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| Redskins 2018 Opponents | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Home | Away | ||
 |
Green Bay Packers |  |
@ Arizona Cardinals |
 |
Carolina Panthers |  |
@ New Orleans Saints |
 |
Atlanta Falcons |  |
@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
 |
Indianapolis Colts |  |
@ Tennessee Titans |
 |
Houson Texans |  |
@ Jacksonville Jaguars |
 |
Dallas Cowboys | |
@ Dallas Cowboys |
 |
Philadelphia Eagles | |
@ Philadelphia Eagles |
 |
New York Giants | |
@ New York Giants |
The playoffs begin on Saturday, starting the final part of the 2017-2018 season. The Washington Redskins will be sitting at home this year for many different reasons (choose your own narrative!). The Redskins finished with a 7-9 record, and missed the playoffs for the 2nd straight season after winning the division in 2015, and going one and done in the postseason.
NFL schedules are set from year to year due to a rotating schedule, and all the teams are known except for two for years in advance.
The scheduling formula implemented in 2002 with realignment guarantees that all teams play each other on a regular, rotating basis.
Under the formula, every team plays 16 games as follows:
Home and away against its three division opponents (six games).
The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (four games).
The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (four games).
Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (2 games). These games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year.
The Redskins play two divisions this year, the NFC South and the AFC South. Washington will get to travel to New Orleans for the 2nd year in a row. The Redskins will also face the Cardinals for the 3rd year in a row, traveling out West to visit them this year. The team also travels to Tampa Bay to possibly play former Redskins DeSean Jackson and Chris Baker. They could see another former Redskin(Brian Orakpo) when they travel south to face the Titans. Their last road game besides the 3 in the division will be against the playoff-bound Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Redskins home schedule will see 3 teams that are in the playoffs this season. The Carolina Panthers visit FedEx Field next year after another shot at the postseason. The Atlanta Falcons return to the playoffs after suffering the worst comeback loss in Super Bowl history last season. The Aaron Rodgers-less Packers missed the playoffs, and his late season return couldn’t salvage their year. The Redskins will also host the Texans and Colts who suffered disastrous seasons without their franchise QBs this year.
The Redskins finished 3rd in their division and will play the 3rd place finishers from the NFC North and NFC West in 2018. The NFC East didn’t turn out the way most people expected it this year. The Redskins finished 1-5 in the division which is terrible and a sure sign that you’ve had a bad season. The Giants were a disaster in 2017, firing their Head Coach and GM after a 3-13 season, but still managed to beat the Redskins in the final game playing CFL 4th stringers on offense. The Cowboys managed to finish with a winning record(9-7), but still missed the playoffs thanks to Ezekiel Elliot’s suspension showing what a mess they are as a team. The Eagles had a strong season, but everything good they did this year, can’t wipe away the ugly stain of their franchise QB tearing his ACL late in the season. The Redskins have a lot of work to do to get back to the playoffs next year, and winning in the division has to be their top priority(besides settling that whole QB thing).