Washington Commanders 2023 Schedule: Matchups, Key Games To Watch And More

By Mark Solway | May 13th, 2023

It’s finally here. Your first look at the Washington Commanders 2023 NFL schedule. The opponents have been known for quite some time, but it has finally been revealed exactly when each team will square off against the Commanders. As the 2023 NFL season approaches, fans of the burgundy and gold eagerly anticipate another year of football.

What match-ups are you excited about? What are the toughest games?

2023 Washington Commanders Schedule

Pre-Season

Aug. 12 at Cleveland Browns  | FirstEnergy Stadium | Time TBA ET
Aug. 21 Baltimore Ravens  | FedExField | 8:00pm ET ESPN
Aug. 26 Cincinnati Bengals  | FedExField | Time TBA ET

Regular Season

Sep. 10 Arizona Cardinals  | FedExField | 1:00pm ET FOX
Sep. 17 at Denver Broncos  | Empower Field | 4:25pm ET CBS
Sep. 24 Buffalo Bills  | FedExField | 1:00pm ET CBS
Oct. 1 at Philadelphia Eagles  | Lincoln Financial Field | 1:00pm ET FOX
Oct. 5 Chicago Bears  | FedExField | 8:15pm ET Prime Video
Oct. 15 at Atlanta Falcons  | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 1:00pm ET CBS
Oct. 22 at New York Giants  | MetLife Stadium | 1:00pm ET CBS
Oct. 29 Philadelphia Eagles  | FedExField | 1:00pm ET FOX
Nov. 5 at New England Patriots  | Gillette Stadium | 1:00pm ET FOX
Nov. 12 at Seattle Seahawks  | Lumen Field | 4:25pm ET FOX
Nov. 19 New York Giants  | FedExField | 1:00pm ET FOX
Nov. 23 at Dallas Cowboys  | AT&T Stadium | 4:30pm ET CBS
Dec. 3 Miami Dolphins  | FedExField | 1:00pm ET FOX
Dec. 10 BYE 
Dec. 17 at Los Angeles Rams  | SoFi Stadium | 4:05pm ET CBS
Dec. 24 at New York Jets  | MetLife Stadium | 1:00pm ET CBS
Dec. 31 San Francisco 49ers  | FedExField | 1:00pm ET FOX
Jan. 7 Dallas Cowboys  | FedExFieldD | Time TBA ET

Questions To Be Answered

Can new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy transform the offense into a high-powered machine?

Can the defense maintain its strong level, and put up another top-10 performance?

Will the Commanders be able to battle through an extremely tough NFC East and earn a playoff spot?

Key Games To Watch

Opening day. The Cardinals might be the worst team in football this year – especially with Kyler Murray sidelined with  knee injury for the first part of it. The Commanders must win this game and get the season started with a win.

Turkey Bowl. The Washington versus Dallas match-up is always one to circle, but when it comes on Thanksgiving, it’s can’t miss TV. The last time they met in this prime time match-up, Washington spanked the Cowboys 41-16 (2020). The game is made even more critical by the fact that the Commanders will have already played all of their other NFC East match-ups.

Quick Start?

If Washington have playoff aspirations, then they have to get off to a good start. Their three easiest games of the season come in the first six weeks in the form of Arizona, Chicago and Atlanta.

If the Commanders can win all three of those match-ups and beat just one of the Broncos, Eagles or Bills – they will be off and running with a very respectable 4-2 record.

November Sucks

Patriots, Seahawks, Giants, and Cowboys – that’s a tough stretch no matter what, but when three of the four are away games, it’s even tougher.

Things that make it tough other than being on the road?

Back-to-back division games.

Long trip to Seattle.

A really short week for the Thanksgiving game against the Cowboys.

Bye Bye

Washington won’t be getting any mid-season breaks. The bye week is again set for Week 14. Ugh. That’s a long stretch without that extra week of rest.

NFC East Predictions

Third. The Eagles and Cowboys are just considerably better teams at this point. Sure anything can happen, but both teams have superior players at too many positions to ignore.

1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. Washington Commanders
4. New York Giants

Regardless, the NFC East has been highly unpredictable, with no repeat champions since 2005. The Commanders have the potential to surprise, but the division is filled with strong teams. Even the Giants will likely be strong again in 2023.

The entire division faces a challenging schedule, making the outcome even more uncertain.

Final Record Prediction

8-9

They haven’t been able to win more than seven games with Ron Rivera at the helm.

They will this year. But not by enough to make much of a difference.

If Sam Howell can catch fire and prove to be a real starter in the league, they could get as high as 10-7. If he doesn’t – they could fall as low as 5-12.

Former Coaches On the Schedule

Perhaps with the number floating around, it’s a foregone conclusion each season, but there are a ton of former Washington coaches that will be facing the Commanders on this year’s schedule.

Sean McVay is the current coach of the Rams and was the assistant offensive coordinator in Washington from 2010 to 2013.

Raheem Morris is on McVay’s staff as the defensive coordinator, and he was with the (then) Redskins in 2012 as the defensive backs coach.

Kyle Shanahan heads up the 49ers, and he was the offensive coordinator in Washington from 2010 to 2013.

Chris Foerster looks after the offensive line and the running game for Shanahan in San Francisco and was with the Redskins from 2010 through 2014.

Sean McDermott – the current head coach for the Bills – was in D.C. from 2015 to 2016 as the defensive coordinator.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was an offensive assistant in Washington in 2011 and 2012.

Chris Morgan is the offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears and was with Washington from 2011 to 2013.

Five head coaches – even though Morris is currently only a DC. Four of those five were on the Redskins staff at the same time under Mike Shanahan. In retrospect, what a crew!

Conclusion

With an offense led by coordinator Eric Bieniemy and a formidable defense, the Commanders have the potential to make a playoff push. However, considering the tough schedule and competitive NFC East, a near .500 record seems more likely. Only time will tell how the season unfolds, but Commanders fans can expect the tides to start turning with Dan Snyder sailing off into the sunset.