Hogs Haven
The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
2026 opponent preview series: Wk 1 Eagles | Wk 2 Cowboys | Wk 3 Seahawks | Wk 4 Colts | Wk 5 Giants | Wk 6 49ers | Wk 9 Rams | Wk 11 Bengals | Wk 12 Cardinals
In 2026, the Commanders will, like every other team in the NFL, play 17 games against 14 opponents. With the amount of roster change that NFL teams undergo annually along with the unusually large number of head coach and coordinator changes in 2026, it seems useful to spend some time to review each of Washington’s regular season opponents.
With a relatively benign 4th-place schedule and a season of NFC South, NFC East and AFC North opponents — 6 of the 8 teams in those latter two divisions had losing records in 2025 — it’s quite possible that the Titans could be sporting a fairly reasonable W-L record when they enter this Week 13 game.
According to ESPN’s preseason Power Index, the softest part of Washington’s 2026 schedule is Weeks 12 & 13 when the Commanders play the 29th-ranked Cardinals and the 27th-ranked Titans in back-to-back Sunday road games. With the Giants in Week 10, the Bengals on MNF in Week 11, the Cardinals in Week 12 and the Titans in Week 13, one hopes that the Commanders will come into Week 13 looking to extend a winning streak.
Date: December 6, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee
The Tennessee Titans concluded the 2025 regular season with a 3–14 record, finishing last in the AFC South for the third consecutive year. The franchise began the season under head coach Brian Callahan, who was dismissed after a 1–5 start. Interim head coach Mike McCoy managed the remaining 11 games, guiding the team to a 2–9 finish. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward, selected with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, started all 17 games, throwing for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. The team struggled collectively on both sides of the ball, ranking 30th in scoring offense and 28th in scoring defense.
Expectations for 2026 focus on hoped-for roster and staff upgrades following an active offseason. The front office hired Robert Saleh as head coach and Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator to reset the team identity. The front office spent over $310 million in free agency to remodel the roster, focusing heavily on the defensive secondary and defensive line additions. National publications are generally...
