The year 2023 already has been a huge success for the Washington Commanders franchise. Why? Because owner Dan Snyder, one of the worst in American sports history, is out and Josh Harris is in. What to expect on the field this year?

A Closer Look at the Washington Commanders 2023 NFL Season

The importance of getting the ball out quick in the EB offense

Logan looks at the tape https://t.co/b8GX94qs35 pic.twitter.com/xkZY1KPUAn

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) July 30, 2023

• NFL Week 1: vs. Arizona Cardinals — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 2: at Denver Broncos — 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 3: vs. Buffalo Bills — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 4: at Philadelphia Eagles — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 5: vs. Chicago Bears — 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
• NFL Week 6: at Atlanta Falcons — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 7: at New York Giants — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 8: vs. Philadelphia Eagles — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 9: at New England Patriots — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 10: at Seattle Seahawks — 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 11: vs. New York Giants — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 12: at Dallas Cowboys — 4:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 13: vs. Miami Dolphins — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 14: BYE
• NFL Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams — 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 16: at New York Jets — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 17: vs. San Francisco 49ers — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 18: vs. Dallas Cowboys — TBD (TBD)

Close But No Cigar

This might be the last year that Commanders is Washington’s nickname as new owner Josh Harris is likely to change it for the 2024 campaign. One of Harris’ partners and minority owners is Magic Johnson.

The Commanders still had playoff hopes entering Week 17 last year when coach Ron Rivera made the strange choice to make a QB change ahead of a home game vs. Cleveland. Rivera went back to Carson Wentz, who had been the early-season guy but had been injured in Week 6. Taylor Heinicke had largely played well in Wentz’s place but struggled during a Week 16 loss, so Rivera chose to go back to Wentz against the Browns.

It was a disaster. Wentz was 16 of 28 for 143 yards with three picks in the 24-10 loss that eliminated the Commanders from postseason contention. The offense gained just 260 yards — 96 on Washington’s only touchdown drive. Rivera said he was contemplating going to Heinicke but decided against it once his team fell behind by 14 and he knew some downfield throws would be necessary.

Wentz and Heinicke are both long gone now and the QB job belongs to second-year Sam Howell. The 2022 fifth-round pick from North Carolina had a strong preseason as a rookie but posted mixed results in his lone regular-season start against the Cowboys in Week 18. He completed 58 percent of his passes for 169 yards, a touchdown and an interception while rushing five times for 35 yards and an additional score. The Commanders have a new offensive coordinator as well in former Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy.

“The way I look at it is, it’s a great opportunity for me with the position I’m in to really compete here and be the starter of this year,” Howell said. “It’s a great opportunity for me to go out there and just show what I can do. I know if I go out there on the field and play a type of football that I think I can play, everything will work out for itself. But, you know, I’m really just taking it one day at a time. Trying to put some consistent ball on tape. Just try to do everything I can to get better each and every day.”

Veteran Jacoby Brissett is there as insurance but if Howell fails, the Commanders will be taking a QB very high in the 2024 draft. The clear No. 1 running back is second-year Brian Robinson. A rookie season that yielded 797 rushing yards and two touchdowns from 12 games, Robinson showed flashes of his talent despite missing a month of football after being shot in a carjacking. Yes, shot.

A good group of wideouts is led by Terry McLaurin. Despite catching passes from three different starting quarterbacks, McLaurin set a career high with 1,191 yards, which put him 10th among all receivers in the NFL for the 2022 campaign.

The team’s biggest free-agent addition was Andrew Wylie, who will help at right tackle, but that won’t solve all the problems on the offensive line. The signing of Wylie adds to an offensive line that allowed 48 sacks in 2022, which was the seventh-most in the NFL.

A Look into the Roster

In the draft, the Commanders selected former Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16 overall. The Commanders needed more depth at the position alongside starters Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste. Fuller is a free agent after the season. Washington’s corners combined for four interceptions last season and only seven in the past two years combined. The Commanders ranked 28th in the NFL with nine total interceptions in 2022. Forbes had a total of 14 picks in his NCAA career and brought six back for TDs, an FBS record.

On defense, it’s a make-or-break season for end Chase Young, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and that season’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. overall. But since then, Young has not made an impact — first because of his play over the first nine games of his second season (1.5 sacks) and then because he tore the ACL and ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee. That injury sidelined him until the final three games last season. Washington did not pick up his fifth-year option so Young will become a free agent after the season. That often is the only motivation a guy needs.

The Commanders defense was 12th in sacks with 43 in 2022 and seventh in points allowed, allowing an average of 20.2 points per game. In a contract year, tackle Daron Payne was at his best, posting career-highs in sacks (11.5), tackles (64), tackles-for-loss (18) and quarterback hits (20). His play led to his first Pro Bowl appearance and a four-year $90 million deal this offseason.

Washington has the eighth-toughest schedule in the NFL this season as its opponents had a combined winning percentage of .535 last season. However, the Commanders are 6.5-point home favorites for Week 1 against a bad Arizona Cardinals team.

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READ MORE: Washington Commanders 2023 NFL Season Betting Guide