Washington Football 2021 NFL ‘Mock Schedule’: Our Prediction

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Football Team is set to find out their official scheduling fate on Wednesday night.

However, much like mock drafts, the mock schedule has become a thing over the years, if you can believe that.

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The first time I ever heard of it was via my radio colleague Kevin Sheehan, who does one every year and is very committed to the project with opponents, start times and television networks.

For those of us who cover games, a schedule that doesn't include a Thanksgiving game is very important. In our mock schedule below, somehow Washington avoids that, even though they seem to love playing on the holiday, and have done so five times in the last eight seasons.

Oh, also ... few who work 'em really like night games, but those are unavoidable when you have a team that people are actually intrigued by - and that's now Washington.

The WFT has become a bit of a "destination team'' and an organization that people now have interest in.

Why? Chase Young and his defensive pals. Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel. Also, Ryan Fitzpatrick brings some juice. Ron Rivera certainly has made an impact. Oh, and an NFC East title.

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Also involved: The name, the branding and all of the different changes that have been made.

What does it all mean? Expect a heavy dose of prime-time and late-afternoon games, especially against marquee opponents.

So here's our best guess at a 2021 'mock' schedule for the Washington Football Team, trying to keep in mind as many of the mind-numbing rules as possible.

Week 1 - Dallas - Monday Night Football

Week 2 - At Las Vegas - 4:25 PM

Week 3 - At Green Bay - Thursday Night Football

**Note: This would seem unlikely but our maybe-cynical belief is that the NFL has no problem putting a travel screw job on the Washington Football Team. A late return from Vegas, followed by a short week and a two-hour trip to Wisconsin seems ... about right.

Week 4 - New Orleans - 1 PM

Week 5 - New York Giants - 4:05 PM

Week 6 - BYE

Week 7 - Tampa Bay Bucs - Sunday Night Football

Week 8 - At New York Giants - 1 PM

Week 9 - Philadelphia - 1 PM

Week 10 - At Denver - 4:05 PM

Week 11 - At Carolina - 1 PM

Week 12 - At Atlanta - 1 PM

Note: A second potential opportunity for the WFT to get jobbed by the NFL, which supposedly hates to give three-game road trips out but has found a way to do just that to Washington last year and two other times recently.

Week 13 - Kansas City - 4:25 PM (Possible SNF Flex)

Week 14 - LA Chargers - 4:25 PM

Week 15 - at Philadelphia - 1 PM

Week 16 - Seattle - 1 PM

Week 17 - At Buffalo 4:25 PM (Possible SNF Flex)

Week 18 - At Dallas 4:25 PM (Possible SNF Flex)

Note: With two straight road games to close out the year, the NFL has now officially put its heavy-handed touch on the WFT season. (And if this really happens? We can still be called "cynical,'' but certainly not "paranoid.''

READ MORE: Remembering the 2020 Schedule

*Based on 17-game schedule and eight home games/nine road games in new scheduling format.