The Washington Redskins Can Win Games Down The Strech

One thing that’s been consistent for the Washington Redskins the past six seasons is a 3-6 mid-season record. Washington has started their season 3-6 four consecutive years now. This is also their fifth time in six seasons winning only three games at the midway mark.

Washington finished at the bottom of their division four of those past five seasons (not including this year). The one season they didn’t finish in last place after starting 3-6 was in 2012 when the team won seven straight and clinched a playoff berth. Why was 2012 different than any of those other seasons? Well, I’d argue that it was attributed to having a Quarterback playing at a high level.

With that being said, I believe the Redskins have a chance to make noise down the stretch of this season. And that same Quarterback will be the reason for it.

Two years ago, the Washington Redskins went on a run because they had a rookie QB in Robert Griffin III who the team believed gave them a chance to win every single week.

In my opinion, it was one play that sparked the team into winning down the stretch that season. It came in week 9, before the team’s bye, against the Carolina Panthers. The Redskins were down 21-6 when their offense took the field with 4:22 mins remaining in the game. Robert Griffin III put the team on his back — chopping 2:54 mins off-the-clock after starting on their own 40 yard line. Washington was able to score a touchdown on the drive, which ended up not being enough to win the game. But the play that stood out on that drive came when the offense faced a 4th and 4 that they absolutely needed to convert. Griffin took a gutsy scramble up the middle of the field on a designed pass play — sacrificing his body for the first down. It wasn’t glamorous. It was highly dangerous. But he did it because he felt it was up to him to save Washington’s season. I think that run sparked the team down the stretch of that season. In my opinion, Griffin gained a ton of respect in the locker room after that play. It was a game that every other player was simply flat and he lit a fire into them.

That spark this season could come from receiver DeSean Jackson who stepped up and addressed the team prior to the bye week about supporting Griffin.

“When the past decision was made for Colt to be benched and RGIII to come in and start, you kinda feel guys feeling a certain way about that,” Jackson said on Fox’s Sunday pregame show. “In the locker room, I had to stand up and say something like, ‘As players, that’s not our job. We can’t worry about that. The only thing we can worry about is going out on Sundays and play your best and put your best foot forward. You worry about what you’re gonna do on the field, and let the coaches, the owners and everybody else have that relationship with RGIII or whoever’s making that decision. As players, we gotta take care of what we can do.’”

After Jackson’s message, the tune changed among players this past week when discussing Griffin or the team. Now there is a resounding stamp of support.

That kind of leadership displayed by DeSean Jackson could change the landscape of how this football team plays.

Although many don’t want to admit it, Robert Griffin III played some of the best football he’s played since 2012 against the Minnesota Vikings two weeks ago. After missing seven weeks of action, the main issue with Griffin in that game was not being in football shape. I think Griffin is going to open some eyes this second half of the season.

“Every year is a new year,” said Griffin when reflecting on the 2012 season. “Obviously we want to do what we did in 2012, but we can’t look at the big picture right now. We’ve got to take care of everything that we can do every day to get better, and it starts with Tampa. They’re not going to come in here and just lay down and let us win a game. We’ve got to go take it from them. So, that’s what we’re focused on.”

It’s going to take two things for the Washington Redskins to compete in these final seven games: An improved Robert Griffin III and a locker room that believes in him. If Griffin can play at a high level and if the team fully believes in him, I think they can win football games the second half of this season. This team can win games despite deficiencies at several areas. And I think they will.

2015 Top 25 NFL Draft Prospects:

***Check out the full list of rankings here. These rankings are based on early personal film study and conversations we’ve had with pro scouts. This is not the order of which I believe players will be selected. These are purely talent-based rankings that are subject to change.