Way Too Early Redskins Record Prediction

We all will gladly turn the page on 2019. There has been moves to start that process with the hiring of head coach Ron Rivera, signing of free agents, and the NFL draft. But, to me, nothing signifies more of a turning of the page then when the new schedule is announced.

It is a time of real renewed hope and optimism, even in a year of rebuilding a winning culture. The schedule being released has the feeling of a brand-new car smell or the scent of flowers blooming for the first time in spring.

Eternal hope has sprung even in the most cynical of fans for one night. Is it as hopeful as we think it could be? Is Vegas right having the Redskins hovering their over/under win total at 5?

Here’s my way too early breakdown, game-by-game, of what we could expect from the new look Washington Redskins.

Highlights and what to watch for:

No primetime games for the first time since 1982
They open with the Philadelphia Eagles for the third time in four years
All four games against the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys occur in a seven-week span
The Redskins play on Thanksgiving for the fourth time in five years as their only Thursday game
Ron Rivera has won five of his last six games after the Bye Week
The Redskins do not play a team coming off a Bye Week
Ron Rivera had a 44-30 record in November, December, and January with the Carolina Panthers (Via @AlGaldi on Twitter.)
The back half of the schedule is more favorable on paper
Best case scenario 8-8; worst case scenario 5-11

Week 1: Philadelphia Eagles 1:00 PM

This will be the third time in four years the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles meet to start the season. Last year the Redskins went punch-counter punch with the Eagles until DeSean Jackson got loss and did what he does best. Week 1 last year was also the coming out party for rookie wide receiver Terry McLaurin where he grabbed 5 receptions for 125 yards and 1 touchdown on 7 targets. Who could break out in this game? It will not be just one, it will be two players. Defensive end Chase Young and cornerback Ronald Darby. It will be a classic knockdown drag out Week 1 divisional fight, but the shortened preseason is what will really keep the Redskins back. The Redskins will fall and start the season.

2020 Record: 0-1

Week 2: AT Arizona Cardinals 4:05 PM

The battle of 2019 drafted quarterbacks in Week 2 when the Redskins visit the Arizona Cardinals. Kliff Kingsbury will be looking to have his offense take the next step forward in 2020. With the addition of DeAndre Hopkins this offseason it will test the Redskins secondary. Dwayne Haskins should have a great game against a still improving Cardinals defense. The Cardinals will also be coming off of visiting San Francisco the week before in what will be a bruising game for them. I think the Redskins go to Arizona and steal one for the first win of the Ron Rivera Era.

2020 Record: 1-1

Week 3: AT Cleveland Browns 1:00 PM

Flying west and then having to turn around and fly to Cleveland is not an ideal scenario. Baker Mayfield will be in his third season with the weight of the franchise on his shoulders. The Browns offense has reloaded and the defense has had another year to sit in underperformance. Is this another year where the Browns don’t meet expectations? Yes, absolutely. However, it will be early, and the Browns won’t know any better. The Redskins won’t be able to keep up with the amount of fire power the offense has, even with what should be a lethal pass rush. Redskins will fall in a surprise blowout in Cleveland.

2020 Record: 1-2

Week 4: Baltimore Ravens 1:00 PM

The battle of the beltway should be an annual event if ever possible. Lamar Jackson and company come down I-95 after a home Monday night game against the Chiefs. I wish I could put it nicer, but even a short week will be able to help slow down the Ravens. The Redskins will compete, but they are not ready for “primetime” against a potential Super Bowl champion. Ravens win this year’s battle of the beltway.

2020 Record: 1-3

Week 5: Los Angeles Rams 1:00 PM

Sean McVay returns to Washington for the first time as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams look different this year after losing Todd Gurley, Brandon Cooks, and Greg Zuerlein among others will help give the Redskins an advantage. Also add in a west coast team traveling east for a 1:00 PM game gives all the makings for an early season upset to build on for Rivera and company. Redskins will win a surprise run away in what will be one of Dwayne’s best games of his young career.

2020 Record: 2-3

Week 6: AT New York Giants 1:00 PM

Weird things can happen when the Redskins go to MetLife Stadium and play the New York Giants. Divisional games aside, we have seen some major underperformance from this franchise. This will begin a stretch of four divisional games in six. The Giants added arguably the top ranked left tackle in Andrew Thomas to help protect Daniel Jones and worked to build the defense, but they looked past getting Jones more offensive help. I don’t believe that Jones’ ceiling is much higher then what we saw last year and he has an issue with fumbles. Something that Chase Young, Montez Sweat and company will take advantage of. This will be close, but MetLife Stadium continues to haunt the Redskins for another year.

2020 Record: 2-4

Week 7: Dallas Cowboys 1:00 PM

The Dallas Cowboys have pretty much owned the Redskins the past few years. They are Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Redskins are the little kid in Kindergarten Cop “who is your daddy and what does he do.” Dwayne will continue to progress and will be extra focused in this prime rivalry that the fan base will get extra hyped for this year. The big question will be the secondary. Will they be able to contain all the weapons that the Cowboys have? Injuries could also start to pile up with either Ronald Darby, Sean Davis or others which leaves them extra thin. Even a top of the league pass rush can cover that up. Dallas will come in and take the first match-up and the Redskins will limp into the bye week.

