The Washington Commanders are in desperate need of a win in Week 9.

The team has lost three games in a row and risks falling too far behind in the NFC East race. It won’t be an easy matchup, though, as the team is taking on the 5-2 Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks are entering this contest off two consecutive victories and are looking to keep pace in a rugged NFC West.

The main story for the Commanders, once again, will be injuries. Quarterback Jayden Daniels missed last week’s game, but he’s on track to return in Week 9. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is also expected to play, but fellow receiver Terry McLaurin will not. If the team’s best playmakers could all get back on the field together, we could be looking at an entirely different situation.

Every team deals with injuries, though, and the Commanders simply have to find a way to power through them. Now, let’s identify the four keys to a Commanders’ win on Sunday Night Football.

Do everything you can to contain Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Jaxon Smith-Njigba enters Week 9 with the most receiving yards in the NFL. The Ohio State product already has 819 yards, and second-place Ja’Marr Chase has a whole 99 fewer yards.

Smith-Njigba is pretty much the entire offense for the Seahawks. After Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp has the most receiving yards on the team with just 293. It’s no secret that the Commanders’ pass defense has been iffy this season, so keeping the receiver in check will be tough.

Protect Jayden Daniels

It’s always important to protect your quarterback, but it’s even more important to do so when he’s nursing an injury.

The worst part? The Seahawks have a very solid pass rush, averaging over three sacks per game. Uchenna Nwosu, Byron Murphy, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Leonard Williams all have at least three sacks already, so it’s not just one dominant defender you have to worry about.

Much of the Seahawks’ defensive success comes from getting to the quarterback. If the Commanders adequately protect Daniels, you have to feel good about the team’s chances.

Limit the turnovers

The Commanders have turned the ball over multiple times in each of the last three games. It’s hard to win in the NFL when you don’t win the turnover battle, so that’s a trend that has to stop in Week 9.

The Seahawks are tied for fourth in opponent interceptions per game, so they will capitalize on mistakes. If Daniels and the rest of the offense play a clean game, there’s a good chance to win. Have multiple turnovers again, though, and it could be another long night.

Get the ground game going again

On the season, the Commanders are tied for third in rushing yards per game. However, over the last three weeks alone, the Commanders are 20th in the same category. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has had 61 yards or fewer in each of the last three games, and that simply isn’t going to be good enough.

Terry McLaurin isn’t playing this weekend, so it would be nice if the ground game could pick up some slack. Unfortunately, the Seahawks have the best run defense in the league, so that will be easier said than done. However, a good performance against this elite unit could be the spark the Commanders need.