Washington Redskins 2019-20 NFL Postseason: Odds and Predictions

After an injury-riddled 2018 season, the Washington Redskins are hoping their (somewhat) healed roster will be able to compete in the NFC East, but unfortunately the struggling franchise is still feeling the effects of the injury bugs under center.

The quarterback question is a big one in Washington, one we examine closer in this article, but general manager Doug Williams has spent the offseason trying to find that answer, as well trying to fix his team’s offense and defense that were both ranked in the bottom half of the league last season.

After three playoff-free seasons and two sub-500 record years in a row, head coach Jay Gruden is certainly on the hot seat, so we take a look at the odds and predictions of his 2019 Washington Redskins and briefly analyze the team’s chances of making it to (and through) the postseason.

The 2019 Washington Redskins are:

• Owner: American businessman Daniel Snyder
• General Manager: Doug Williams (Promoted June 2017)
• Head Coach: Jay Gruden (Hired January 2014)
• Offensive Coordinator: Kevin O’Connell (Promoted January 2019)
• Defensive Coordinator: Greg Manusky (Promoted January 2017)
• Quarterback: Case Keenum? or Colt McCoy? or rookie Dwayne Haskins? TBD
• Offensive Stars: Running back Adrian Peterson and tight ends Jordan Reed
• Defensive Stars: Nose tackle Da’Ron Payne and linebacker Mason Foster

2018 Franchise Records:

• Overall 7-9-0
• Home: 3-5-0
• Road: 4-4-0
• Divisional: 2-4-0
• Conference: 6-6-0

2019-20 Schedule: 32^nd toughest, or in other words, the easiest in the entire league

Week 1 Matchup: vs. Philadelphia Eagles @ away

How did the Washington Redskins do in 2018?

The 2018 Washington Redskins finished their season posting a 7-9 record, the same as they did the year before, and for the fourth time and third season in a row under head coach Jay Gruden, Washington’s pro football team missed the playoffs.

After a promising 6-3 start to the season, quarterback injuries are what took these Redskins down in 2018, starting in Week 11, when franchise player Alex Smith’s right leg suffered  a compound and spiral fracture to the tibia and fibula during a sack by Houston Texans Kareem Jackson and J.J. Watt, ending his season (and most likely his 2019 campaign, as well).

The rest of the 2018 season was wretched, the Redskins having to float from Colt McCoy under center for two weeks until he fractured his fibula, to Mark Sanchez until he was benched for Josh Johnson, and the year closed on a disheartening 1-6 run that did not leave much hope in the tank for this upcoming year.

What major offseason moves happened in Washington?

Besides trading with the Denver Broncos for quarterback Case Keenum, there was some key Redskins roster movement this offseason.

There were talented players lost to free agency (linebacker Preston Smith, wide receiver Jamison Crowder and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix) but some fine players acquired (safety Landon Collins, guard Ereck Flowers and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie).

Williams used the NFL draft to add some more offensive and defensive depth to his roster, for example by selecting quarterback Dwayne Haskins and linebacker Montez Sweat in round one, wide receiver Terry McLaurin in round three and running back Bryce Love and guard Wes Martin in round four.

Below we take a brief look at how these trades and signings affected the different aspects of the Redskins’ game.

For more detailed coverage on the Redskins’ offseason moves, please check out our previous coverage: The Washington Redskins’ Biggest Offseason Moves And 2019 Odds And Predictions

Who will be the Redskins’ Week 1 starting quarterback?

Of course, that’s the multi-million dollar question that GM Williams is trying to figure out.

The wishful answer is veteran franchise quarterback Alix Smith, but the compound and spiral fracture he suffered in his right leg is still healing and Smith most likely won’t see playing time in 2019.

The next best answer would be backup Colt McCoy, but unfortunately the fractured fibula he suffered last season is also still healing and he has yet to be cleared to play, so his return before the Week 1 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles (or anytime soon thereafter) is highly unlikely.

The answer to the Redskins’ starting quarterback question appears to be Case Keenum, the Denver Broncos player Williams traded for in March this offseason who has yet to wow anyone in his two preseason appearances, throwing the ball a combined 7-for-16 for 112 total yards and a touchdown in those outings.

Is first round pick Dwayne Haskins ready under center?