2020 Record: 2-5

Week 8: BYE

Great to see this in the middle of the year allowing for any injured players to rehab and get that extra rest before the final stretch.

Week 9: New York Giants 1:00 PM

Coming off the bye week Ron Rivera is 5-5 with winning 5 of his last 6 post-bye week games. Rivera clearly has learned how to approach the game following the week off better as he’s become a more seasoned head coach. The Giants will also be coming into the game off of a Monday night game against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This lines up for the Redskins to start off the second half of the schedule on the right note. Expect a big game from the defensive front causing chaos for quarterback Daniel Jones. The Redskins are back in the win column.

2020 Record: 3-5

Week 10: AT Detroit Lions 1:00 PM

The Detroit Lions are one of the more curious teams in 2020. The Lions had put up a 3-3-1 record and played competitively until franchise quarterback Matt Stafford broke his backbone. The Lions will likely go as Stafford goes and I am not sold that Stafford can play a full 16 game season. We saw what happened to Tony Romo when he started having back issues. The Redskins will also be able to use their offensive weapons in a way that a now worse Lions secondary won’t be able to keep up with. Week 10 could very well be rookie Antonio Gibson’s coming out party. The Redskins start putting together a win streak in Detroit.

2020 Record: 4-5

Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 PM

The Bengals are still bad. That’s all that really needs to be said. Joe Burrow can only do so much, and he will be running for his life the entire game. Dwayne Haskins should also be looking at a match-up that could allow him to put up career high numbers across the board with McLaurin and Sims cashing in on his big day. The Redskins win BIG at home and reach .500.

2020 Record: 5-5

Week 12: AT Dallas Cowboys 4:30 PM (Thanksgiving Day)

Playing on Thanksgiving Day seems to be a new tradition for the Redskins every other year. It also brings back terrible memories with how those games have gone. It is a short week with a young squad. Ron Rivera will have his men ready to play, but it just comes down to, as of today, what looks like a lack of talent in the secondary. The Redskins lose again on Thanksgiving to Dallas.

2020 Record: 5-6

Week 13: AT Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00 PM

Head coach Ron Rivera went 44-30 in the final 2 months of the season during his tenure in Carolina. The extra rest and time to prepare heading into Heinz Field to face the Pittsburgh Steelers lays out perfectly for the Redskins. Rivera will continue to have his guys prepared to play with a potential Wild Card birth in sight. The Redskins bounce back with a dominant defense and claw their way back to .500 for the final four games of the year.

2020 Record: 6-6

Week 14: AT San Francisco 49ers 4:25 PM

I want to tell you that this won’t be one of the uglier games of the season, but I just don’t want to lie to you like that. One thing is for certain, Trent Williams will be on the field to face his former team. The 49ers will be in a fight to win their division and even the number one seed on a march back to the Super Bowl. Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack del Rio will likely load the box and force quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to win the game with his arm. The one area that is of major concern with the Redskins defense is defending the tight end. George Kittle is one of the best in the league at getting yard after the catch (YAC). Kittle could be in for a big day against a very questionable linebacking group. Trent Williams gets his revenge against the Redskins.

2020 Record: 6-7

Week 15: Seattle Seahawks 1:00 PM

Former Redskins cornerback Quinton Dunbar will be looking to exact some sort of revenge in his mind when he returns to Washington D.C. after being unceremoniously traded to Seattle. Russell Wilson will likely be in the conversation again for NFL MVP and pushing his team to a playoff berth. But, the Seahawks have historically played bad going west to east for a 1:00 PM game except for the years where they had that dominant defense that won them a Super Bowl. The Seahawks defense is not that dominant this year with Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice teaming up for a big day on the ground in what will be a physical battle in the trenches. The Redskins bounce back up to .500 for the third time this season.

2020 Record: 7-7

Week 16: Carolina Panthers 1:00 PM

Much like the Bengals, the Carolina Panthers are flat out bad. They are currently in rebuild mode with trying to find their next franchise quarterback. Matt Rhule’s first year in the league will be a rough one, especially when he will be having to face a pass rush like the one the Redskins have. The playoffs will be of discussion in the D.C. area and that will be a motivating factor for them to finish their home schedule on a high note. Ron Rivera will get the win over his former team in a blowout margin.

2020 Record: 8-7

Week 17: AT Philadelphia Eagles 1:00 PM

Going to Lincoln Financial Field is always a tough place to play at the end of the year. The division will likely be in play for them with the Redskins looking to finish above .500 for the first time since 2016 when they finished 8-7-1. This game will come down to Jake Elliott who has a history of making big time kicks. The Redskins lose their season finale and will be on the outside looking in of the playoffs.

2020 Record: 8-8

All games listed as Eastern Standard Time

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Alan Lepore joins RedskinsReport.com while still doing outstanding work as an editor/writer at FullPressCoverage.com or @FPC_Redskins. You can follow him on Twitter @AlanLepore or on instagram @leporealan. Alan is a Villanova University MPA Nonprofit Management candidate and is a fundraising/development professional.

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