Training camp nears, and the season beckons. Time to take a closer look at the Redskins' regular season opponents.
For the second year in a row, the **Redskins’ schedule** features three prime time games at FedExField.
They play two nationally televised games against NFC East rivals Dallas and Philadelphia and another against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb squares off against the Eagles for the first time on Sunday, Oct. 3, at Lincoln Financial Field. That is sure to be one of the season's marquee games.
Note that the Redskins' bye comes in Week 9, for games scheduled on Nov. 7-8.
A limited number of premium season tickets for Redskins home games are available. For further information, call 301-276-6800.
Here's an overview of the Redskins' 2010 regular season schedule:
Week 1: Sept. 12 vs. Dallas Cowboys (11-5), 8:20 p.m. ET
The Redskins open the regular season in prime time--Sunday Night Football on NBC--against their long-time NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. The last time Washington and Dallas played on the opening weekend was 1999, a 41-35 overtime win for the Cowboys.
The two teams have played on Sunday Night Football each of the last two seasons at FedExField. The Cowboys won both times, 14-10 in 2008 and 17-0 last year.
It's the first regular season game of the Mike Shanahan era. The two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach signed on as the Redskins' head coach on Jan. 6.
Also, Donovan McNabb makes his debut as the Redskins' quarterback. As a member of the Philadelphia Eagles last year, McNabb's season came to a disappointing end with a 34-14 Wild Card loss to the Cowboys.
The game marks the regular season debut of the Redskins' new 100-foot-wide HD Video Boards in both end zones. The Redskins boast that the video boards are "punter-proof," unlike the giant video monitor that hovers over the new Cowboys Stadium.
Week 2: Sept. 19 vs. Houston Texans (9-7), 4:15 p.m. ET
The Redskins stay at FedExField for their Week 2 matchup against the AFC South's Houston Texans. It's the first time the Redskins have opened with two consecutive games at home since 2002.
Houston joined the NFL in 2002 and the Redskins and Texans have only played twice in that span. The Texans' lone visit to FedExField came in 2002, their inaugural season. The last matchup between the two clubs was 2006 at Reliant Stadium--Clinton Portis rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 78 yards in a 31-16 victory.
Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan faces off against his former team for the first time. Shanahan coached with the Texans from 2006-09 and served as offensive coordinator the last two years. He helped the Texans produce the NFL's top-ranked passing offense in 2009.
Shanahan and Redskins quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur--who also coached with the Texans last year--should be familiar with Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, who earned Pro Bowl accolades last year.
The Redskins' defense will have its hands full against Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Johnson. Kyle Shanahan's coaching played a big part in Johnson's development.
Week 3: Sept. 26 @ St. Louis Rams (1-15), 4:05 p.m. ET
For the third year in a row, the Redskins take on the St. Louis Rams, this time at the Edward Jones Dome.
The last two matchups were at FedExField. In 2008, under interim head coach Jim Haslett (who is now the Redskins' defensive coordinator), the Rams pulled off a 19-17 upset win. Last year, the Redskins defeated the Rams 9-7.
St. Louis is now led by second-year head coach Steve Spagnuolo. He will have a new starting quarterback--the Rams released Marc Bulger this offseason and drafted Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford with the first overall pick of last April's NFL Draft.
The Rams finished with the league's 29th-ranked defense last year and Spagnuolo upgraded the defense with the free agent signings of defensive tackle Fred Robbins and cornerback Kevin Dockery, formerly of the Giants. (Spagnuolo was defensive coordinator of the Giants from 2007-08.)
The Redskins acquired defensive lineman Adam Carriker from the Rams in an April 20 trade.
Week 4: Oct. 3 @ Philadelphia Eagles (11-5), 4:15 p.m. ET
Expect a lot of hype for this matchup. Donovan McNabb travels to Philadelphia to play his former team for the first time since the April 4 trade that brought him to Washington.
McNabb played for the Eagles from 1999-2009, setting numerous franchise passing records and guiding the club to five NFC Championship games and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX.
McNabb has consistently downplayed the matchup, but he is sure to be extra motivated playing against the Eagles.
The Redskins lost twice to the Eagles last year, including 27-24 at Lincoln Financial Field. Prior to last season, the Redskins had won three of four against the Eagles.
The Eagles finished in second place in the NFC East last season and earned a Wild Card playoff berth. This year, fourth-year quarterback Kevin Kolb takes over as the Eagles' signal-caller.
Week 5: Oct. 10 vs. Green Bay Packers (11-5), 1 p.m. ET
The Redskins return to FedExField to host the Green Bay Packers. Since 1979, Green Bay has played in Washington just once--a 24-14 Packers win at FedExField in 2004.
The Packers earned a Wild Card playoff berth last year but lost to the Arizona Cardinals 51-45 in the opening round.
It's the first time the Redskins will face quarterback Aaron Rodgers, regarded as one of the burgeoning young stars of the league. Rodgers replaced legend Brett Favre in 2008 and last year threw for 4,434 yards and 30 touchdowns.
