SNIDER: Commanders staring at 7-10

A rough start, late bye and gauntlet of good opponents may make it another losing season for the Washington Commanders.

But then, 7-10 doesn’t look so bad in the latest franchise reboot with a new coach and quarterback. That is, if the season doesn’t slip away early.

Washington travels three of its first four games and four of the opening six. Starting at Tampa Bay on Sept. 8 is a loss to a team that won a playoff game last season. Washington rebounds with quarterback Jayden Daniels’ home debut versus the New York Giants.

The first of two prime-time games follow at Cincinnati on Monday Night Football, but Washington still isn’t ready for the national lights in a loss to a solid playoff contender. The big ask is to then win at Arizona on a short week after maybe two practices. That’s a game Washington needs to steal to keep the season from opening 1-3.

The Commanders welcome a revived Cleveland Browns in another 50/50 game followed by a short trip to Baltimore and a loss. Yet, ensuing home games versus Carolina and Chicago could make it a 3-1 stretch for an implausible 5-3 mark come near midseason.

The trap door opens to four straight losses to New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Dallas. Hopefully, Washington beats Tennessee before its Dec. 8 bye – the third straight season of a Yuletide break.

The danger of a late bye was shown last season when Washington faced four meaningless games upon returning. It lost all four, showed no life and most of the coaches and players are now gone because of that soulless skid.

This time, Washington faces New Orleans, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Dallas after the break. It might beat Philadelphia in an annual series known for strange endings. But, Atlanta and Dallas should need wins as playoff contenders and New Orleans is a better team. However, Commanders fans would love knocking off former local quarterback Kirk Cousins now with Atlanta. That is, if first-rounder Michael Penix hasn’t already claimed his future.

The NFL suspects Washington faces another mediocre year by scheduling no Sunday night appearances, which are now more watched than Mondays. There’s a mandatory Thursday nighter at Philadelphia and a Monday versus Cincinnati that will see more eyeballs on opponents than Washington. There’s only one home game at “Commanders-for-now Field” after 1 p.m. for a national audience; ironically against Carolina when nobody outside the two competing cities will watch.

Still, 7-10 is an improvement given 4-13 last year. The Commanders haven’t won a game since Nov. 5 so anything remotely good will be welcomed.

Then again, losing always stinks with many moments when improvement will be hard to see. Hopefully, it won’t come early.