With training camp underway and the preseason fast approaching, Last Word on Pro Football is analyzing the schedules of all 32 NFL teams. Each team’s 16-game slate will be split into its most difficult (1-8) and easiest games (9-16). For this article, the Washington Redskins easiest games of their 2019 schedule are the focus.
The toughest games of the Redskins 2019 season.
Washington Redskins Easiest Games of 2019
9. Week Nine: at Buffalo Bills
Buffalo regressed last season, one year separated from their wild card appearance in 2017. This roster noticeably improved on offense, which was highly needed if they wanted to compete in the AFC East this year. They signed wide receiver John Brown, running back T.J. Yeldon, and starting center Mitch Morse in free agency. Buffalo also drafted a trio of impressive offensive players on day two of the draft. They picked up tackle Cody Ford, running back Devin Singeltary, and tight end Dawson Knox. It may come as a surprise, but Buffalo ranked first in the NFL with the lowest amount of passing yards allowed and second with overall yards allowed per game. They kept their secondary core intact and beefed up their defensive line with the selection of Ed Oliver in the first round. Buffalo is primed as a sneaky team to have a bounce-back year.
10. Week Seven: vs San Francisco 49ers
I might regret this placement on this list by the time this game comes around, but for now, the San Francisco 49ers have not proven anything to be a tough team to beat. Jimmy Garoppolo is one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL due to market determination, but he has yet to even play more than six games in a single season. All eyes are on him and the offense this year. If he can’t get them rolling and prove he is worth his contract, some of the coaching staff may start to feel their seats warm up. General manager John Lynch went all-in on improving the defense. They drafted stand-out defensive end Nick Bosa second overall, traded for defensive lineman Dee Ford from Kansas City and threw an entire Brinks truck at linebacker Kwon Alexander on the first day of free agency. However, historically west coast teams do not perform well in early games when traveling East. Bosa, Ford, and Alexander are decent additions, but two overpaid free agents and an injury-prone rookie can’t do much to improve a defense that ranked in the bottom five of the NFL with points allowed per game with 27. Washington should manage them early and jump out to an early lead. The key to victory would be the defense playing their west coast offense conservatively and not allowing any big plays or momentum for drives.
11. Week 13: at Carolina Panthers
The Redskins handled Carolina last year at home in a 23-17 victory. The Panthers will be hungry for revenge this time around on their home turf in Charlotte. If the Panthers have a repeat of last season’s disaster, Ron Rivera might not even be the head coach of the team by this point which would lead to a comfortable Redskins victory. Of course, there’s always the chance they return to 2015 form and tear up the NFC South, which would make my ranking of this game garbage. It’s really a toss-up right now down in Carolina.
12. Week 12: vs Detroit Lions
Good teams will beat the Lions in 2019. If Washington is who they say they are, this game should be a piece of cake, and a home victory. Washington has all the parts on all three levels of the defense to shut down Matthew Stafford, Kerryon Johnson and Kenny Golladay. Josh Norman, Da’Ron Payne, and Ryan Kerrigan will rack up stats. Detroit’s defense will be improved from last years with the additions of Mike Daniels, Trey Flowers, and Amani Oruwariye, but not enough to shut down even the simplest of offensive gameplans. To reiterate, the Redskins should beat average teams like the Lions if they really are a playoff contender.
13. Week 11: vs New York Jets
The upside of being scheduled to play the AFC East is the three bottom-feeding teams in the division, with the Jets being one of them. Their general manager Mike Maccagnan chose Adam Gase as the savior to lead New York out of the basement. The organization became dysfunctional and toxic faster than you could reply with a crazy eye Gase GIF to a Jets fans saying “Darnold > Baker” on Twitter. Maccagnan was soon fired five months after hiring Gase. On top of the personnel mess at the top of the organization, the roster is an easily beatable one. Their offense is led by second-year quarterback Sam Darnold, 4-9 as a starter last year, running back Le’Veon Bell, who hasn’t done any football activities since January 14th, 2018, and wide receivers Robby Anderson and Quincy Enunwa, both great complimentary receivers but neither are number one guys. Similar to the Lions, the Jets are an easy win for quality teams.
14. Week Six: at Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a directionless team. The Dolphins changed leadership from Adam Gase to New England Patriots linebacker coach Brian Flores. The turnover was much needed as Gase created a toxic locker room, and shipped out all the talent that spoke up against him. Another significant turnover was at the quarterback position. After six years at the helm, Tannehill was traded to the Tennessee Titans. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen are currently battling in training camp for the right to boast a 4-12 record as a starter in 2019. Besides a few youngsters like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Kenyan Drake, and Xavien Howard, the Dolphins roster is littered with average to below-average players. Miami does not have a set culture, team chemistry, or identity. They are a new team starting fresh in a new direction, which generally equates to a losing season.
15. Week Four: at New York Giants
What’s there to say about the Giants that hasn’t already been said by every NFL fan this year. They are going to stink up 2019. From trading generational superstar Odell Beckham Jr. to overdrafting quarterback Daniel Jones at number six overall, general manager Dave Gettleman has been on a rampage this past off-season. The reason this Giants game comes in at No. 15 and not No. 16 on the list is because of the early season implication. Losing divisional games and any game in general early in the season can derail playoff hopes at an extreme level. I previously mentioned that teams get momentum from the first four weeks either towards a winning or losing season. Also, the fact that this will be an away game adds an extra level of difficulty. Still, the difficulty of playing New York this season is going to be a slight step-up from dumb easy to regular easy.
16. Week 16: vs New York Giants
This Giants game comes in last because, by this point of the season, there will only be two outcomes for the Redskins season directionally. They will either be realistically out of the playoff race with a sub .500/classic Redskins 7-7 record or directly in the hunt for a Wild Card spot or division lead. If the latter is correct, Washington should trample a Giants team barely limping to the end of the season. Either way, this game will be a shoo-in win.
