NFL analyst exposes brutal truth behind Commanders’ 2025 schedule fears

The Washington Commanders' days of 1 p.m. Eastern Time games every Sunday during the regular season are gone. That was widely anticipated after their phenomenal efforts during the previous campaign, but it's going to take some serious adjustment from Dan Quinn's squad with almost no stable routine to depend upon.

It's a daunting challenge facing the Commanders, especially considering the loftier expectations on their shoulders. However, it's a nice problem to have compared to how things have looked over the last two decades.

The NFL schedule-makers were keen to take advantage of Washington's newfound prosperity. They have eight standalone games — five of which are on primetime. There's also a Saturday game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a Christmas Day clash versus the Dallas Cowboys, and an international trip to Madrid thrown in for good measure.

NFL analyst believes Commanders got screwed by 2025 schedule structure

Washington's schedule structure was a topic discussed in greater detail by Conor Orr from Sports Illustrated. He thought the Commanders got screwed, and he's not alone. But the analyst acknowledged this is the price for success in the modern-day NFL.

Perhaps this is a theme of the evening. It almost certainly underlines the downside of becoming suddenly great in the NFL. After a peaceful ramping up period, the Commanders are poised to be the NFL’s marketable team in the middle section of the schedule.Conor Orr

Quinn was probably expecting this. The Commanders are gaining positive headlines for the first time in decades. They are a hot commodity with on-field success and ambitious plans in place behind the scenes. This is also a big market with a passionate fan base, so it wasn't hard to connect the dots.

There is enough experience in the locker room to ensure complications are minimal. It'll be a grueling slog, but that's the case every season. If the Commanders start well, which is entirely possible looking at the opposition over the opening month, it can provide the springboard needed for another prosperous campaign.

Nobody will care if the Commanders feel aggrieved or not. They have to manage the situation as best they can, remain focused on the task at hand, and make sure everything is in place to seize the immense opportunity in front of them.

Making sure their fairytale run to the NFC Championship game last season wasn't just a flash in the pan is the primary objective. If the Commanders achieve this mission, this year's schedule structure will become their new normal.

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