The short, somewhat painful answer to who do the commanders play next week is absolutely nobody.
Unless you count the front office playing a high-stakes game of "who’s the next coordinator," the Washington Commanders are officially done for the season. Following their Week 18 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 4, 2026, the team finished with a 5-12 record. Since they didn't make the postseason cut, the "next week" schedule is a blank slate of meetings, exit physicals, and draft prep.
Honestly, it’s a weird vibe in D.C. right now. Just a year ago, this team was the toast of the NFC after a deep 2024 playoff run. Now? We’re looking at a third-place finish in the NFC East and a lot of questions about why the wheels fell off after that promising 3-2 start.
The 2026 Schedule: What’s Actually Coming Up
While there’s no game next Sunday, we actually already know exactly which teams Washington will face in the 2026 season. The NFL’s rotation is a predictable machine, and since the Commanders finished third in their division, the "who" is settled, even if the "when" won't be revealed until the league's big schedule release in May.
Washington is slated for nine home games this year at Northwest Stadium. That’s a nice little perk of the 17-game format rotating back in their favor. They’ll be hosting the usual suspects from the NFC East, but the out-of-division slate looks pretty spicy.
Home Opponents at Northwest Stadium
- Dallas Cowboys (The rivalry never sleeps)
- New York Giants (A team they actually swept in 2025)
- Philadelphia Eagles (The team they just beat to end the season)
- Atlanta Falcons (The sixth year in a row these two have played—it’s basically a forced rivalry at this point)
- Cincinnati Bengals (A massive rematch of that 2024 Monday Night thriller)
- Houston Texans (First time hosting them since 2018)
- Indianapolis Colts
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks and Rams are particularly tough draws considering they both secured playoff spots this year. But hey, to be the best, you’ve gotta beat the teams that are actually playing "next week."
Road Trips on the Horizon
The away schedule is a bit of a trek. They’ll be heading to some of the loudest stadiums in the league.
- Arizona Cardinals
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- San Francisco 49ers (The "Shanahan Tree" bowl)
- Tennessee Titans
- Minnesota Vikings
- The usual trio of Dallas, Philly, and East Rutherford.
Why There’s No Game Next Week
If you were hoping to see Jayden Daniels under center in the Wild Card round, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. The Commanders’ 5-12 finish left them well outside the playoff picture.
The NFC is top-heavy this year. Teams like the Seahawks (14-3) and Bears (11-6) ran away with the conference, leaving Washington to wonder what went wrong. The biggest culprit? A defense that ranked 32nd overall. You just can't win in this league when you’re giving up over 380 yards a game. It doesn't matter how many "magic" plays Daniels makes if the other team scores on every possession.
The Coaching Shakeup
Instead of practicing for an opponent, the Commanders are currently cleaning house. News just broke that Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and Defensive Coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. are out.
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It's a bold move by Dan Quinn.
Basically, the team is hitting the reset button on the staff to try and maximize the remaining years of Daniels’ rookie contract. Rumors are already swirling about John Harbaugh potentially being in the mix if things shake loose in Baltimore, though that feels like a long shot. More likely, they’ll look for a young, innovative mind to fix an offense that stalled out in the red zone far too often this past autumn.
The International Factor
One thing to keep an eye on for the "next" schedule is the international game. It’s been reported by The Athletic and other outlets that Washington is expected to be a home team for an international fixture in 2026.
After playing in Spain last November (that heartbreaking 16-13 OT loss to the Dolphins in Madrid), the Commanders are becoming a bit of a global brand. Whether it’s London, Munich, or back to Mexico City, fans should probably keep their passports ready. It’s a bit of a headache for the players because of the travel miles, but it’s where the league is heading.
Key Dates to Watch Instead
Since you can’t watch them play next week, here is what you should be looking for on the calendar. These are the real "games" the front office has to win.
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- February 24 – March 3: The NFL Scouting Combine in Indy. This is where the draft board starts to take shape.
- March 10-12: The "Legal Tampering" window. This is when the Commanders need to spend some of that cap space on a secondary that doesn't leak yards like a sieve.
- April 23-25: The 2026 NFL Draft. Washington has a high pick again, and they desperately need an offensive tackle or a lockdown corner.
Final Thoughts for the Faithful
It’s tough when the season ends early. Watching the Eagles or Cowboys play next week while the Commanders are at home is a bitter pill to swallow. But the foundation is there. Jayden Daniels is still a franchise-caliber talent, and Bobby Wagner somehow posted 162 tackles at age 35.
The defense needs a total overhaul, and the coaching staff needs a new direction, but the "who do the commanders play next week" question will have a much more exciting answer this time next year if they nail this offseason.
Actionable Next Steps:
Keep a close eye on the coaching search over the next 72 hours. With Kingsbury and Whitt Jr. gone, the vacancies will be filled quickly to ensure the new staff can evaluate the roster before free agency begins in March. Check the official team site for the finalized list of 2026 home and away opponents to start planning any road trips for the fall.