Realistic predictions, expectations for Redskins vs. Bears in NFL Week 3

5. Reality Is, this is a must-win.

Teams that fall to 0-3 have about a 3 percent chance of making the playoffs. No team that has fallen to 0-3 with two losses at home and two losses in the division has ever made the playoffs. If the Redskins hope to remain relevant this season, they can’t fall to 0-3.

This franchise already has such a long track record of failure under the current ownership and has a growing problem with fan apathy as I pointed out in the offseason. They can’t afford to be irrelevant this early in the season.

If there was hope of a total regime change if the team went 0-16 this season, I might actually be hoping for that. But it’s not realistic to hope that Dan Snyder will ever sell the team, nor do I think he’s actually ever going to #firebruceallen. So in the absence of those joyful eventualities being possible, the best hope for Redskins fans is the current group figures things out, stays relevant, stays competitive, and sets the table for a late-season run as their young core gels.

And while Jay Gruden has his faults, he’s tended to get his guys to perform when the chips are down. He’s usually managed to rally the troops to avoid early-season losing streaks throughout his tenure with the exception of 2014, when the roster was in complete disarray following the Mike Shanahans’ departure.

Since the Redskins are expecting to have Allen and Fabian Moreau back on defense, and since they’re facing a team that has struggled offensively even more than they have, and since all streaks come to an end (even the Redskins’ crazy streak of Monday Night Football home losses), I think the Redskins will find a way to win an ugly one this week. Redskins 20, Bears 18 with at least one missed field goal for Chicago.

Let’s hope I’m right, or this is going to be a really long season for us die-hards. Hit me up in the comments or on Twitter @TheRealityIs__ if you want to discuss.