Win probability: 46 percent

The Redskins catch a transitioning Cardinals team in the season opener, as Arizona has a new coach in Steve Wilks and a new quarterback in Sam Bradford. This is a dramatic shift from the Bruce Arians and Carson Palmer era. The Cardinals will also have three new starters on the offensive line, and the two returning starters combined to play only six games last season because of injuries. The Redskins, however, have been notoriously slow starters under Coach Jay Gruden, who is 0-4 in season openers. Starting 2018 on the road doesn’t help.

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Sept. 16, vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m., CBS

Win probability: 57 percent

The Colts have Andrew Luck back from a shoulder issue that erased his entire 2017 season. Waiting for him to actually throw a football was an offseason story line in itself considering the former No. 1 overall pick hasn’t played in an NFL game since Jan. 1, 2017. The offensive line has improved, but the receiving corps is suspect beyond T.Y. Hilton. This remains a rebuilding team with a good bit of upside depending on Luck’s play. The hype in the Washington area would be sky-high if the Redskins could take care of their first two, winnable games.

Sept. 23, vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m., Fox

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Win probability: 40 percent

The Packers are always a contender as long as Aaron Rodgers is wearing green and gold. Jordy Nelson is gone, and Davante Adams is officially the No. 1 receiver. The Packers also added five-time Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham and now have their best player at that position since Jermichael Finley last played in 2013. Dom Capers’s nine-season run as defensive coordinator has ended, and former Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine has taken over the unit. The Redskins will be an underdog here, even at home.

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Sept. 30, Bye week

Oct. 8, at New Orleans Saints, 8:15 p.m., ESPN

Win probability: 28 percent

The Saints were one snap from playing in the NFC championship game last season when a missed tackle by Marcus Williams allowed a 61-yard, game-winning touchdown catch and run by Minnesota’s Stefon Diggs. New Orleans still has Drew Brees and the running back duo of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, who will be making his return from a four-game suspension. The team made a vast improvement on defense in 2017, and the hope is that trend continues in 2018. New Orleans is a raucous place to play on Monday nights, and the Redskins will be in a tough spot.

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Oct. 14, vs. Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m., Fox

Win probability: 51 percent

Cam Newton remains key to everything the Panthers do, but the organization continues to have questions at wide receiver. Carolina added an aging Torrey Smith and drafted D.J. Moore out of Maryland with the No. 24 overall pick. Running back Christian McCaffery is expected to take on a much larger role, and tight end Greg Olsen is back after playing just seven games in 2017 because of injury. The Panthers also return one of the best defensive front sevens in the league, anchored by five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly.

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Oct. 21, vs. Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m., CBS

Win probability: 51 percent

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The Cowboys are much like every other team in the NFC East not named the Eagles. Dallas seems to have a middle-of-the-road roster that could make a playoff run if a few things go right, or it could be drafting in the top 10 if a few things go wrong. Quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott are a good start on offense, but the receiving corps isn’t exactly dynamic after Dez Bryant was cut and likely Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten retired. The team took a blow when four-time Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome and is out indefinitely.

Oct. 28, at New York Giants, 1 p.m., Fox

Win probability: 39 percent

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After a two-game homestand, the Redskins go back on the road with a second consecutive game against a division rival. This will be Washington’s first look at running back Saquon Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick. The defense should be tested against a Giants offense that should be much better than 2017 with the return of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. from injury and the continued development of wide receiver Sterling Shepard and tight end Evan Engram. The offensive line received some help with the free agent signing of Nate Solder. A 2-0 start in division play would be huge for the Redskins.

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Nov. 4, vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m., Fox

Win probability: 41 percent

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Quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receivers Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu and running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman are all back from the No. 8 total offense in the league. This is a team that has every chance to compete for a championship if a young defense continues to grow. This could be terrible timing for the Redskins if things don’t go well in their consecutive NFC East games.

Nov. 11, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m., Fox

Win probability: 39 percent

The Redskins are going to have to win some games on the road, and this is a winnable one they need to get. Quarterback Jameis Winston continues to try to live up to the potential that made him a No. 1 pick, and he will have to play catch-up after serving a three-game suspension to open the season. Coach Dirk Koetter is on the hot seat, and home games against teams like Washington are ones he needs to win. This isn’t exactly a game that stands out on the league schedule, but there’s plenty on the line for both teams.

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Nov. 18, vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m., CBS

Win probability: 40 percent

The returns of quarterback Deshaun Watson and defensive end J.J. Watt from injury are a huge boost for a team that went 4-12 last season. The Texans were 3-4 after Watson played his last game of the season, a 402-yard passing effort against the Seattle Seahawks. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament in practice the following week, and Houston went 1-8 afterward. Watt, a four-time all-pro and three-time defensive player of the year, hasn’t played a full season since 2015.

Nov. 22, at Dallas Cowboys, Fox

Win probability: 32 percent

Thanksgiving games are given so much extra attention and weight than a normal Thursday game that anything can happen. This is the third straight season Washington will play on Thanksgiving, including a 31-26 loss to the Cowboys in 2016. That game was Dallas’s only Thanksgiving win in the past four seasons. With a road game against the defending Super Bowl champs coming the following week, Washington needs a holiday victory.

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Dec. 3, at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:15 p.m., ESPN

Win probability: 28 percent

The Redskins follow up a Thanksgiving rivalry game with a Monday night showcase against the reigning champs. The Eagles are loaded with a young star quarterback in Carson Wentz and arguably the best defense in the NFL. A win would be an upset for those wearing burgundy and gold.

Dec. 9, vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m., Fox

Win probability: 53 percent

Week 14 brings a third consecutive NFC East game after a pair of marquee games on the NFL schedule. This kicks off the final quarter of the season, and if the Redskins are still in contention in the division this will be a must-win, especially before a two-game road trip through half the AFC South.

Dec. 16, at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m., Fox

Win probability: 27 percent

The Jaguars continue to be a difficult team to read with Blake Bortles at quarterback and an average receiving corps with Marqise Lee lost for the season because of a knee injury. The defense remains one of the best in the league, and running back Leonard Fournette looks to build off a 1,000-yard rookie season. This is no longer an easy road trip, and it marks the beginning of a three-game stretch against 2017 playoff teams to end the season.

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Dec. 22 or 23, at Tennessee Titans, TBD

Win probability: 33 percent

Marcus Mariota may have regressed in his third NFL season, but the Titans still reached the postseason for the first time since 2008. The receiving corps is expected to take a step forward with Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor, and Dion Lewis joins Derrick Henry in the backfield after the retirement of DeMarco Murray. The team’s development under first-year Coach Mike Vrabel should be interesting and fully implemented by Week 16.

Dec. 30, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m., Fox

Win probability: 49 percent

The Redskins sure hope their playoff chances don’t come down to the season finale. Or maybe the best they can ask for is for the champs to have locked in their postseason position so they can rest key players. The NFL wants teams in competitive situations against division foes in the final week, and the Redskins will be in that spot, for better or worse.