The Washington Commanders will begin the 2023 season at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Kevin Sheehan of The Team 980 had the story first.
Washington vs Arizona at Fed Ex Week 1.
My mock got it right. #Commanders
— Kevin Sheehan (@kevinsheehanDC) May 11, 2023
Hosting the Cardinals to kick off a new era — Washington’s first game without Daniel Snyder as the owner — made sense for the Commanders. Washington has had trouble filling FedEx Field with its own fans in recent years, so there is hope that Commanders’ fans will pack FedEx Field for Week 1. The team hopes a new owner combined with a new season will be enough to get fans excited.
Scheduling an NFC East foe at home for Week 1 never made sense. Dallas, New York and Philadelphia fans have often packed FedEx Field, and the Commanders wanted to host a full stadium in front of their own fans. The Cardinals don’t have the same type of national following as the division rivals or other teams on the home schedule, such as the Buffalo Bills or Chicago Bears.
Many predict that the Cardinals could be the worst team in the NFL in 2023.
