What in the world happened to the Washington Redskins in 2018?

The Redskins humiliating loss to the New York Giants marked a new painful low for the burgundy and gold.

From being 6-3 just a month ago, to now falling outside the playoff race, Washington Redskins fans are left to wonder: What in the world happened to the 2018 season?

Trying to keep up with the headlines pouring out of Ashburn is an impossible task. It seems that the play on the field is on the bottom of the list of worries that have cast a shadow on the season.

From the moment Alex Smith was carted off the field against the Texans, the Redskins have visibly unraveled on every side of the ball. Injuries to Colt McCoy and the struggles of Mark Sanchez have led the Redskins to their fourth starting quarterback of the season, Josh Johnson.

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Above the injuries, the locker room is reaching a boiling point of frustrations. From D.J. Swearinger calling out teammates and coaches, to Zach Brown recently saying that the “writing is on the wall” for his eventual departure, and Mason Foster sounding off on the team and the fanbase over social media. Sounds like a lovely time to be a Redskins fan, doesn’t it?

But here is what is harder to understand. The Redskins are still in the playoff picture. No one in the NFC has any intention of wanting to take a wild card spot. Other than the Seattle Seahawks, the Panthers, Vikings, Redskins, and Eagles are all in a race to see who can throw their season away first.

A win in Jacksonville on Sunday could very possibly give the Redskins the 6th seed in the playoffs.

No, I am not kidding. This is really where the Redskins are.

If you had closed your eyes, and not watched a single game this entire year, and just heard the banter and news coming from Ashburn, you would imagine the Redskins were joining the class of the 2008 Lions, drifting their way to a 0-16 season. But there was a point at 5-2, that the Redskins felt they had their identity. The fan base was starting to believe.

There is a big difference between teams that have disappointing seasons, and teams that completely implode on themselves.

That difference comes down to a team’s culture.

Take Green Bay, for example. At 5-7-1, the Packers are having a disappointing season. By their standards, sitting at third place in the NFC North is not where Aaron Rodgers pictured his team being at this point in December. Even after the firing of longtime Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers are still in the midst of a possible playoff push and are rallying together with three games remaining.

Whether they make the playoffs or not is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is this: They believe in themselves.

The Redskins, on the other hand, are completely dismantling. Of course, the Packers aren’t down to their fourth quarterback, and eighth string guard. But the Redskins players and fans are clearly not buying the culture that is in place. The toxic locker room blame game and an empty FedEx Field should tell you all you need to know. Unlike Green Bay, the Redskins don’t seem to believe in each other.

Obviously, it is easier for the Packers to believe in each other when Aaron Rodgers is your quarterback. But that belief in each other is less of a reflection on the players. It becomes a bigger reflection on the coaching staff and the front office, from top to bottom.

The Redskins have to make changes. It is simple as that. They need to reboot the culture of the franchise from the front office to the 53-man roster. Losing to the Giants at home is a loss. Being embarrassed at home against a terrible Giants team without Odell Beckham Jr? That is a red flag. Something is not right.

Players represent themselves every time they step on the field. They also represent the coaching staff and the work that they put in every day to prepare. The coaching staff represents the front office’s ability to put the right people in place, and the fans represent the product put on the field, and represent the culture that is in place. The loss to New York brought to the surface the bad sides of the team at every single level of power.

Football players are human, too. Just like our jobs, we have days where motivation is hard to come by, and you feel discouraged when things don’t go your way. But for NFL teams, solid leadership makes all the difference, and it is clear that the Redskins need stronger leadership, from all three levels.

Good leadership, however, is only possible when the team trusts each other.

Whether this season is completely done and everyone is fired, or the Redskins win three straight in route to a wild card bid, after which Josh Johnson leads them to their fourth Super Bowl title, anything can happen.

*That last sentence was fun to type.*

What I do know is that this team needs a fresh new look, from the top down. Because the fan base is at its breaking point. The next three weeks will show us just how many changes are to be seen in the nation’s capital this offseason.

Next. Three Redskins defenders who shouldn't come back in 2018. dark

(Hey, look at the bright side. The Capitals won the Stanley Cup!)

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