The Packers have been quiet this offseason, re-signing free agent offensive linemen Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher. The team also drafted offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga to fortify an offensive line that yielded 51 sacks last year.
Green Bay switched to a 3-4 base defense in 2009 and produced the league's second-best defense. The Redskins hope to have similar success as they transition to the 3-4 in 2010.
Week 6: Oct. 17 vs. Indianapolis Colts (14-2), 8:20 p.m. ET
The Redskins host Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in a Sunday Night Football matchup at FedExField.
It's the first time Manning visits FedExField since 2002, when the Redskins defeated the Colts 26-21 in a Sunday night game. Manning completing 21-of-32 passes for 214 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Redskins last played against Manning in 2006 in Indianapolis. The Colts won 36-22 when Manning tossed three touchdown passes in the third quarter.
It's the third time that Manning and Donovan McNabb will have faced each other. Manning has won both previous contests, 35-13 in 2002 and 44-17 in 1999.
The Colts won the AFC South last year and earned a berth in Super Bowl XLIV. They lost to the New Orleans Saints 31-17 in the championship game.
Week 7: Oct. 24 @ Chicago Bears (7-9), 1 p.m. ET
The Redskins travel to the Windy City for the first time since 2004 when they defeated the Bears 13-10 at Soldier Field. The two franchises have had a long and storied history which includes four matchups in NFL title games from 1937-43. (The Redskins won two and the Bears won two.)
It's a homecoming for several Redskins. Mike Shanahan was born in Oak Park, Ill and Donovan McNabb grew up in Chicago. Phillip Daniels currently makes his home in Chicago.
Shanahan drafted Bears quarterback Jay Cutler when both were with the Denver Broncos in 2006. Cutler established himself as a Pro Bowl quarterback under Shanahan in 2008. After Shanahan left the Broncos, Cutler was traded to the Bears.
The Bears were among the NFL's most active teams in free agency. On March 5, they signed Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, regarded as the prize of the 2010 free agent class, and added running back Chester Taylor and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna.
Week 8: Oct. 31 @ Detroit Lions (2-14), 1 p.m. ET
The Redskins take on the Detroit Lions for the fourth year in a row and third consecutive time at Ford Field.
Last year, Washington lost to Detroit 19-14 to end the Lions' 19-game losing streak. It was regarded by many as a crushing loss and a turning point that resulted in the Redskins' disastrous 4-12 campaign.
In the last two years, Detroit has posted a 2-28 record. Second-year head coach Jim Schwartz continues to remake the Lions' roster with five free agent additions, including wide receivers Nate Burleson and Brian Clark, defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and cornerbacks Jonathan Wade and Dante Wesley. In the draft, the Lions selected prized defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Second-year quarterback Matthew Stafford leads the Lions' offense--he was 21-of-36 for 241 yards and one touchdown against the Redskins last year. Former Redskins offensive lineman Jon Jansen is back for another season in Detroit.
The last time the Redskins played on Halloween was in 2004 in a 28-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Week 10: Nov. 15 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5), 8:30 p.m. ET
It's the Redskins' third prime time game of the year at FedExField and it comes against the Philadelphia Eagles, Donovan McNabb's former team. Following the bye week, the Redskins will have two weeks to prepare for this game.
Last year, the Redskins hosted the Eagles on Monday Night Football, with McNabb guiding the Eagles to a 27-17 win. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson scored two touchdowns, one on a 67-yard reverse and the other on a 57-yard reception.
Philadelphia appears to be going with a youth movement on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Kevin Kolb, Jackson, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, tight end Brent Celek and running back LeSean McCoy are the team's future playmakers on offense.
The Eagles released several veterans this offseason, including running back Brian Westbrook, wide receiver Kevin Curtis and defensive end Darren Howard. They also traded cornerback Sheldon Brown and linebacker Chris Gocong to the Cleveland Browns.
The Eagles remade their defense with top draft pick Brandon Graham and second-round pick Nate Allen. They acquired defensive end Darryl Tapp in a trade with Seattle and linebacker Ernie Sims in a trade with Detroit.
Week 11: Nov. 21 @ Tennessee Titans (8-8), 1 p.m. ET
The Redskins play for the second time in the regular season in Tennessee. The Redskins won their only game at LP Field in a 31-14 win in 2002.
The two clubs played at FedExField in 2000 and 2006, with the Titans winning both encounters.
Two years ago, the Titans were among the NFL's elite teams, but they struggled to a 0-6 start last season. They rallied in the second half of the year to finish at 8-8.
Jeff Fisher has coached the Titans since 1994, making him the NFL's longest-tenured head coach. Vince Young has re-emerged as Tennessee's starting quarterback. He earned his first NFL win against the Redskins leading the Titans to a 25-22 win in 2006.
The Titans also boast 2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson. The last time the Redskins faced a running back from the 2000-yard club was 2008 when they played Jamal Lewis and the Cleveland Browns.
Week 12: Nov. 28 vs. Minnesota Vikings (12-4), 1 p.m. ET
Will Brett Favre be the Vikings quarterback? Last year, Favre joined the Vikings in training camp and helped lead the team to the NFC Championship game. He has not announced if he's returning for a 20th season.
