Washington Commanders Get QB Clarity on Two Upcoming Opponents

What's felt like a situation they have found themselves in at multiple points through the first half of the 2026 regular season, the Washington Commanders will enter week ten in a must win situation. Nearly 48 hours away from kickoff, there appears to be certainty as to who the Commanders will face under center when the New York Giants' offense takes the field.

Giants head coach John Harbaugh pointed to JJ McCarthy as the likely starter in week ten after noting he feels "fairly good" and "does look like he's going to play." A former first round pick in the same draft class as Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, McCarthy was traded to the Giants last month in exchange for a day three pick in the 2027 Draft, giving Harbaugh an insurance policy at quarterback after watching Jaxson Dart go down with a season-ending injury. McCarthy suffered a hip injury in the road win over the Philadelphia Eagles in week nine, leading Jameis Winston to temporarily replace him. McCarthy has appeared in each of the last three games and eclipsed 240 passing yards in two games, along with recording a 2-1 record, though whether the Commanders can limit him remains the question. While with the Vikings, McCarthy threw for 163 yards while completing nearly 70% of his passes en route to a 31-0 humbling loss that saw Daniels' 2025 season ultimately come to an end.

With all eyes on the upcoming divisional game, the Commanders are now also in line to face a rookie quarterback later this month.

With the expectation that Gardner Mindshew II is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a right elbow and arm injury, the Arizona Cardinals are likely to turn to third round pick Carson Beck at quarterback. The news also came days removed from the Cardinals also dealing veteran Jacoby Brissett to the Baltimore Ravens, paving the way for the rookie to make his NFL debut against the Los Angeles Rams in week ten. Yet the Commanders will travel to Arizona in week 12 in what marks the start of an easier four-game stretch against the Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons, paving the way for defensive coordinator Daronte Jones to put a complete game together against one of the NFL's worst scoring offenses. But by then, whether the Commanders' season remains competitive may be its own question mark ahead of a game that quarterback Jayden Daniels called a 'must win'.