It’s been almost 12 years. It just feels like forever.

It can’t be said that the Commanders’ Sunday night game against the Falcons is the biggest for this franchise since another Sunday night meeting at Northwest Stadium on December 30, 2012, the final night of the 2012 regular season. The Commanders weren’t the Commanders then, and Northwest Stadium was FedEx Field. But as is the case now, the home team was riding the wave of a rookie quarterback, the Heisman Trophy winner and the second pick in the 2012 draft – who in one season had redefined the hopes and expectations for the franchise. Washington had Robert Griffin III behind center and he was coming off a historic rookie season.

The Washington-Dallas rivalry was still alive that night, with the teams playing for the NFC East, which was winner-take-all with the loser going home and not making the playoffs. Washington ousted Dallas in the fourth quarter behind runs by Griffin and Alfred Morris and a timely interception by linebacker Rob Jackson, defeating Dallas 28-18 for its seventh straight victory and securing the improbable division title. The future seemed incredibly bright with the expectation of experiencing a decade or more of RGIII excellence and playing for a hard-nosed, championship-winning coach in Mike Shanahan.

And then…yeah.

But we’re back in the future now, with Jayden Daniels, a rookie quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner and second pick in the 2024 draft, capping off what appears to be a historic first season in D.C. – and who in a year’s time set the hopes and expectations for the franchise. A win against Atlanta would secure a spot in the playoffs, something that seemed unlikely in September. Daniels suffered a rib injury midway through the season, but he has returned in fine form and the future seems incredibly bright, with the expectation that Daniels will excel for a decade or more playing for a hard-nosed coach in Dan Quinn won the championship.

Read more below.