The Washington Redskins may seem to be reeling with a growing list of injuries, including season-ending for quarterback Alex Smith, wide receiver Paul Richardson, and offensive guards Shawn Lauvao and Brandon Scherff, however, they are still in the thick of the NFC playoff race. With Carolina’s surprising loss to Seattle, the Redskins slide into the second wild card spot in the NFC.
At 6-5, Washington is tied with both Carolina and Seattle in wins and losses, however the Redskins hold the tiebreaker over both teams, head-to-head over the Panthers and better Conference record over the Seahawks. That’s not including they are tied in wins and losses with Dallas for the NFC East lead although the Cowboys hold the tiebreaker with a better division record as Dallas is 3-1 the division and Washington is 2-1. But, the Redskins will have their fair share of catching up with three of its final five games against division opponents.
Your NFC Playoff Picture through 12 weeks
1. New Orleans Saints (10-1)
2. LA Rams (10-1)
3. Chicago Bears (8-3)
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-5)
5. Minnesota #Vikings (6-4-1)
6. Washington Redskins (6-5)In the hunt: Seahawks & Panthers
— Tanner Weber – Purple Post (@Purple_Post) November 26, 2018
The Redskins will have to win games to stay a float. Colt McCoy will need to improve on his woeful play he displayed in Thursday’s 31-23 loss to the Cowboys. He threw three crucial interceptions. But there is optimism considering he basically had no practice reps leading into his first start in four years due to the short week before Thanksgiving’s game.
The defense of the Redskins has struggled as of late, but they are capable of getting back in the groove with less than stellar offenses to face in the final five weeks. Currently none of their pending opponents are over .500 in the standings.
The Redskins have a style of play that can travel — run the football effectively, eliminate turnovers, and play solid defense. And without a vaunted offense in the way, they can easily impose their will. Yes, it looks dire with Smith out and the rash of injuries across the offense that’s greatly impacted Adrian Peterson and the run game as of late, however, their hold ups are not overbearing.
One thing is for sure, with the Panthers losing for the second straight week, the Redskins are in the driver’s seat of their playoff fate. They’ll keep that head-to-head tiebreaker in tow over Carolina.
