Washington Commanders brutal opening stretch

Yahoo Sports said on May 21 that Washington took a hit in post-schedule power rankings after the NFL’s 2026 schedule release put a difficult opening stretch into focus. The Commanders’ first six games include road trips to Philadelphia, Dallas and San Francisco, plus a London game against Indianapolis in Week 4. FOX Sports, in a May 20 schedule-release analysis, listed Washington among five teams that need to start fast. The NFL released the full 2026 regular-season schedule on May 14. ### Which part of Washington’s schedule drew the strongest reaction? Washington opens on Sept. 13 at the Philadelphia Eagles and follows that with a Sept. 20 trip to the Dallas Cowboys, according to the Commanders’ official schedule page and NFL.com. The Commanders then host the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 27 before facing the Indianapolis Colts in London on Oct. 4 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Week 5 brings a home game against the New York Giants on Oct. 11, and Week 6 sends Washington to the San Francisco 49ers for a Monday night game on Oct. 19. Commanders Wire, in a schedule takeaways piece carried by Yahoo Sports, called that sequence “a brutal stretch to start the season.” ### Why did power rankings move after the schedule release? Yahoo Sports, citing Commanders Wire, said the schedule caused Washington to fall in post-release power rankings because “2026 won’t be a cake walk, especially in the first half of the season.” A separate Yahoo item on May 18 said the team was “set up for failure” because of the early run of opponents. (sports.yahoo.com) FOX Sports made a similar point from a leaguewide angle. Its May 20 story said the Commanders were one of five teams that “must get off to a good start” now that the shape of the season is known, placing Washington in a group facing immediate early pressure from the schedule. ### What makes the opening six games unusually demanding? (sports.yahoo.com) Philadelphia and Dallas give Washington two NFC East road games in the first two weeks. Seattle, the defending Super Bowl champion, arrives in Week 3, according to Commanders Wire’s schedule analysis summarized by Yahoo Sports. San Francisco closes the stretch in prime time before Washington’s bye in Week 7. (foxsports.com) The London trip adds another wrinkle. The Colts game is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Oct. 4 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, creating an international travel week before Washington returns home to face the Giants. ### Where does the schedule ease up, if at all? Week 7 is Washington’s bye. After that, the Commanders host the Eagles on Nov. 1, the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 8 and then visit the Giants on Nov. 12 in a Thursday night game, according to the team schedule. (sports.yahoo.com) The second half also includes home games against Cincinnati, Houston and Atlanta, plus road games at Arizona, Tennessee, Minnesota and Jacksonville. (commanders.com) The regular season is set to end at home against Dallas on Jan. 9 or Jan. 10, the team schedule shows. ### What is the next concrete date on the calendar? Sept. 13 is Washington’s opener at Philadelphia, with kickoff listed for 4:25 p.m. (commanders.com) Eastern on FOX. Sept. 20 follows with another 4:25 p.m. Eastern road game at Dallas, before the Commanders return to Northwest Stadium to host Seattle on Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. Eastern.