The Redskins will open the regular season at home on Sept. 11 — the 10th anniversary of 9/11 — fittingly against the New York Giants. They also will play a Monday Night Football game at Dallas in Week 3, travel to Toronto to play the Buffalo Bills and host Minnesota on Christmas Eve. And they’ll close the season in Philadelphia on New Year’s Day.
Some quick thoughts:
1. I’m never a big fan of an early bye week; think it’s always better later when the bodies are a little more banged up. However, the bye this season breaks up a tough road stretch. The Redskins play four road games in five days, but the bye spreads it out.
2. No home prime time games? It’s the first time since teh 2001 season that Washington will not host a game on Sunday night or Monday night. In fact, they play only one Monday Night Football game, a week 3 trip to Dallas. The league clearly lacks confidence in the Redskins. Does it matter? Nope. They didn’t host Monday night games in 2005 and ’07, either. They made the playoffs in both seasons.
3. That’s a tough finish. The final five games — against the Jets and Patriots followed by games at the Giants, home against the Vikings and at the Eagles — are brutal. But the previous three games won’t be easy, either, as the Redskins play road games at Miami and Seattle and host Dallas.
4. Think they’ll play Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert in consecutive weeks? It’s possible as they play Carolina and Buffalo back to back. Both might have rookie QBs starting for them. Sounds like Newton will go first, but some scouts say he’d be best served going to Buffalo to play for Chan Gailey, who they say does a great job adjusting to a QBs skills.
5. Not a fan of the NFL playing on Christmas Eve, but at least the Redskins are at home at 1 p.m. Pity the Vikings beat writers who must stay overnight. But for the umpteenth year, the league failed to ask my opinion before the schedule was released.
6. It’ll be an emotional opener as the Redskins host the Giants on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Very hard to believe it’s been 10 years. Wow.
7. The silliest thing to do is try to predict the Redskins’ record now that we know the schedule. Why? Injuries. A game that looks daunting now may look completely different when the game rolls around. That doesn’t mean we all won’t look at the schedule and try to peg which games they’ll win or lose. Of course, not having gone through free agency or the draft yet we have no idea how much some teams will improve.
Here’s the schedule:
DATE OPPONENT/NETWORK TIME
Sunday, Sept. 11 vs. NEW YORK GIANTS (FOX) 4:15 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 18 vs. ARIZONA CARDINALS (FOX) 1:00 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 26 @ Dallas Cowboys (ESPN#) 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 2 @ St. Louis Rams (FOX) 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 9 BYE
Sunday, Oct. 16 vs. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (FOX) 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 23 @ Carolina Panthers (FOX) 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 30 @ Buffalo Bills (Toronto) (FOX) 4:05 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 6 vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (FOX) 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13 @ Miami Dolphins (FOX) 1:00 p.m.*
Sunday, Nov. 20 vs. DALLAS COWBOYS (FOX) 1:00 p.m.*
Sunday, Nov. 27 @. Seattle Seahawks (FOX) 4:05 p.m.*
Sunday, Dec. 4 vs. NEW YORK JETS (CBS) 1:00 p.m.*
Sunday, Dec. 11 vs. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (CBS) 1:00 p.m.*
Sunday, Dec. 18 @ New York Giants (FOX) 1:00 p.m.*
Saturday, Dec. 24 vs. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (FOX) 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 1 @ Philadelphia Eagles (FOX) 1:00 p.m.*
