John Matthews
WMAL.com
ASHBURN, VA — If the Washington Redskins are going to have a successful 2018 season, they’re going to have to start fast out of the gate, and build momentum to survive a brutal stretch run to end the year.
The Redskins will open the season on the road against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, September 9th, and will follow with two home games against Indianapolis and Green Bay before getting an early bye in Week 4. None of those three opponents finished 2017 with winning records, and the Redskins could get off to a fast start under new quarterback Alex Smith.
Early success is essential, because the back half of the season is loaded with challenges for the Redskins, including a three-week stretch of division games, starting with a Thanksgiving Day clash in Dallas against the Cowboys. This will mark the third straight year that the Redskins have played on Thanksgiving.
After games against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles and the New York Giants, the Redskins face road games against two AFC teams that made the playoffs last season – Jacksonville and Tennessee – before they head back home to close the regular season against the Eagles.
After several years in the spotlight with as many as five prime-time games, the Redskins will play just two in 2018, a reflection of the team’s 7-9 record in 2017. In addition to the Week 13 Monday Night matchup in Philadelphia, the Skins will also travel to New Orleans for a Week 5 Monday Night game.
NFL schedules rotate among opposing divisions, and in 2018, the NFC East will play the NFC South and AFC South teams. Since the Redskins finished third in the NFC East, they shall also play the third place finishers from the NFC’s other two divisions – the Cardinals and Packers.
Here is the complete 2018 Redskins schedule (All times Eastern) :
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, Green Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 4: BYE
Week 5: Monday, Oct. 8, at New Orleans, 8:15 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, Carolina, 1 p.m.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, Dallas, 4:25 p.m.
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, at NY Giants, 1 p.m.
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, Houston, 1 p.m.
Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 22, at Dallas, 4:30 p.m.
Week 13: Monday, Dec. 3, at Philadelphia, 8:15 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, NY Giants, 1 p.m.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
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