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The Redskins game vs the Falcons on Sunday was a complete disaster, and the losses suffered that day put the team’s playoff push in jeopardy. They are still in 1st place in the NFC East, but the Eagles are one game behind. Washington lost both their starting guards and their free agent WR for the season. They’re signing guys off the street to play on the offensive line this week. It’s deja vu all over again.
The Redskins were on the rise in the power rankings after a 3 game win streak and 1st place in the division. They dropped across the board this week, and another loss will put them in a spiral. The Redskins play the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay this week.
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 W10: 11
Lowest Ranking: W1: 26 W2: 23 W3: 27 W4: 20 W5: 19 W6: 20 W7: 20 W8: 20 W9: 19 W10:20
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 W10: 15
11. Fansided
Winners of three straight games, the NFC East leading Redskins were back home to take on the well-rested Atlanta Falcons. But it was Jay Gruden’s club that looked like it had taken Sunday off. A team that entered Week 9 with the league’s fourth-ranked defense in terms of yards per game allowed surrendered 491 to Matt Ryan and company. Greg Manusky’s unit came up with two sacks and one takeaway but it wasn’t nearly enough against Atlanta’s explosive attack. Alex Smith threw for a quiet 306 yards and one score (1 interception) but one of the NFL’s best ground attacks was limited to 79 yards on 15 attempts. Last Week: 7
12. SB Nation
Washington is headed in the opposite direction after Atlanta handed them that 38-14 loss. Making matters worse for Washington is a number of significant injuries. It was announced Monday that three starters suffered season-ending injuries in Week 9. Guards Brandon Scherff and Shawn Lauvao along with wide receiver Paul Richardson are headed to injured reserve. Scherff tore his pectoral muscle, Lauvao tore his ACL, and Richardson has a knee injury in addition to a shoulder injury that he’s been dealing with since the summer. Last Week: 9
13. The Score
Who are these Redskins? One week, they’re delivering a stout defensive performance. The next, they’re getting blown out at home. Countless injuries to the offensive line aren’t helping Last Week: 11
13. NESN
Washington was blasted by the Atlanta Falcons 38-14 in Week 9, looking like the fraudulent team many assumed they were despite their 5-2 start. A loss to the Bucs in Week 10 would be disastrous for Jay Gruden’s club. Last Week: 12
14. NJ.com
Things escalated quickly in Washington. From an awful home loss to the Falcons to injuries across the offensive line, the Redskins look very vulnerable atop the NFC East. Last Week: 6
14. Washington Post
Just when it seemed like it was time to begin trusting the Redskins as a legitimate playoff contender, they gave a dud of a performance against the Falcons that was made even worse by the season-ending injuries suffered by WR Paul Richardson Jr. and Gs Brandon Scherff and Shawn Lauvao. The defense remains formidable, even after being shredded by Matt Ryan and the Falcons. But the offense is reaching the point of being nonfunctional, especially given the depleted state of the offensive line. Last Week: 7
14. USA Today
And we were worried Adrian Peterson might break down. Instead, pretty much all of Washington’s O-line is suddenly in street clothes. Last Week: 7
14. Sporting News
The Redskins blew a chance at home to create a cushion in the NFC East. They saw everything fall apart during a game in which they were destroyed from wire to wire. The passing-game limitations will be hard to overcome. Last Week: 8
The Redskins got blown out at home by Atlanta, ending their three-game winning streak. They also lost three starting offensive linemen. Last Week: 8
14. Bleacher Report
The Washington Redskins had been one of the NFL’s more pleasant surprises this year—a perceived also-ran that had ridden a stout defense and a solid running game to first place in the NFC East.
That all came crashing down around them in Week 9.
The Redskins were embarrassed at home by the Falcons. That defense allowed almost 500 yards of total offense, 38 points and third-down conversions on 10 of 13 attempts. Atlanta had nearly twice as many rushing yards as the Redskins.
Adrian Peterson carried the ball just nine times for 17 yards. Alex Smith topped 300 passing yards, but much of that was in garbage time after Washington fell way behind.
It’s possible it was just one of those weeks—even good teams sometime lay an egg.
Or it could be that we overestimated how good these Redskins really are. That they were exposed by Atlanta.
”Washington wasn’t quite ready for the big time,” Sobleski said. “Just when it looked like Jay Gruden’s squad could really establish itself among the league’s upper echelon, the team fell flat on its face with a 38-14 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The NFC East is still wide-open since Washington could pull away from its rivals.”
We’ll have three weeks to figure out which it is before the Redskins head to Philly for a game whose stakes just got that much higher. Last Week: 8
For all of their success thus far this season, the Redskins have offered up their fair share of stinkers, no? There was Week 2’s listless performance versus the Colts, the shellacking they took from Drew Brees and the Saints a few Mondays ago, and then Sunday in front of the home folk. Don’t think too many people saw the Falcons walking into FedEx and delivering a thumping. Adrian Peterson wasn’t even enough of a factor to be a non-factor. And Alex Smith didn’t pick up the slack, although he was OK. The secondary? No thanks. This wasn’t a trap game -- it was an early reveal. Larger concern? The offensive line. Last Week: 9
Injuries to Scherff, Lauvao, Richardson just gutting Last Week: 10
14. ESPN
Well, the problem is that even with an improved ranking, injuries have made it difficult to say that Washington is truly improved. The Redskins placed three starters on injured reserve Monday (guards Brandon Scherff and Shawn Lauvao and receiver Paul Richardson). However, the Redskins have been better in the rankings largely because of an improved defense -- especially against the run -- a strong running game (thanks to Adrian Peterson) and a lack of turnovers. It’s hard to think that after Sunday’s 24-point loss to Atlanta, but this is the formula they’ve used to go 5-3. Last Week: 13
The offensive line injuries might doom this team. They just aren’t good enough up front anymore. Last Week: 7
Not many teams had a worse Sunday. It wasn’t just the blowout loss at home. Right guard Brandon Scherff, left guard Shawn Lauvao and wide receiver Paul Richardson suffered season-ending injuries. Left tackle Trent Williams will miss multiple weeks after thumb surgery. Washington signed three offensive linemen on Monday just to patch something together on the line. That’s a lot to lose all at once. Last Week: 10
Here’s the Redskins loss our panel has been expecting. No fan base has been more vocal the last few weeks reaching out to us about feeling disrespected. We expect to hear from fewer of them this week, although they’ll still be upset to be seven spots behind Philly. Last Week: 11
17. Athlon Sports
Adding to the insult of that home beatdown at the hands of the Falcons was some notable injuries, including three more key players lost for the year. If they don’t get things done down in Tampa, the pressure is about to be turned up several notches in D.C. Last Week: 10
Washington takes a big hit after getting blown out on Sunday. Making matters worse for them is they just lost both of their starting guards and their deep threat receiver for the season. Last Week: 11
19. Walter Football
The Redskins might be done. I’m not overreacting to one loss, but they’ve lost Trent Williams for a month, and then suffered two injuries to starting offensive linemen, including the extremely talented Brandon Scherff. Morgan Moses is also banged up. If Williams and Scherff are out a while, the Redskins aren’t going to win many more games. Last Week: 9
20. OddsShark
Last Week: 13
20. NumberFire
Last Week: 19
Poll
Where should the Redskins rank this week?
This poll is closed
-
2%
Top 8
(6 votes) -
56%
9-16
(119 votes) -
33%
17-24
(71 votes) -
7%
Bottom 8
(15 votes)