Win-Loss Predictions for the Washington Redskins' Remaining Schedule
Doubleheaders against NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, as well as games against fellow NFC playoff hopefuls the Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, highlight the Washington Redskins' remaining schedule for the 2017 NFL season.
Washington sits at 3-2 entering Week 7, having already had a bye week. The record is just about accurate for a team veering between impressive and barely above average.
Things look better defensively, but growing injuries in the secondary are a concern ahead of the final 11 games. It's a different story on the other side of the ball, where the Redskins' offense is generally healthy but still searching for a true identity.
The passing game hasn't looked equipped to cope without DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. At least there have been signs of life from the running game for the first time in a while, even though genuine consistency is still needed.
Find out how these factors will influence Washington's win-loss record for the remainder of the season.
Week 7: at Philadelphia Eagles
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Redskins 24-21 Eagles
To say the Philadelphia Eagles are soaring at the moment is an understatement. A young roster, well-balanced on both sides of the ball and led by astute young head coach Doug Pederson has Philly sitting pretty at 5-1 and atop the division.
The Eagles got their season started by downing the Redskins 30-17 at FedExField. Yet, for all the things they're doing right, there are still reasons to believe the Eagles won't make it a clean sweep on Monday Night Football in Week 7.
Instead, the Redskins can go to Lincoln Financial Field and win, primarily thanks to their ability to stop the run. Washington boasts the eighth-stingiest run defense in football, yielding a modest 88 yards per game.
More important, they are the only team to hold the Eagles under 100 yards rushing in a game this season. Repeating the trick will rob them of the balance their offense has relied on.
Pederson is a shamefully underrated coach who calls an imaginative scheme, but it's one still dependent on keeping defenses guessing and making life easy for second-year quarterback Carson Wentz.
Wentz won't have it easy against a Redskins pass rush coming into its own in recent weeks. In outside linebackers Ryan Kerrigan, Preston Smith and Junior Galette, along with defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis, Washington has enough pressure-specialists to keep Wentz under siege this week.
Completing plays and taking down No. 11 when the opportunities are there will be key. The Redskins did neither in Week 1 and it cost them.
This time, though, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky can devise pressure schemes designed to keep Wentz in the pocket.
As for the offense, the Redskins can utilize running back Chris Thompson out of the backfield, as well as dual-tight end threat Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis. All three offer matchup advantages for quarterback Kirk Cousins to exploit.
The Redskins have a solid recent record in road games against the Eagles, having won at the Linc in five of the last eight seasons, including the last two in a row. Expect Cousins, Kerrigan and Co. to find a way to edge a close one on Monday night.
Week 8: Home vs. Dallas Cowboys
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Prediction: Cowboys 20-28 Redskins
At the moment, it's anybody's guess if Ezekiel Elliott will be suiting up against Washington in Week 8. The Cowboys' star running back has been granted a temporary restraining order against his pending suspension, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
As Rapoport noted, the TRO holds for two weeks "or until further proceedings." It means there's still a chance Elliott plays at FedExField.
Frankly, though, the Redskins shouldn't worry too much either way. Sure, Elliott is a talent, one who can control the clock as well as rip off big, game-breaking runs at any time.
Even so, Washington's defense is tougher to make headway against on the ground this season. The arrival of bigger, better linemen such as Terrell McClain and Stacy McGee has helped. So has slotting inside linebacker Zach Brown into the heart of the defense.
The Redskins are now better equipped than most to keep the Cowboys' ground attack under wraps.
Yet Washington's biggest advantage in Week 8 should come from their own ability to run the ball. The Cowboys owned the most formidable run defense in the league a year ago but rank 22nd this season.
Elliott's ability to help the Dallas offense boss time of possession was a big reason for last year's success, as opposing teams barely had enough plays to stick with the run. Losing a player as difficult to move as nose tackle McClain, whom the Redskins plucked from the Cowboys in free agency, has also been a factor in the decline.
Washington can turn running backs Thompson, Rob Kelley and rookie Samaje Perine loose against a lightweight Cowboys defensive front. The Redskins can let their own bully of an offensive line dictate this game.
