The Washington Football Team has the 10th-easiest strength of schedule heading into the 2021 season.
Following Week 4 of the 2020 regular season, Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera was already thinking about Weeks 6-9. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. had just played his best game of the season against the Baltimore Ravens (despite the loss), but Rivera elected to bench him.
Rivera was thinking ahead to the three straight division games his team was slated to play against the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys and Giants again. Because no team in the NFC East had more than one win after four weeks of play, Rivera began to wonder: “Why not us?” He saw the chance to make a big push and decided a change was needed under center.
Haskins’ benching is just one example of how the Washington Football Team’s schedule impacted Rivera’s approach to the 2020 season. If those division games were spread out instead of back-to-back-to-back, maybe Rivera does not bench Haskins after Week 4. Maybe Kyle Allen does not get injured against the Giants in Week 9 and maybe Alex Smith does not make his heroic return to the playing field.
These are, of course, hypothetical situations and other factors likely contributed to Rivera’s decision to bench Haskins following Week 4, such as the signal-caller’s reportedly lackluster work ethic and preparation. But the timing of Rivera’s choice, two weeks before crucial division matchups, underscores the importance of a team’s schedule.
As Washington prepares for next season, it must consider the opponents it will face. Based on combined winning percentages from the 2020 season, Washington has the 10th-easiest strength of schedule in the league with a record of 123-131-2 (.484). The Giants are tied for the fifth-easiest schedule (.464). The Cowboys have the third easiest schedule (.453) and the Eagles have the easiest schedule of any team in the league at 115-141 (.449).
Inconsistency has long defined the NFC East as there has been no repeat division winner in the past 16 years, the longest such streak of any division in the NFL. As Washington aims to break a historic streak and make the postseason for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1991-92, its schedule will pose a significant challenge.
The basic rules of NFL scheduling are popularly known. Each team plays 16 games, including six total against division counterparts. The other rules that define each team’s schedule are more specific. A team plays four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle and plays four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle. The two remaining intraconference games are based on a team’s prior year’s standings. These games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season.
This format is subject to change as reports have circulated about the NFL expanding its regular season from 16 to 17 games in 2021.
The Washington Football Team’s 2021 schedule will feature home games against the following teams: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks.
Washington will its their other eight games on the road against the following teams: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders and Green Bay Packers.
Four of the Football Team's seven wins last season came against division opponents.
Because the Football Team won the NFC East in 2020, they play the first-place winners of the NFC West in the Seahawks and the NFC North in the Packers. Other notable opponents include the 2019 Super Bowl Champion Chiefs and the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. The Seahawks will return to FedExField and Washington will travel to Lambeau Field to face the Packers. Washington is also expected to visit Bank of America Stadium to play the Panthers, marking Rivera’s first trip back to Carolina since 2019.
Washington may be the defending NFC East champion but only one of their seven wins last season came against a team with a winning record - the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13. Every other team around the league that won its division recorded at least 11 victories. The Football Team is receiving the same treatment as other division champions in having to play two other first-place winners in 2021. But the result is that Washington will begin next season in a deeper hole than other teams in its division.
If the NFC East resembles last season, a team with a losing record could clinch the title yet again. This would not be surprising as each team’s quarterback situation remains uncertain. Washington is in search of a franchise starter and the Eagles traded Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts. In Dallas, it remains unclear if the Cowboys will be able to sign Dak Prescott to a long-term deal. Daniel Jones will likely return to the starting role for the Giants but his lack of significant improvement from year one to year two has raised doubts. Additionally, the coaches of the Football Team, Cowboys and Giants are entering just the second season with their teams and Philly’s Nick Sirianni is entering his first.
Washington’s challenging non-conference schedule makes the details surrounding its division counterparts more significant. Faced with a tough slate of non-conference opponents, the Football Team’s six games against the Cowboys, Eagles and Giants take on an added importance. Four of Washington’s seven wins last season came against teams in the NFC East. If the Football Team is going to be successful next season, defeating its closest rivals is a necessity.
