Five takeaways from Washington's OT win over Atlanta

5. Playoff bound.

There were many who expected the Commanders would be lucky to win six games in Quinn's first season. There were also some who believed doubling their win total from 2023 would be a strong start to rebuilding the roster.

Now, the Commanders have a chance to triple their win total and lock up the No. 6 seed in the playoffs if they get a win over the Cowboys next week.

For the first time since 2020, the Commanders have earned a playoff spot, and unlike then, when they snuck into the postseason with a 7-9 record, they are expected to be more of a contender in a talent pool of NFC opponents. Though the last two weeks haven't always been pretty, they have proven they can compete, and even beat, playoff-caliber teams when they're at their best.

The players likely won't look ahead to the playoffs until they actually get there. That's been the team's mantra all season, and that isn't going to change now that they've punched their postseason ticket. For everyone else, though, it's fun to imagine what the team could be, not just when they play in the Wild Card round, but also what they could accomplish in future seasons.

No matter whether analysts expect the Commanders to be one-and-done or make a deep run, it's indisputable that the franchise is heading in a good direction.