Washington Football Team 2020: A Redux of the 2001 Season

Switching to new QBs

For George, it was more of the same. In Week 2, he went 15-24 for 102 yards, threw an interception, and was sacked five times, as Washington lost 37-0, the franchise’s worst shutout loss in 40 years. After that game, Schottenheimer had seen enough. He didn’t bench George, but went one step further and outright cut him from the team, and said this, per Milton Kent of The Baltimore Sun.

"“I reached the point where I just didn’t feel that the Washington Redskins could win with Jeff George as their starting quarterback. When I reached that point, I had to try to evaluate whether I thought it would serve our purpose to have him as a backup. I also decided that I didn’t think that was what we should do.”"

In Haskins’ case, he lasted a few games longer than George had in 2001, before Rivera ultimately decided to pull the plug and relegate him to third-string. After a strong start against the Eagles, Washington lost three in a row, including a stinker against the Browns where Haskins threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, which resulted in 24 points for Cleveland.

After the game, Rivera said, “There is a cut-off point for me. There were a lot of guys that put their heart out on the field and, truthfully, they deserve better.”

The Cleveland game signaled that Haskins’ leash was getting shorter, but his decision-making on a 4th and 13 in the red zone against the Ravens all but sealed his fate.

"“I think our best chance to win is putting the ball in somebody else’s hands,” Rivera said. “I think our best chance to have things done in our offense is in somebody else’s hands. That’s what I’m doing. I’m doing that based on what I’ve seen. I just think right now, this is the decision I’m making.”"

And with that, Dwayne Haskins went the way of Jeff George.