Line coach Bill Callahan helped to craft an intimidating front in Dallas and is repeating the feat for the Redskins, with a line getting more physically imposing each week. A group led by right guard Brandon Scherff will wear down the Cowboys in Week 8 and help Washington take control of the division.
Week 9: at Seattle Seahawks
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Redskins 13-17 Seahawks
The Redskins won't find a tougher defense left on the remaining schedule than the one fielded by the rugged Seattle Seahawks. It's difficult to identify a weakness on the unit constructed and expertly schemed by head coach Pete Carroll.
There isn't an obvious weakness in a secondary still built on the brawn and intelligence of safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, along with cornerback Richard Sherman.
This trio will afford the Seahawks a clear matchup advantage against Washington's receivers. At 6'3", Sherman will matchup physically with either of Cousins' two towering wideouts, 6'4" Terrelle Pryor Sr. or 6'2" Josh Doctson.
If Pryor and Doctson were producing more big plays by this point, there may be reason to be confident about the trip to Seattle. Yet, as the primary replacements for Garcon and Jackson continue to struggle, it's easy to believe Sherman and Jeremy Lane will handle Washington's big-play threat through the air without too much fuss.
Similarly, Chancellor will handle the tough assignment of keeping Reed quiet. Not having his main targets to aim for will leave Cousins at the mercy of a merciless pass rush led by Michael Bennett and burgeoning game-wrecker Frank Clark.
It's not as if the Redskins will be able to run the ball effectively against a stout interior underpinned by D-tackles Sheldon Richardson and Jarran Reed, the player the Redskins should have drafted in 2016.
With the offense shut down, Washington's defense will have to keep the Burgundy and Gold in this one. It can be done, but the flair for escapology of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will give the hosts big plays when they need them.
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Week 10: Home vs. Minnesota Vikings
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Vikings 12-20 Redskins
Another daunting defense will await the Redskins in Week 10. Unlike in Seattle, though, Washington can steadily overcome the Minnesota Vikings on home soil.
For one thing, the Vikings aren't quite as good defensively as the Seahawks, even if their own unit still demands respect. In particular, the front seven is awash with an enviable amount of destructive talent.
Rush ends Everson Griffen, Brian Robison and Danielle Hunter can collapse the edges against anybody. Meanwhile, house-sized nose tackle Linval Joseph clogs running lanes for fun on the inside.
Yet, the creative use of versatile linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks sets this defense apart. Head coach Mike Zimmer loves to attack offenses with double A-gap blitzes.
Zimmer's pressure schemes will test the strength of the interior of Washington's O-line, specifically center Spencer Long's ability to diagnose the blitz and successfully adjust the protection in front of Cousins.
The Vikings defense will make life tough for Cousins and his unit, but Minnesota's lack of firepower on offense will eventually lead to a Redskins win. Rookie running back Dalvin Cook's season-ending knee injury has made the Vikes worryingly one-dimensional.
It's not as if the passing attack can carry the load, either. Not when Sam Bradford, Case Keenum and Teddy Bridgewater are the unconvincing options at quarterback.
The Vikings still have some effective weapons, particularly velcro-handed receiver Stefon Diggs. Thankfully, Washington should have shutdown cornerback Josh Norman back from injury in time for this game.
If Norman is available, he'll keep Diggs quiet and leave the Vikings unable to keep pace.
Week 11: at New Orleans Saints
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Redskins 23-30 Saints
The New Orleans Saints have looked awfully impressive in recent weeks. They blanked the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London before putting 52 points on the capable Detroit Lions.
There are signs of encouragement on both sides of the ball for the NFC South club. The offense is more complementary and versatile now the Adrian Peterson experiment has been abandoned.
Cerebral signal-caller Drew Brees is still conducting the orchestra, but he's being buoyed by running backs Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara. Both are tough inside runners who are also capable receivers out of the backfield.
