Is Commanders 'Easiest' Schedule a Trap?
The Washington Commanders are entering the 2022 season tied with the Dallas Cowboys for easiest schedule in the NFL.
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That metric is based off of the total winning percentage of all the teams on Washington's schedule this upcoming season. By playing the AFC South and NFC East as more than half of the docket, it's no surprise as to why the Commanders have the "easiest" road. But is that road leading right into a trap?
The Commanders start the season off with a strong opportunity to earn their first 2-0 start since 2011 by facing the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions, the two teams that held the top two picks in the draft. To close out September, the Commanders draw the Philadelphia Eagles at home, which is a winnable game.
October gives more of a test with four of the five games coming against teams with winning records from a year ago. The Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans come up on the schedule this month and could be penciled in as quick losses. But the other games against the Cowboys, Bears and Colts are all winnable, despite those games being on the road.
After two games in the middle of the schedule against the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles, the Commanders enter the easiest part of their schedule.
The Commanders follow the pair of games with four straight against teams that picked in the Top 10 of the recent draft: @ Houston Texans, vs. Atlanta Falcons and a pair of games against the New York Giants with a Week 14 bye sandwiched in between.
That Week 14 bye gives the team a chance to rest when they will absolutely need it, considering how tough the end of the schedule is.
Once the Commanders get past the Giants, they face the San Francisco 49ers on the road followed by a pair of home games to close out the year against the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. While these games are at home, they come against teams likely competing for playoff positioning.
It's devilish of the NFL to give the Commanders an easy path from late November to mid-December and then a gauntlet to end the year. And those last few games will almost certainly determine whether the Commanders make the playoffs.
That means if Washington wants to get back to the playoffs, it has to earn it.
