You like that?! You like that?!
It’s hard not to like a division title and a playoff appearance – two things that the Redskins were able to achieve last season.
It all started when head coach Jay Gruden made the bold choice to bench Robert Griffin III in favor of Kirk Cousins before the beginning of the 2015 season. After that, he never looked back.
Although things looked bleak for the Redskins at first, they went on a hot streak at the end of the season and entered the playoffs on a four game winning streak.
They won more games last season than they did in the 2013 and 2014 seasons combined. The Redskins certainly want to repeat last year’s success – and they set themselves up well to do just that this offseason. They started off by making their secondary much stronger by signing David Bruton, Jr. (safety) from the Denver Broncos and Josh Norman (cornerback) from the Carolina Panthers.
Bruton, Jr. played his best football last season as he recorded 42 tackles, defended seven passes, picked off two passes, and recorded a sack as the Broncos devastating defense would help bring a third Lombardi Trophy back to the city of Denver.
Josh Norman was an absolute monster last season and that statement probably doesn’t do any justice. He established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL as he collected 56 tackles, 19 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and four interceptions – two of which he scored touchdowns on in 2015. He was a key player in the Panthers magical 2015 campaign that included 17 total victories and an appearance in Super Bowl 50.
In the draft, the Redskins improved their receiving corps greatly by drafting Josh Doctson out of TCU. Doctson was a key player in TCU’s offense last season as he caught 79 passes for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns. An AFC wide receivers coach even went on to say that TCU “looked lost without him.” Doctson is known for his ability to go up and win when the ball is in the air – something that should greatly please his new quarterback.
Despite the Redskins improving their roster, they face a much tougher schedule this season than they did a year ago. What does that mean for Washington? Here’s their entire schedule for next season:
Week 1: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 2: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week 3: at New York Giants
Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 5: at Baltimore Ravens
Week 6: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 7: at Detroit Lions
Week 8: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 9: Bye
Week 10: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 11: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 12: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 13: at Arizona Cardinals
Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 15: vs. Carolina Panthers
Week 16: at Chicago Bears
Week 17: vs. New York Giants
Let’s be honest here: the AFC and NFC North are two fierce divisions and the Cardinals and Panthers are both forces to be reckoned with. That’s what happens when you win your division the previous year. You have to face the other division winners from the previous season. Are the Redskins up to the task?
Week 1: Loss – Washington isn’t exactly known for strong starts and the Pittsburgh Steelers are widely regarded as one of the best teams in the entire AFC conference when they’re fully healthy. This spells trouble for the Redskins.
Week 2: Loss – This is an intense rivalry. Oddly enough, the Cowboys have beaten the Redskins in Landover for the past three seasons. That trend continues in this game as the Cowboys should have a clean bill of health.
Week 3: Loss – Josh Norman vs. Odell Beckham, Jr. will be a treat to watch. Unfortunately, Washington hasn’t beaten the Giants in New Jersey since the 2011 season.
Week 4: Win – What better way to get a first win than to beat your former quarterback on your own home field?
Week 5: Loss – This will be a game for the ages. However, a much improved (and healthier) Ravens team comes out on top and defends their home turf.
Week 6: Win – The Eagles were the only team in the NFC East last season who lost to the Redskins twice. Washington takes care of business in this game.
Week 7: Win – The Lions lost Megatron to retirement. The Redskins added Josh Norman in free agency. This is a recipe for another Redskins win.
Week 8: Loss – The last time that the Bengals missed the playoffs was in 2010. The Redskins also haven’t beaten an AFC team on the road since Week 4 of the 2013 season.
Week 10: Win – This game really could go either way and should be very exciting for the full 60 minutes. The Redskins take full advantage of being at home in this game and come out on top as the final seconds of the game expire.
Week 11: Loss – Remember what happened to the Redskins in the playoffs last season? Green Bay went to Landover and trampled Washington by a score of 35-18. However, Washington will put up a much better fight this time as they lose a heartbreaker.
Week 12: Win – The Redskins return the favor to Dallas by beating them on their home field.
Week 13: Loss – The Cardinals are one of the best teams in the NFL. There is no shame in losing to Arizona in the desert. Many teams do.
Week 14: Win – The Eagles officially get swept by the Redskins for the second season in a row as the Redskins fight to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Week 15: Win – This game could potentially be the upset of the year. Josh Norman will make life miserable for Cam Newton as the Redskins will get payback on the Panthers for destroying them in the previous season.
Week 16: Win – The Bears haven’t exactly been the best team in the past few seasons. In fact, they were the only team outside of the NFC East last season that had the Redskins beat them on their home field. Washington also should have more to play for than Chicago at this point of the season – just like last season. The result: another win for the Redskins.
Week 17: Win – The Redskins avoid being on the wrong side of a division sweep as they finish the season strong with a win that completes yet another four game winning streak to finish the season.
Final Record Prediction: 9-7
Bottom Line: The Redskins are finally ready to become a relevant team in the NFL that teams can’t just mark off as an easy win on their schedule. However, the real question is will the rest of the NFC East get any better? Will a 9-7 record be able to get the Redskins another division title or even just a wild card spot in the playoffs? The good news is that their biggest threat to the division title, the Dallas Cowboys, haven’t had Tony Romo play in all 16 games since 2012. Regardless, a 9-7 record is much better than most seasons the Redskins have experienced in recent memory.