The Saints are also getting big plays from an improving defense, one creative when bringing pressure on third down. New Orleans boasts too much talent on both sides of the ball for the Redskins to leave the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with a win in Week 11.
Week 12: Home vs. New York Giants
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Giants 17-21 Redskins
The Giants started the season with five straight defeats, but make no mistake, this is still a team capable of causing the Redskins a ton of problems. Big Blue showed their powers of recovery by beating the Denver Broncos on the road in Week 6.
New York won behind a defense looking back to its quarterback-binging best. Jason Pierre-Paul notched three of the Giants' four sacks in Denver and has caused the Redskins some headaches in the past.
In fact, the Giants' defense is still one talented in every area. Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon can bring the heat, while mammoth nose guard Damon Harrison will present a formidable foe for Long and guards Scherff and Shawn Lauvao.
Where the the Redskins can edge this game is with their ability to swarm on Big Blue passer Eli Manning. The 36-year-old has been sacked 16 times already, a source of encouragement for a Washington pass rush showing signs of dominance at times this season.
Manning hasn't been helped by seeing every one of his top wide receivers suffer injuries. He's also needed the support of a competent running game, something Orleans Darkwa gave the Giants in Denver.
Darkwa thrived, but Giants head coach Ben McAdoo is a little like former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and Washington head coach Jay Gruden when it comes to the running game.
McAdoo just can't resist the desire to air it out for long. He'll let Manning challenge Norman and Washington's defensive backfield, leaving the Giants quarterback and his suspect offensive line at the mercy of a marauding front seven.
Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys
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Redskins 31-27 Cowboys
Week 13's return game against the Cowboys will be the perfect time for Washington's offense to finally click on all cylinders. It's a good bet Cousins and his receivers get on track against a Dallas defense guilty of giving up 35-plus points three times already this season.
The Redskins usually play with confidence when they make the trip to Dallas, and Gruden and his offense can feel good about their chances of gashing the Cowboys through the air and on the ground.
For one thing, Reed and Davis will present mismatches against Dallas linebackers and safeties. So will Thompson, who the Cowboys will struggle to track provided Gruden and offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh manipulate formations with creative alignments designed to spread players out and draw linebackers and safeties into man coverage.
More important, the Redskins will find joy on the ground against a defense that runners have overwhelmed for fun so far in 2017. C.J. Anderson, Todd Gurley and Aaron Jones have all topped 115 rushing yards against these Cowboys.
Provided Gruden is patient enough to lead with the run, Washington will wear out Dallas and give opportunities for big strikes to Cousins, the most effective play-action passer in the game, per Pro Football Focus.
Slippery Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will keep things close in Dallas, but Washington's balance on offense will ultimately prove decisive.
Week 14: at Los Angeles Chargers
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Redskins 24-29 Chargers
Don't let a 2-4 record fool you about the Los Angeles Chargers. This is a team loaded with talent on both sides of the ball.
The Chargers are capable of outscoring the Redskins in Week 14 thanks to a versatile offense. Quarterback Philip Rivers is given a little too much freedom to change things at the line, but there's no doubting the quality of his supporting cast.
No team outside Washington boasts a pair of tight ends as gifted downfield as Hunter Henry and Antonio Gates. Then there is Keenan Allen, an intelligent playmaker who is the equal of any wide receiver in the NFL when he's healthy.
Add Melvin Gordon—a running back with a true nose for the end zone—to the mix, and the Redskins' defense will be challenged in a variety of ways.
Yet, it's not all about Rivers and Co. when you face the Chargers. L.A. also has a sneaky good defense led by dynamic edge-rushers Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa.
The Chargers have the players to keep Cousins hemmed in the pocket, while coordinator Gus Bradley's zone schemes can prevent players such as Reed, Davis, Thompson and Jamison Crowder from creating the yards after the catch Washington's offense relies on so heavily.
Week 15: Home vs. Arizona Cardinals
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Cardinals 27-21 Redskins
Peterson's arrival has put a new spin on the Arizona Cardinals. AP proved his worth by amassing 134 yards rushing and two touchdowns on his Cards debut in Week6.
