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The Redskins(4-4) pulled off a stunner in Seattle by beating the Seahawks without even being able to dress a full roster on Sunday. The Redskins walked into CenturyLink Field with 4 out of 5 replacements on the offensive line, and two of their top targets out, but still held on for the win. At 3-4 going into the game, this could have been the nail in the coffin for their season, but now it’s on to Minnesota.
The Redskins were sliding down the Power Rankings after back-to-back losses to two NFC East rivals. The injuries were adding up, and while Washington was competitive every week, they still walked out of the games with the loss. The gritty win in one of the toughest stadiums to play in, gave the Redskins a boost in the rankings this week, and they rate as a team on the fringe of the playoffs. Pretty accurate for a team that can compete with anyone this year, but has had some tough breaks. Winning(and being able to field a full team) will help the Redskins stay in the playoff race, and rise in next week’s rankings.
Redskins Week 7 Ranking Average: 13.2
Is their ranking too high or too low this week?
10. USA Today
Stat sheet suggests they got blown out in Seattle. Yet they managed to steal one in league's most hostile yard - sign of a pretty good team. Last Week: 18
It’s an NFC East takeover! Three teams in the top 10, thanks to a Washington win in Seattle that made no sense. How you can go to the Pacific Northwest with that offensive line and come away with a win is the stuff of science fiction. Considering the rash of injuries, it was as gutsy a win as we’ve seen this year. Last Week: 15
The Washington Redskins deserve a ton of credit for continuing to battle through injuries. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan deserves credit for patching together a unit that is down four players. It would be easy for the Redskins offense to collapse with some of the injuries it has, but Washington has persevered.
The Redskins did a great job of adapting to the injury situation in Week 9. They leaned on their defense and a strong pass rush against the Seahawks instead of leaning on Kirk Cousins and the pass game. With a makeshift line and against a Seattle defense that is still formidable, the latter plan could have resulted in disaster. Instead, the Redskins made a disaster out of Seattle's offense.
When the Redskins needed Cousins to make some big plays late in the game, though, he delivered.
I previously wondered if Washington had too many injuries to overcome, but it looks like they'll be able to keep fighting. I still don't know if the Redskins are playoff contenders, but they're going to be a challenge each and every week. I expect them to be in the playoff race right to the end. Last Week: 18
12. Yahoo Sports
One of the best stories in the NFL has been Vernon Davis. In the second half of the 2015 season with Denver, Davis looked totally done at age 31. He had a solid season last year and this season he’s averaging 16.7 yards per catch on 23 catches, the best among NFL tight ends. It makes the strange disappearance of Jordan Reed (7.8 yards per catch, dealing with another injury) easier to swallow. Last Week: 14
Gut-check time for the Redskins, who passed with flying colors: namely, blue, gray and lime green. Washington blew past Seattle on an afternoon in which about a third of its team was hurt or playing hurt. Per the usual, Kirk Cousins was the leader on the field. Yet, as my colleague Charles Davis astutely pointed out while serving as the analyst on the broadcast of this game, showing resilience when all the (healthy) chips are down speaks to coaching, too. Jay Gruden certainly deserves a mountain of credit for having this group at .500 despite the brutal schedule Washington has played, amplified by the lack of a healthy roster. Also notable: Ryan Kerrigan. That dude is all motor, all the time. On the Seahawks' last drive, Kerrigan managed to pressure Russell Wilson despite the fact the Redskins were playing essentially a 2-9 front. Last Week: 16
13. NBC Washington
Sure, Seattle was sloppy, but what Kirk Cousins and the Redskins did late vs. a much better and healthier Seahawks team will likely go down as one of the league’s most impressive wins this season. Their schedule doesn’t soften in the next two weeks, but at 4-4, Washington has life again and deservedly jumps up a few spots. Last Week: 15
13. ESPN
The Redskins are .500 despite playing the most difficult schedule so far, so they're deserving of the bump in these rankings. It doesn't get much easier with the Vikings, Saints and Cowboys coming up in three of the next four weeks, so if Washington wants to keep climbing, the team will have to pull off some more big wins. Last Week: 18
13. Washington Post
That was a stunning victory in Seattle, given the depleted state of the Redskins’ offensive line. It’s still difficult to imagine the Redskins contending for much of anything unless they can get far healthier and provide far more help to QB Kirk Cousins. But if they can hold things together a bit longer and some of their injured key players return, you never know. Last Week: 18
13. NESN
We asked for the Redskins to beat a good team, and they responded by taking down the Seahawks in Seattle to remain in the NFC playoff race. Last Week: 16
14. NJ.com
That was the biggest drive of Kirk Cousins’ pro career. He’s going to get paid next spring—and he deserves it. Last Week: 20
14. Athlon Sports
You like that? Yes, Kirk Cousins and Washington fans all over like that victory in Seattle to show what this team is capable of (even if it wasn’t pretty). Last Week: 17
14. OddsShark
Last Week: 17
That was an impressive victory at Seattle, considering all the injuries on the offensive line. In fact, it might have been a season saver. Last Week: 19
16. Sporting News
The Redskins went to Seattle with a beat-up offensive line and no running game, but they grinded away to steal a game they had no business winning. For now, they're still alive and well in the NFC wild-card race because of their defense. Last Week: 20
17. Chicago Tribune
Linebacker Zach Brown was terrific in a gritty win at Seattle that could prove to be season-saving. Last Week: 25