Favre has played just one game at FedExField in his illustrious career--a 2004 game in which he led the Green Bay Packers to a 24-14 win.
If Favre does not play, then Tarvaris Jackson is likely to take over at quarterback. The Redskins defeated Jackson and the Vikings 32-21 at the Metrodome in 2007, the last time the two clubs played.
The last time Minnesota played at FedExField was 2006 in the regular season opener on Monday Night Football. The Vikings prevailed 19-16.
Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson makes his FedExField debut. In 2007, the Redskins bottled up Peterson, holding him to 27 yards on nine carries.
Week 13: Dec. 5 @ New York Giants (8-8), 1 p.m. ET
The Redskins play a regular season game for the first time at the new Meadowlands Stadium, which houses both the Giants and the Jets. (The Redskins make their debut at the stadium in preseason against the Jets.)
The new stadium is right across the parking lot from the old Giants Stadium, which has been a house of horrors for the Redskins. They lost their last two games at Giants Stadium, a 16-7 loss in 2008 and a 23-17 loss last season.
Overall, the Redskins have struggled against the Giants in recent years, losing seven of eight games since 2006.
It's the first time since 2006 that the Redskins will face both Eli and Peyton Manning in a season.
Week 14: Dec. 12 vs. Tampa Bay (3-13), 1 p.m. ET
Washington and Tampa Bay have played nine times in the last 11 years, with the Buccaneers holding a 5-4 edge. The two clubs met in Week 4 at FedExFleid last year, with the Redskins winning 16-13.
Redskins general manager Bruce Allen had a hand in developing the Bucs' current roster. He served as general manager of the Bucs from 2005-08.
Second-year head coach Raheem Morris has turned the offense over to second-year quarterback Josh Freeman, the 17th overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft. Freeman started 9-of-10 games last year and threw 10 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Freeman lost his top wide receiver Antonio Bryant to free agency and it appears the Bucs are still developing offensive playmakers.
The defense is also redeveloping its identity under Morris. Top draft pick Gerald McCoy is expected to become a force as a defensive tackle in the middle.
Week 15: Dec. 19 @ Dallas Cowboys (11-5), 1 p.m. ET
The Redskins play at Dallas's new stadium for the second time. Last year, the Redskins narrowly lost to the Cowboys 7-6 as quarterback Tony Romo tossed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Patrick Crayton in the game's final minute.
Playing in Dallas has never been an easy time for the Redskins. Since 1995, they have won only twice in Dallas, a memorable 14-13 come-from-behind win in 2005 and a 26-24 victory in 2008.
The Cowboys had a relatively quiet offseason, standing pat on their roster as they build for a Super Bowl run. (Super Bowl XLV is to be played at Cowboys Stadium following the 2010 season.)
The team did release long-time left tackle Flozell Adams and Pro Bowl safety Ken Hamlin, and they could fill those roster spots in the draft. Doug Free is expected to take over for Adams for now, but Alex Barron--acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Rams--is waiting in the wings.
In the NFL Draft, Dallas finally made some noise. Wide receiver Dez Bryant, projected by some to be a top 10 pick, slipped to the Cowboys at No. 24. He could provide quarterback Tony Romo a dynamic presence on the outside along with Miles Austin.
Week 16: Dec. 26 @ Jacksonville Jaguars (7-9), 1 p.m. ET
Washington concludes its AFC South schedule with a road contest at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. The Redskins won the last meeting between the two clubs, a 36-30 overtime thriller in 2006 at FedExField that ended when Santana Moss caught a 56-yard touchdown pass.
The Redskins are 1-1 in Jacksonville in the regular season, winning 24-13 in 1997 and losing 26-7 in 2002.
Jacksonville is led by 32-year-old quarterback David Garrard, who is entering his fifth season as the starter. Diminuitive Maurice Jones-Drew led the Jaguars offense with 1,391 yards and a league-high 15 touchdowns.
The Jaguars picked up two of the more highly regarded free agents by signing defensive end Aaron Kampman and wide receiver/special teams standout Kassim Osgood. It's hoped that Kampman can improve a pass rush that totaled a league-worst 14 sacks in 2009.
Week 17: Jan. 2 vs. New York Giants (8-8), 1 p.m. ET
The Giants have won four consecutive games against the Redskins at FedExField, including last season's nationally televised 45-12 clunker in Week 15.
The two long-time rivals have closed out the regular season against each other 14 previous times. They last played in a season finale in 2006, with the Giants prevailing 34-28 at FedExField.
For years, the Giants have been one of the NFL's most balanced teams, but they struggled on defense in 2009. The pass defense slipped to 15th in the league and team officials moved quickly to address the secondary with the free agent signings of free safety Antrel Rolle and strong safety Deon Grant.
The Giants continue to boast one of the NFL's top defensive lines, led by Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiawanuka. They drafted defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul in the first round of the draft as well.
The offense is still led by quarterback Eli Manning and a thunder-and-lightning ground game with running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Wide receiver Steve Smith emerged as a threat, posting 107 catches for 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns.
