry). But the play on the field showed more energy, discipline, and intention, yielding better results than in previous weeks.
Players to watch
● Denver Pat Surtain II: An elite defense gets back the best cornerback in the league in Surtain II. He’ll surely take on the task of shadowing McLaurin in coverage. Surtain II is a bright, fast technician who lives in the backfield to break up passes and create turnovers.
● Washington Mike Sainristil: The Broncos’ offense has been a unit of inconsistency. They tend to start slow and try to play catch-up in contests. When they do get going, veteran Courtland Sutton is a leading contributor to making plays when called upon. Sainristil has to play physically without getting penalized, while also staying close and making plays on the ball.
History vs. Denver Broncos
I. This will be the 17th meeting between the Broncos and Commanders. The series is tied between the two franchises 8-8.
II. Washington defeated Denver 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII, where quarterback Doug Williams made history by becoming the first black quarterback to play in the Super Bowl, tossing four touchdown passes in the second quarter alone.
III. Washington has won three of the past five meetings, the most recent back in 2023 at Denver.
Final Take
Can Washington compete with a top AFC contender? The offense will have to protect the ball and play nearly mistake-free against a defense of this elite caliber. The defense will need to generate pressure on Bo Nix and disrupt his timing when you can throw off his flow; he can become prone to holding the ball longer and prone to bad turnovers. Washington will also look to see what some of the younger options on defense and offense can prove when they receive opportunities on the field
