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The Redskins won their third game in a row with a division victory over the New York Giants on Sunday. They are now 5-2 for the season, and have a 1.5 game lead over the 4-4 Philadelphia Eagles. This week they face the 3-4 Atlanta Falcons at home in another NFC matchup the team needs to win on their path to the playoffs.
The Redskins continue to climb up the Power Rankings this week. They continue to show up as a Top 10 team in most rankings. Questions are still there due to the production on offense, and the close wins they have had this year. But no one is denying that the Redskins defense is playing lights out right now.
Where should this year’s Washington Redskins team be ranked?
Highest Ranking: W1: 14 W2: 8 W3: 12 W4: 7 W5: 7 W6: 13 W7: 9 W8: 9 W9: 6
Lowest Ranking: W1: 26 W2: 23 W3: 27 W4: 20 W5: 19 W6: 20 W7: 20 W8: 20 W9: 19
Average Ranking: W1: 20.5 W2: 15.5 W3: 22.7 W4: 15.1 W5: 14.3 W6: 16.4 W7: 14.3 W8: 11.2 W9: 9.8
6. NJ.com
Adrian Peterson is on pace for over 1,500 yards this season. What a resurgence. Last Week: 9
The defense and the running of ageless wonder Adrian Peterson mean the Redskins are for real. But can Peterson play at this level all season? That remains to be seen. Last Week: 9
Their defense might be good enough to carry them to a division title. That defense will be tested against the Falcons this week. Last Week: 9
7. USA Today
Trick — so were you fooled into thinking Adrian Peterson was washed up? Sunday’s 64-yard TD run was AD’s latest stiff-arm to Father Time. Last Week: 9
7. Fansided
The Washington offense could not get a lot going against the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium. But Jay Gruden’s team made it three straight wins thanks to a tough defensive effort, albeit against a woeful Giants’ attack. Ageless running back Adrian Peterson continued to impress with his ability to carry a heavy workload. The 12-year pro totaled 26 carries for 149 yards and a score, his 64-yard touchdown run with 3:06 to play proving to be the difference in the game. And the Redskins’ defense took advantage of New York’s struggling offensive line as they totaled seven sacks of Eli Manning, 2.5 by defensive end Matt Ioannidis. Last Week: 10
Adrian Peterson keeps blowing us away with how well he keeps running after all these years. He was a steal of an addition to a run-heavy, run-stopping team. Last Week: 9
They have a three-game winning streak, and they’re the only team in the NFC East with a winning record. They lead the Eagles by 1 ½ games. Last Week: 9
At the outset of the 2108 season, there weren’t many people who picked the Washington Redskins to win the NFC East.
And by, “not many,” we mean no one.
At the halfway point to the regular season, the Redskins aren’t just in first place—they’ve raced out to a sizable lead.
The Redskins didn’t exactly pile up the style points in Sunday’s win over the hapless Giants. In fact, quarterback Alex Smith came up short of 200 passing yards. But when you run for 182 yards and average over five yards a carry, the quarterback really doesn’t have to do a lot.
Propelled by the ageless legs of tailback Adrian Peterson and the best defense in football no one’s talking about, the Redskins are a throwback team of sorts—winning games with power and physicality.
And with back-to-back games coming up against teams with losing records and all kinds of problems on defense, the Redskins are in a good position to keep rolling right along. Last Week: 9
9. SB Nation
The Eagles got a bit of a boost from their win over the lifeless Jaguars in London and elsewhere in the NFC East, Washington remains in the top 10 after another win. Their latest came over the bottom-feeder Giants, so while it’s a win, it wasn’t all that difficult to achieve. Last Week: 9
Washington hums along, sitting comfortably atop the NFC at 5-2. The Redskins’ strength continues to be running the football and stopping the run, like they’re straight from the 1940s. Actually, in that era, the ‘Skins were known for throwing it all over the yard with Sammy Baugh. Alex Smith hasn’t been asked to play likewise, and that held true on Sunday, when his yards-per-attempt mark was a scant 5.6. That’s OK. Slingin’ Sammy -- who could play himself some safety, too -- would’ve admired D.J. Swearinger’s two interceptions of Eli Manning (especially since they came against the rival Giants).
Side note: With 149 rushing yards, the 33-year-old Adrian Peterson is on pace for 1,342 this season. Wow. Last Week: 10
I removed the Redskins from the underrated list because they beat the Cowboys at home. You could say that they should’ve remained on there, but they were getting 80 percent of the action against the Giants, and yet they made Vegas pay by covering in New York.
The Redskins aren’t great, but they’re very solid. I love their defense, and Adrian Peterson has discovered the Fountain of Youth. Alex Smith can win in the regular season as well. Unfortunately, he’ll ultimately be their downfall come playoff time. Last Week: 10
10. Athlon Sports
Going on the road and winning in the division is never going to be a walk on the park and that was the case in New York. The way this team can stop the run and then turn around and run the ball themselves — with ageless wonder Adrian Peterson — gives them a chance every week. Last Week: 10
A lot of people, particularly many in Nevada, thought the Giants-Redskins game was practically a tossup. That says a lot about where we are with Washington. The Redskins have been pretty good, but they still were considered about the same as a Giants team that has been absolutely awful most of this season. It might take a long time for folks to truly respect Washington as legit. Last Week: 12
Last two times they started 5-2 (2000, 2008), they finished 8-8 Last Week: 12
11. The Score
Adrian Peterson turned back the clock with a 149-yard performance, and now the Redskins are somehow sneaking under the radar at 5-2, even while playing in the nation’s capital. Last Week: 11
Ryan Kerrigan might be one of the most underrated players in the league. His efforts helped Washington maintain their NFC East lead. Houston (4-3) is the only team remaining on Washington’s schedule that currently has a winning record. Last Week: 12
The Redskins win again, and they trail the Eagles in these rankings again too. Which means we’re going to hear from some of their fans again this week too. But a win over Atlanta might be enough to finally flip the NFC East hierarchy in our poll next week. Last Week: 12
12. NESN
We really have no idea how the Redskins are 5-2. Well, it probably has something to do with fact that they only have one win over a team above .500. Last Week: 13
13. ESPN
The Redskins have finished with less than 200 yards passing in each of their past three games -- all of which they’ve won. It’s the first time in coach Jay Gruden’s four-plus seasons that they’ve thrown for less than that total in three straight games. The Redskins’ run game on both sides of the ball has been fantastic and the primary reason they’re 5-2 and in first place. But at some point, they need the passing game to be more productive. Last Week: 14
13. OddsShark
Last Week: 18
19. NumberFire
Last Week: 20
Poll
Where should the Redskins rank this week?
This poll is closed
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45%
Top 8
(336 votes) -
52%
9-16
(388 votes) -
1%
17-24
(8 votes) -
0%
Bottom 8
(6 votes)