Redskins Realistic Predictions Week 7: Ready to get off the Tilt-A-Whirl?

6. Reality Is, the Redskins’ divisional record under Jay Gruden is abysmal.

Given the structure of the NFL playoffs, divisional games take on an outsized significance. Any team making the playoffs without a winning divisional record is certainly an outlier. The Redskins are 4-8 in the NFC East in the past two seasons including 0-4 against the Cowboys. Not surprisingly, they also have failed to make the playoffs both years.

If the ‘Skins have any aspirations of making the playoffs this year, they must find a way to improve against the division. The players know these stats. They know how poor they have been against Dallas in recent memory. Jay Gruden certainly knows as well and has spoken this week about how important this game is for the team.

We should expect a playoff mentality from the Redskins on Sunday. We should anticipate the team lays it on the line to get over the hump. We should be very disappointed if they treat this game like they did the games against the Colts or Saints.

Prediction: Backs against the wall in a different (but no less real) way than last week, the team finally stands up and gives commendable effort against Dallas. The players and coaches continue the “Dallas Week” rhetoric all leading up to the game and manage to put a product on the field worthy of this great rivalry. Dallas goes up early, Redskins fight back and take the lead late in the fourth quarter, only to have Prescott lead a game-winning drive in the two-minute drill.  There will not be many possessions in this game, with both teams sustaining long drives. Final score: Dallas 22, Washington 20.

Bonus Prediction: Another home loss to Dallas this week will lead to rampant speculation about how much rope Jay Gruden has left, including stories about how upset Owner Dan Snyder is. Remember, Snyder is a fan first, and he hates losing to Dallas as much as the rest of us.

I sure hope I’m wrong.  I hate losing to Dallas. I hate that they have a winning streak against the Redskins. I hate coaching turnover and organizational turmoil. I hate that a loss at home to Dallas will feel like much, much worse than a simple loss, regardless of how the Redskins play. But I just think this is a bad matchup for the Redskins, and I don’t have a good feeling about it.

What do you think? Join the conversation @TheRealityIs__ on Twitter or in the comments below.