Redskins: Riggo’s Rag Podcast – Stacking up the NFC East in 2019
By Ian Cummings
The player acquisition phase of the NFL offseason is behind us. Now, for the Redskins, it’s on to the future. On to the regular season.
The Washington Redskins enter 2019 as a heavy underdog. Many outlets have the Redskins finishing as one of the bottom five teams in the NFL. Mike Clay, an NFL analyst known for his preseason projections, gave the Redskins a win projection of 5.2, good for No. 29 in the NFL, and last place in the NFC East.
The projections aren’t kind, but even Clay conceded that the Redskins are in possession of a very intriguing core of young talent. The Redskins will inevitably trot out a rookie quarterback as the starter at some point, so there will be a learning curve for Dwayne Haskins and company. But Washington has the potential to transcend the common perception, and at least linger in the middle of the pack, where they’ve been for years.
Of course, if Washington is to accomplish such a feat, they’ll need to take care of business in the NFC East, where six games are up for grabs on their schedule. The division does not offer easy competition; it never does. The Eagles are still contenders, two years removed from their Super Bowl victory. The Cowboys always manage to stay relevant, if nothing else. And even the Giants, who appear to be in disarray, have a habit of giving the Redskins a hard time, no matter the circumstances.
The NFC East is very unpredictable, and while it might not be up for grabs for the Redskins, Jay Gruden’s squad could surprise a few people with an admirable stand against divisional opponents. With the player acquisition phase of the offseason now in the rear view mirror, how do the Redskins stack up with their NFC East rivals? The Riggo’s Rag Roundtable met on the podcast to discuss. In 2019’s first edition, I was joined by Riggo’s Rag contributors Conor Forrest and Matt Hines. To listen, and hear the crew’s thoughts on the Eagles, Cowboys, and Giants, click the play button below!
Next. Dwayne Haskins wants the weight on his shoulders. dark
For Washington, 2019 is a year of uncertainty. But the swing inside the division could be the difference between a clean slate in 2020, and an assurance of continuity. It’s up for debate which fate is truly more advantageous for Washington, but the team won’t be trying to lose in 2019. They’re aiming to compete, and winning in the NFC East can go a long way toward realizing that goal.