Redskins still in playoff field following tough Week 12 loss

The Washington Redskins have been in the projected playoff field for the past couple of weeks. That didn’t change after Week 12 despite a loss.

If you had told most Redskins fans before the season that following Week 12, the team would have a winning record and be in the playoff hunt, many would be happy. However, because of the way the season has unfolded to date, the team’s 6-5 record seems more like a disappointment. The team has been in numerous games, but they either haven’t been able to finish, or they’ve lacked the offensive efficiency to emerge victoriously.

In Week 12, the Redskins suffered a bad loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The game was always going to be tough, as they were taking on their divisional rival on the road, but the manner in which they fell was upsetting. The team played great defense in the first half, but in the second, they allowed a couple of massive plays to Amari Cooper while their offense sputtered and turned the ball over frequently. And worst of all, the loss knocked them out of first place in the NFC East.

For the first time in many weeks, the Redskins will not be atop the NFC East. By virtue of their loss to the Cowboys, Dallas now climbs into the driver’s seat. Granted, the teams are still tied with a 6-5 record, but the point is that Dallas is a bit more in control of their destiny. And if the season ended today, the Cowboys would be in first. Things can obviously change, but with five games left in the year, the margin for error is thin in Washington.

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Despite being out of the NFC East’s top spot, there the ‘Skins still remain in the current playoff field. Seattle beating Carolina made a logjam of 6-5 teams that the Redskins owned the tiebreaker over. That gives them the inside edge for the sixth place in the NFC, at least for the moment.

Also, it’s notable that it was possible for the Redskins to own the fifth seed at the end of the night. However, It’s the 6-4-1 Minnesota Vikings, helmed by quarterback Kirk Cousins, that is currently holding onto that spot by virtue of their win over the Packers.

All that said, the Redskins are still in this, and they do control their own destiny regarding the playoffs and the NFC East. Week 13 could be their chance to regain control of the division. They are playing the struggling, beat-up Eagles on Monday night, and the Cowboys get a Thursday night clash with the Saints. If the Saints can knock off the Cowboys, a Redskins win would give them a one-game lead over the Cowboys and a two-game lead over the Eagles. And that would go a long way before the final month of the season.

While being the sixth seed after spending a month as the de facto No. 4 seed at this point in the season is a bit discouraging, there is still more than enough time for the team to right the ship. It all depends on how the team looks with Colt McCoy making his second start of the season in front of a hostile Eagles crowd in Week 13. If he can win, getting back on top of the division should certainly be possible.