My father taught me when I was a kid that there are two sides to every coin.
You don’t know how many times I have remembered that, and it helped me consider both sides of the coin regarding various issues.
Well, how about the Commanders’ 2024 schedule?
Sure enough, John Breech of CBSsports.com wrote a story this week about how “there is one good thing and one bad thing each team will face this season.” Here is the entire story for each of the 32 NFL teams.
What did Breech feel were the good and the bad aspects of the Commanders’ 2024 schedule?
Washington Commanders
One good thing for the Commanders:
The Commanders have a friendly December schedule. Not only did they land a Week 14 bye, but they’ll also get to play three teams that missed the playoffs last season (Titans, Saints, Falcons). “
One bad thing for the Commanders:
The AFC North was the toughest division in the NFL last year and the Commanders will have to face three of those teams in a four-week span. The gauntlet starts in Week 3 with the Bengals before a game in Week 5 vs. the Browns, which will be followed by a Week 6 game against the Ravens.”
Indeed, the Commanders’ December schedule does not look that tough (at least for now). Yet, not having your bye until Week 14 should not be considered a good thing.
The NFL annually continues to reveal little concern for schedule integrity when it schedules a bye week for a team as early as Week 5, with the last bye week coming for some teams in Week 14.
The NFL continues to reveal that fairness of schedule is not a major concern of its own. No, what it is concerned with is spreading out the byes as far as it can, playing as many games as possible each of those Sundays.
As for the AFC North? Yes, the Commanders will likely be the underdog in each of those four matchups. Having to play three in four weeks will not be any easier.