How Washington Redskins' Offense, Defense Compare to Rest of NFC East
Regardless of the fact that they're coming off a 4-12 campaign, the goal for the Washington Redskins in 2015 is to make the playoffs.
While there will be 15 teams competing with them for a playoff berth in the NFC, the Redskins need only to concern themselves with three, and they all reside in the NFC East.
Keeping last season's performance in mind, let's factor in the changes each team has made this offseason and see how Washington's offense and defense compares to the rest of the NFC East.
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Offense
Passing Game
| Team | Passing Yards | TDs | INTs | Completion % |
| Dallas | 3,784 | 37 | 11 | 68.9 |
| New York | 4,272 | 30 | 14 | 63.1 |
| Philadelphia | 4,356 | 27 | 21 | 61.8 |
| Washington | 4,047 | 18 | 18 | 66.5 |
| ESPN | ||||
What we have at the quarterback position in the NFC East is production versus potential.
On the production side, there's Tony Romo and Eli Manning. While ball security has been an issue at times for both quarterbacks, they're both capable of carrying the offenses of their respective teams.
The same can't be said for the latter two quarterbacks, Robert Griffin III and Sam Bradford. Highly touted quarterbacks entering the league, their NFL development has been derailed by injuries.
With that said, the onus will fall on their supporting casts to pick up the slack. Flanked by DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon at receiver, this edge has to go to Griffin. Just look at who Bradford will be throwing to.
Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy are no longer Eagles, leaving Jordan Matthews, rookie Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz as Bradford's top targets. Not very enticing, right?
Chalk it all up, and it'll be Chip Kelly's Eagles in the cellar here.
As for the top passing attack, Manning's array of weapons gives him the crown. Not only does he have Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr. to rival Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, but with Preston Parker and Rueben Randle, he has receiving depth on his side as well.
Rushing Offense
| Team | Rushing Yards | Yards/Rush | TDs |
| Dallas | 2,354 | 4.6 | 16 |
| New York | 1,603 | 3.6 | 13 |
| Philadelphia | 1,992 | 4.2 | 16 |
| Washington | 1,691 | 4.2 | 15 |
| ESPN | |||
Once the strength of the team, Washington's rushing attack fell on its face in 2014. Alfred Morris had the worst season of his three-year career, and the team finished 19th in rushing. Enter Bill Callahan.
Callahan will be bringing with him to Washington the power-running scheme he used to great success last season in Dallas. While it's true he won't have DeMarco Murray or the Cowboys offensive line at his disposal, he won't need either to transform the Redskins into the NFC East's top rushing attack.
For starters, with Murray now an Eagle and Darren McFadden in as his chief replacement, Dallas won't be replicating last season's rushing output.
Down Pro Bowler Evan Mathis and Maclin to stretch the field, even with Murray, the same can be said about Philadelphia.
As for the Giants, you can again pencil them in to bring up the rear here. Shane Vereen was a marquee addition for this team in the offseason, and well, he's a running back in name only. His expertise is catching the football out the backfield, not running with it.
Back to the Skins. Looking at Washington's failures a season ago, more than anything it was a lack of commitment, not talent, that held the Skins rushing attack down. The team was 21st in rushing attempts.
With a renewed commitment, not to mention better personnel up front in Brandon Scherff and Spencer Long, Washington will sport the division's top rushing attack.
2015 Rankings: 1. Redskins, 2. Cowboys, 3. Eagles, 4. Giants
Defense
Passing Defense
| Team | Yards | TDs | INTs | Sacks | Completion % |
| Dallas | 4,031 | 22 | 18 | 28 | 66.5 |
| New York | 3,850 | 25 | 17 | 47 | 62.1 |
| Philadelphia | 4,238 | 30 | 12 | 49 | 58.4 |
| Washington | 4,047 | 35 | 7 | 36 | 66.5 |
| ESPN | |||||
You've heard it plenty by now. Washington fielded the NFL's worst pass defense in 2014, according to Football Outsiders. Looking at the NFC East as a whole, though, the team's division rivals weren't much better.
For the life of the Cowboys, they couldn't rush the passer. Their 28 sacks was not only last in the division but 28th in the league. Greg Hardy was brought aboard to bolster the pass rush, but between the 10-game suspension on his docket and the fact that he appeared in just one game in 2014, his impact on the bottom line here is questionable.
Moving to the Eagles, it's the pass rush that stands as their calling card. They were second in the NFL in sacks. And in hindsight, they had to be. Philly's secondary was atrocious, so much so that Kelly all but remade the back end of his defense this offseason.
In place of Nate Allen, Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams, Kelly has rookie Eric Rowe, Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell.
Even with these moves, Philly falls short of trumping the Giants. New York, too, sported a potent pass rush a season ago, finishing with 47 sacks. But unlike the Eagles, its secondary isn't bare of talent.
Depth is an issue, but the Giants can have some level of comfort trotting out Landon Collins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara on Sundays.
Now for the home team.
Akin to Philadelphia, Washington, too, had turnover in the secondary. Done in by missed tackles and blown assignments, the team bid adieu to Ryan Clark, Brandon Meriweather and Tracy Porter in favor of Chris Culliver, Jeron Johnson and Dashon Goldson.
In addition to these changes, the team can look forward to the return of DeAngelo Hall and the continued development of Bashaud Breeland. While their pass rush isn't on par with the Eagles, with Ryan Kerrigan, Trent Murphy and rookie Preston Smith, the Redskins are positioned to improve on their 2014 output.
For the time being, that's enough for the team to get out of the cellar.
2015 Rankings: 1. Giants, 2. Eagles, 3. Redskins, 4. Cowboys
Rushing Defense
| Team | Rushing Yards | Yards/Rush | TDs |
| Dallas | 1,650 | 4.2 | 18 |
| New York | 2,162 | 4.9 | 15 |
| Philadelphia | 1,771 | 3.7 | 14 |
| Washington | 1,722 | 4.1 | 11 |
| ESPN | |||
After seeing injuries to Barry Cofield, Jason Hatcher, Stephen Bowen and Brian Orakpo tax the team's defensive front in 2014, Washington made it a point to bolster the team's depth along the front seven.
Mission accomplished.
In his first year as general manager, Scot McCloughan nabbed Ricky Jean-Francois, Stephen Paea and Terrance Knighton in free agency. Paired with holdovers like Hatcher, Chris Baker and Keenan Robinson, these additions will have the team challenging to be a top-10 rushing defense this season.
Question is, though, will this put Washington atop the NFC East's rankings? Nope.
While New York's run defense remains porous—even after signing Kenrick Ellis and George Selvie—the Eagles and Cowboys will again be formidable up front.
Already sporting a top-10 rushing defense, Dallas will regain the services of linebacker Sean Lee. A player with a nose for finding the ball-carrier, Lee will form a potent tandem with Rolando McClain.
In the case of Philly, in terms of yards per carry, it sported the division's best defense against the run.
A side effect of Kelly's quick-tempo offense, teams ran the football more frequently against the Eagles in an effort to tire out their defense. The team was 28th in the NFL in attempts against.
This will surely be a formula teams use again in 2015 against the Eagles. But again sporting depth at linebacker with the likes of Kiko Alonso and Marcus Smith II, Philly will be able to maintain its high level of play against the run.
2015 Rankings: 1. Eagles, 2. Redskins, 3. Cowboys, 4. Giants
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