As ESPN.com's Dan Graziano pointed out, Peterson still has enough left in the tank to transform a previously dormant Arizona rushing attack and make those around him better:
"Arizona's offensive line has had a rough year, but Peterson in his prime was one of those running backs the old coaches like to say 'brings his own blocking.'"
Peterson will solidify a ground attack missing the dual-threat talents of the injured David Johnson. The problem for the Redskins is Johnson could well be back in time for Week 15's matchup.
He's recovering from a dislocated wrist and the subsequent surgery. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians set Week 11's Thanksgiving game against the Houston Texans as a possible return date for Johnson, per SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t Kent Somers of AZCentral.com).
The Redskins will have too much to cover if Johnson and Peterson are available at FedExField.
Where Washington will find joy is against an Arizona D' a shadow of its usually stout self. The Cardinals are currently surrendering 26.3 points per game, 28th in the league.
Yet, the one thing Arizona can still do well is blitz. The blitz has caused problems for Callahan's lines schemes in the past, particularly during his days with the Cowboys.
A front seven led by Chandler Jones will force Cousins into enough costly errors to see the Cards escape with a win.
Week 16: Home vs. Denver Broncos
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Broncos 14-26 Redskins
The quarterback-shy Denver Broncos won't have enough on offense to overcome the Redskins on the road in the season's penultimate week. Instead, Washington's improving defense will make life miserable for the visitors from the AFC West.
Expect Kerrigan, Galette and fit-again rookie Jonathan Allen to swarm all over a Denver offensive line, vulnerable at key spots, particularly right tackle. The Broncos will try to establish the run, but neither Anderson nor brittle Jamaal Charles will get on track against Washington's rugged front seven.
A defensive touchdown, likely coming from a secondary feasting on ineffective quarterback play, will set the Redskins on their way to a key win. The score will give Cousins, Thompson, Perine and Reed the platform to eventually soften up a still formidable Denver defense.
This win will keep the Redskins' now flickering playoff hopes alive, but the fate of the season will hinge on its final week.
Week 17: at New York Giants
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Redskins 23-17 Giants
The Giants almost always seem to cause the Redskins some heartache during a season, but instead of erring on the side of caution, I believe the Burgundy and Gold sneak into the playoffs at 10-6 after doing the double over the G-men.
This is a prediction based on the encouraging signs shown by the Redskins so far in 2017. Specifically, it's based on the belief the areas displaying improvement will continue to get better as this season progresses.
So, by this logic, a defense looking more than a bit handy so far, will be a unit to be reckoned with by Week 17. Washington's D will surely have too much for a New York offense still set to be without talismanic wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who has been lost for the season.
While it's true this Giants defense can dominate on its day, the Redskins can have enough confidence in their offensive line to believe they can win the battle along the line of scrimmage against anybody.
Take Week 6's squeaker against the San Francisco 49ers—a game won 26-24 by the Redskins—as a prime example of how effective Washington's O-line has become. The Niners boast a D-line made up of top draft picks, including DeForest Buckner and Solomon Thomas, both first-rounders.
Yet the Redskins still owned the trenches, thanks in no small part to Scherff, according to Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus:
"Brandon Scherff posted the best grade we have seen from a guard so far this season in a dominant outing against the 49ers, who have a formidable group of defenders up front. Scherff had a perfect game in pass protection across 42 passing snaps, but was a force in the run game and on the move on screens, accurately identifying targets and eradicating them with explosion on contact."
Scherff, tackles Morgan Moses and Trent Williams will create enough push against New York's similarly talented defensive front, led by Pierre-Paul, Vernon and Harrison. The push will let what will, by this point, be a three-headed backfield monster of Kelley, Perine and Thompson give Cousins the balance he needs to engineer a clutch win and put the Redskins in the postseason.
A 10-6 finish will be right for a team skilfully restocked in free agency and the draft this offseason. Washington was 8-7-1 without a balanced offense and a stout defense in 2016.
It's easy to believe those things can create two more wins by the time the 2017 regular season is in the books.
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