A photo of the Commanders' Hail Mary to beat the Bears last season belongs in the Louvre. (Washington Post illustration; Peter Casey/Imagn Images,iStock)
During a trip to Paris in April, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels stopped by the Louvre with a photo of Noah Brown’s game-winning, Hail Mary touchdown catch against the Bears from October. Brown’s improbable grab off a deflection with no time remaining was the most magical moment of a season that saw Washington advance to the NFC championship game for the first time since January 1992.
“We got to hang this shot in the Louvre,” Daniels, who launched the memorable pass after scrambling to avoid a game-ending sack, said while standing in front of the world’s most visited museum.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Art But Make It Sports (@artbutmakeitsports)
Daniels and Co. will look to build on last year’s surprising success and make new (if less insane) memories when the 2025 NFL season kicks off in less than four months. The Commanders won’t sneak up on anyone this year, as evidenced by the fact that the NFL, which announced its 2025 schedule Wednesday, has decided they’re must-see TV.
Commanders reporter Nicki Jhabvala has the full story of Washington’s 17-game slate, which features a whopping five prime-time matchups, but in keeping with D.C. Sports Bog tradition, here’s a week-by-week look at how excited I am for each game, on a scale of one to five Hail Mary photos that should be hung in the Louvre.
🏈
Follow Sports
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 7 vs. New York Giants (1 p.m.)
Washington hosts the Giants for its regular season opener for the first time since Sept. 11, 2011, when Rex Grossman threw a pair of touchdown passes in a 28-14 win. The opponent isn’t sexy, but this NFC East matchup gets a bump for being the first game of a highly anticipated campaign.
Week 2: Thursday, Sept. 11 at Green Bay (8:15 p.m.)
Washington returns to Lambeau Field for the first time since 2021, when it had zero punts for the first time this century and still lost by 14. The Packers added a couple of new weapons for quarterback Jordan Love in the draft, selecting Texas speedster Matthew Golden in the first round and fellow wideout Savion Williams of TCU in the third. This game can’t go any worse for Washington than its most recent prime-time showdown in Green Bay, a 37-0 drubbing on “Monday Night Football” in 2001.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. Las Vegas (1 p.m.)
The Raiders make their first trip to Landover since relocating from Oakland in 2020. Washington’s defense will have its hands full with rookie running back Ashton Jeanty and the tight end duo of Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, especially with versatile safety Jeremy Chinn now wearing the silver and black for Coach Pete Carroll.
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 28 at Atlanta (1 p.m.)
Last year, the Commanders had the NFL’s easiest schedule and feasted on teams that didn’t make the postseason, going 11-1 in those games. That included a playoff-clinching 30-24 overtime win against Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons in Week 17. Expect Washington to be fired up for Dan Quinn’s return to Atlanta, where he coached for five-plus seasons.
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 5 at Los Angeles Chargers (4:25 p.m.)
Washington hasn’t won a road game against the Chargers (in Los Angeles or San Diego) since 1986, when Gary Clark caught a late touchdown pass from Jay Schroeder in a 30-27 win. Quarterback Justin Herbert will provide a stiff test for defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.’s unit.
Week 6: Monday, Oct. 13 vs. Chicago (8:15 p.m.)
The Bears come to Landover for a third straight year and the second showdown between the first two picks of the 2024 draft. Methinks Chicago cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, who was seen taunting the home crowd with his back to the line of scrimmage when Washington’s Hail Mary play began, will keep his focus on the field this time. The Commanders fan who was telling a Fox 5 sports reporter “I feel as though we won, for real” as the game-winning miracle was unfolding behind him would be an inspired choice for honorary captain.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 19 at Dallas (4:25 p.m.)
Marcus Mariota’s touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with three seconds remaining was the difference in Washington’s 23-19 win over Dak Prescott-less Dallas at Jerry World last season. Washington will have a short week to prepare for first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer’s Cowboys.
Week 8: Monday, Oct. 27 at Kansas City (8:15 p.m.)
Daniels vs. Patrick Mahomes on “Monday Night Football”? Yes, please. The Commanders have lost eight straight games against the Chiefs dating from 1983 and are 0-5 all-time in Kansas City. They’ll look to break the streak in a potential Super Bowl preview.
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 2 vs. Seattle (8:20 p.m.)
Geno Smith, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are out. Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are in. The Seahawks’ offense is virtually unrecognizable ahead of Coach Mike Macdonald’s second season at the helm.
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 9 vs. Detroit (4:25 p.m.)
The Lions visit Northwest Stadium for a rematch of last season’s divisional-round playoff game, which saw Washington score a stunning 45-31 win at Ford Field. The Lions’ secondary still has nightmares of the Commanders’ receivers torching them, but at least they won’t have to deal with Dyami Brown, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars after his breakout postseason.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16 vs. Miami in Madrid (9:30 a.m.)
Churros and football: That’s what Madrid does (among many other things). Washington will play its first international game since its 2016 tie against the Cincinnati Bengals in London when it takes on the Dolphins at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, which is a slightly more impressive venue than the Commanders’ current home. The Commanders can hang a photo of their Hail Mary in El Prado ahead of the NFL’s first game in Spain. Get your Madrid travel recommendations here.
Week 12: Bye
Week 13: Sunday, Nov. 30 vs. Denver (8:20 p.m.)
Quarterback Bo Nix leads the Broncos into Northwest Stadium for Washington’s fifth prime-time game of the season.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 7 at Minnesota (1 p.m.)
One of seven 2024 playoff teams on the Commanders’ schedule, which is the eighth toughest based on 2024 winning percentages, the Vikings have won three straight and five of six against Washington. Washington’s most recent win in Minneapolis came during its Todd Collins-led playoff push in December 2007.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 14 at New York Giants (1 p.m.)
Correctly predict the Giants’ quarterback for this Week 15 meeting at MetLife Stadium and win a prize. First-round pick Jaxson Dart? Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston? Or the only guy in New York’s QB room with a perfect record and at least one start against Washington, Tommy DeVito?
Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 20 vs. Philadelphia (TBD)
Last year’s come-from-behind, 36-33 home win against the Eagles was among the highlights of the season. The first of two clashes with the Eagles over this year’s final three weeks offers Washington a shot at revenge for Philadelphia’s 55-23 drubbing at Lincoln Financial Field in the NFC championship game.
Week 17: Thursday, Dec. 25 vs. Dallas (1 p.m.)
I understand why some fans are thrilled about this holiday matinee, but as a father of two young kids, I can think of a few things I would much rather do on Christmas than fire up Netflix or travel to Northwest Stadium to watch the Commanders play. Call me the Grinch and say one Hail Mary for the fans who have to break the news of this coal-in-your-stocking game to their non-football-obsessed loved ones.
Week 18: TBD at Philadelphia (TBD)
It’s a fourth straight NFC East matchup to close the regular season. Will the tush push still be legal? Will this game matter for both teams? Can’t wait to find out.
To recap:
5 Hail Mary photos: at Kansas City, vs. Detroit, vs. Philadelphia
4: vs. New York Giants, at Green Bay, at Dallas, at Miami, at Philadelphia
3: at Atlanta, at Los Angeles Chargers, vs. Chicago, vs. Denver, at Minnesota
2: vs. Seattle, vs. Las Vegas, at New York Giants
1: vs. Dallas