As the Washington Commanders get set for their upcoming season, they like the 31 other NFL teams, officially releasing their 2023 schedule. With the pending new ownership, the team will take on their divisional archrivals in the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day for the fifth time in eight years.
They'll open the season September 10th from Fed Ex Field against the Arizona Cardinals who will likely be without starting quarterback Kyler Murray who'll still be recovering from a knee injury he suffered in December. The Commanders are expected to start Sam Howell at quarterback and he could face off against another former Washington QB in Colt McCoy.
Based on their opponents' winning percentage from a season ago, Washington has the 8th most difficult schedule in the NFL.
This year, Washington takes on all four teams in the NFC West as well as the AFC East. The middle part of their schedule will be critical with 10 games against teams that made the postseason a year ago and they'll have a Thursday night game October 5th vs Chicago.
The Commanders pre-season schedule will be three games against Cleveland, Baltimore and Cincinnati. They won't get a bye until Week 14.
Here's a look at Washington's 2023 schedule:
Sept. 10: vs. Arizona
Sept. 17: at Denver
Sept. 24: vs. Buffalo
Oct. 1: at Philadelphia
Oct. 5: vs. Chicago (TNF)
Oct. 15: at Atlanta
Oct. 22: at New York Giants
Oct. 29: vs. Philadelphia
Nov. 5: at New England
Nov. 12: at Seattle
Nov. 19: vs. New York Giants
Nov. 23: at Dallas (Thanksgiving)
Dec. 3: vs. Miami
Dec. 10: BYE
Dec. 17: at Los Angeles Rams
Dec. 24: at New York Jets
Dec. 31: vs. San Francisco
TBD: vs. Dallas