Redskins narrowly avoid defeat at the hands of the Dolphins, win 17-16

The Tank Bowl was closer than some specific Redskins front office officials might have liked, but the Redskins managed to earn a meaningless win in Miami, besting the Dolphins 17-16.

Coming into this game, the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins were a combined 0-9. The Redskins had seen their margin of defeat increase with each passing game, and the Dolphins hadn’t scored a single point in the second half of their games.

Two teams mired in ineptitude met, and as much as it might seem off brand, one of those teams had to come away with a win today. Washington made it hard on themselves at times, but they managed to earn the victory against their AFC East opponent, the Miami Dolphins.

In a vacuum, winning this game was a positive for the Redskins players, as they get a much-needed morale boost. But morale does nothing long-term when it’s shackled by the prevailing failure of a front office, and today, Bruce Allen likely saw the final score, and said to himself, “you see, I was right. We can win”.

Washington’s win doesn’t do much for them, aside from moving them back in the race to the No. 1 pick. But there were some little victories to tout in today’s victory. Terry McLaurin mounted a triumphant return to glory after falling off the past two weeks, catching four balls for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Adrian Peterson also had his best outing to date, churning out 116 yards on 23 carries.

The biggest story for Washington today, however, was the defense. Washington’s talented defensive unit predictably prevailed against a undermanned Dolphins offense. Jonathan Allen led the attack on the quarterback with 2.0 sacks, while Matt Ioannidis, Treyvon Hester, and Landon Collins all got in on the action as well. Quinton Dunbar and Shaun Dion Hamilton each logged interceptions, highlighting the talent that this team has on that side of the ball; the talent the coaching staff dilutes.

The Dolphins came very close to winning the game after a late comeback bid. They managed to score a touchdown in the final seconds, but failed to convert when they attempted to go for two. It was a moment of celebration for the players, but Washington might have ultimately been better served losing. Now, they lose the lead in the No. 1 overall pick race, and Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder can cling to this win as proof for their presumed progress.

The Redskins, now 1-5, take their record to Week 7, where they’ll play a currently-undefeated San Francisco 49ers squad.