4 major observations from the Commanders schedule release in 2023

Ron Rivera
Ron Rivera / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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What were some major observations from the Washington Commanders' point of view as the NFL officially released their 2023 regular season schedule?

The Washington Commanders head into the 2023 campaign with some quiet optimism attached to their chances. It hasn't been the flashiest offseason by any stretch of the imagination, but head coach Ron Rivera seems supremely confident in his team as preparations for the season ramp up in the weeks ahead.

After much speculation, the NFL officially released the structure of fixtures during their annual schedule release. A chance for fans to plan trips and players to circle specific dates on the calendar that might mean a little more.

The Commanders only have one primetime game - which isn't surprising considering how much others are fancied in comparison. But that does not detract from how crucial the upcoming campaign is for Rivera with the promise of new ownership coming into the fold beforehand.

With that being said, here are four major observations from the Commanders 2023 schedule release.

Major Observation No. 1

Commanders
Ron Rivera / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Commanders must deal with another late bye week

Ideally, a team's bye week wants to be in the Weeks 7-10 range. This represents the midway stage of the season and splits their games up into two halves, which is the best possible chance players have of remaining relatively fresh throughout a typically grueling campaign.

Sadly, that is not the case once again for the Washington Commanders. The league's schedule has them recuperating in Week 14, which is just four contests before the season's conclusion.

Fortunately for those who've been around the Commanders in recent years, it's nothing new. Therefore, they should already have coping mechanisms in place for this eventuality.

Still, it's not ideal.