While the Washington Commanders play the what-if games, the Seahawks are basking in the glow of yet another victory. One team is up, the other is down. And here are bold predictions for the Seahawks and Commanders for their Week 3 NFC clash.

The Commanders enter with a record of 0-2. They have Marcus Mariota at quarterback for the foreseeable future. And they have little hope for anything better than a bad season.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks are as polar opposite as they can be. They are the defending Super Bowl champions. And they haven’t lost a football game since mid-November of last year. It’s a streak that runs 12 games.

Let’s get into the predictions:

Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba will have another huge day

With backup quarterback Drew Lock possibly still in the starter’s chair, the Seahawks might look to run the football in a big favorite role. However, there are two issues.

First, running back Jadarian Price is injured. And second, perhaps more importantly, the one thing the Commanders' defense can do well is defend against the run. That means the Seahawks won’t be afraid to put the ball in the air. And that means another standout effort from Smith-Njigba.

Most times when a player has a big game, the next week is quieter. Smith-Njigba wore out the Cardinals in Week 2 with nine catches for 155 yards and three scores. So he should be the focal point of the Commanders' defensive plan.

However, the Commanders simply don’t have the secondary talent to contain him. So, look for him to run past 100 yards receiving and score two times.

Smith-Njigba is that guy for real games and fantasy, too, according to ESPN.

“After a stellar, breakthrough 2025 that saw him score the second-most fantasy points among wide receivers, it might be shocking to learn that this week's 42.5 points set Smith-Njigba's new personal best,” Tristan Cockcroft wrote. “He flashed good chemistry with fill-in quarterback Drew Lock and was productive at all levels of the field. This was vintage JSN, and we should see something similar in a great Week 3 matchup against the Washington Commanders.”

Seahawks QB Drew Lock will pass for 250-plus yards and three scores

Note: If Sam Darnold plays, just plug his name into this prediction. It still fits.

It’s not a matter of Lock becoming the next Sam Darnold. It’s simply opportunity.

Just like last week, when Lock threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns, the opportunity is there for a big passing game. You can't forget that Lock has been impressively on target. He has completed 72.9% of his passes over two weeks. So predicting a big game in a pass-heavy matchup makes sense.

The Seahawks are mighty happy about what Lock has accomplished, according to ESPN.

“Really proud of Drew, really happy for him,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said. “We're on the record in how we feel about him, so he just backed that up today. That's a 12 as one thing, everybody having each other's back. You just couldn't be happier for the guy. We just love him.

“All the things we said about him throughout the week, that was real. That was from the heart. Really proud of the way he played today. He did a tremendous job.”

Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt will rush for 80-plus yards and a score

It's a basic necessity. Even though the Commanders may fall behind early, don't look for them to abandon the ground game as quickly as they might otherwise. That means more carries for Croskey-Merritt.

Don't look for a big yards-per-carry average. This is a volume-based prediction.

The Commanders are still high on Croskey-Merritt, according to fredericknewspost.com.

“I love the twitch that you see with Bill,” coach Dan Quinn said. “When we can get him onto the second and third level, that presents a real problem from a tackling standpoint.

“He’s a stronger person right now from the offseason program. The zone game suits him because he’s got the cutback ability. The more reps he gets in, the more times he’s seeing the blocks, the O-line knowing where he is. Those are things that just need time on task. I’m pleased with what we’ve seen so far.”

Commanders WR Stefon Diggs will get 70-plus yards receiving and a score

It's clear through two games that Diggs has been the team's best receiver. That's not a fluke with Terry McLaurin. It's evidence that McLaurin is no longer the lead dog he used to be. The Commanders won't forget about McLaurin. He'll still get targets. But the Commanders have to try to win football games, and Diggs gives them the best chance of that happening.

It also means rookie Antonio Williams will get more involved as the season goes along. He just needs to adjust to the pro game, according to The Athletic.

“It’s a big difference from college to the NFL,” Williams said Thursday. “So I think once you know a playbook, know where to be, what to do, and read coverages and get on the same page with your quarterback, building that confidence just makes you play faster.”