Yes and no. At times in his two preseason games he appeared competent and ready, and at other times he looked exactly like what he is, a rookie quarterback in way over his head.

The good news is that Haskins preseason numbers weren’t horrible – a combined 15-for-28 for 231 total yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.

The young quarterback did show improvement from the first game to the second, so there is hope, but like most rookie quarterbacks, Haskins will improve the most (in skills and in confidence) by clip-boarding it on the sidelines for at least the first half of the season.

How was the Redskins’ offense improved?

Trading for Case Keenum might not have necessarily improved the offense, but from the looks of things in terms of injuries to the two other likely starters (see above), he might have actually saved the offense, at least for now.

The Redskins’ overall offense was ranked 28^th last season, so Williams fired his old offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh and promoted quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Kevin O’Connell to fill the role.

The offense in Washington also improves with the addition of a healthy Derrius Guice, the second-year running back who, in the midst of a whole lot of rookie hype last year, went down to a season ending torn ACL suffered in the first preseason game.

How was the Redskins’ defense improved?

Losing linebacker Smith midfield and Clinton-Dix in the secondary defiantly hurts an already weak Redskins defense, ranked 18^th overall by the end of last season.

The addition of safety Collins and cornerback Rodgers-Cromartie should help offset that loss, but cornerbacks Josh Norman and Quinton Dunbar have to step up after their secondary ranked a middling 15^th last season.

Adding rookie outside linebacker Montez Sweat to the defensive roster gives them young talent to build around, and although right now he is listed as a backup on the preseason depth chart, expect that to change as we get closer to the season.

When was the last time the Redskins made the playoffs?

The Washington Redskins have been to the playoffs twice in the last ten years, both Wild Card spots, which they lost in 2012 to the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 14-24 and in 2015 when they lost to the Green Bay Packers by the score of 18-35.

The Redskins are definitely Super Bowl Champions, however, having been to a total five Big Games in their franchise history, winning three Lombardi Trophies after coming out on top in Super Bowl XVII in 1982, Super Bowl XXII in 1987 and Super Bowl XXVI in 1991.

Interesting side note: the MVP in Super Bowl XXII was none other than current Redskins GM Doug Williams, who led his 1987 team to an easy 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos after completing an impressive 18 of 29 passes for 340 yards and four touchdown passes.

Why WILL the Redskins make it to the postseason in 2019?

Who are we to judge an NFL team’s ability to perform miracles, but many of them would most likely have to be executed before this team finds its way to the postseason this year.

For the 2019 Redskins to make the playoffs as the NFC East champions, the mighty Philadelphia Eagles and powerful Dallas Cowboys would have to stumble incredibly, and those miracles are just not going to happen given how talented their rosters look right now.

So it would have to be a Wild Card miracle for these Redskins to play football in January, which no matter how well they did would require a poor showing by so many talented NFC teams (too many to list) that it would be best not to get ones hope up on that happening.

Why WON’T the Redskins make it to the postseason in 2019?

The Redskins’ franchise quarterback is out for the season, his backup is out for at least the first third of the season, and his backup struggled last season with a far better team.

Having a new offensive coordinator doesn’t help matters much, either.

A likely scenario for the (desperate to win) head coach Gruden will be to promote the rookie Haskins too soon because the season has fallen apart and that will most likely result in the Redskins missing the playoffs for the third season in a row.

What are the current odds and predictions for the Washington Redskins’ 2019 NFL postseason?

According to the odds makers, the 2019-20 Washington Redskins will end up in third place of the NFC East for the third season in a row. Ouch.

Fifteen other NFC franchises have better odds than the Redskins to win the NFC Championship next season, and (gasp) all but two NFL franchises have a better chance of taking home the next Lombardi Trophy.

Looks like this is predicted to be a rebuilding year for the Redskins, but Keenum has pulled off playoff miracles before (see the playoff bound Minnesota Vikings in 2017), so he may have at least one more in his back pocket for these healthy-quarterback-starved Redskins, especially given their easy-breezy schedule.

Will the Washington Redskins make the NFL postseason in 2019?

* 21+ | NJ only | If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER

Analysis: As a football gambler, these odds should tell you everything you need to know about the 2019 Washington Redskins.

If the odds makers are willing to give you $500 on a $100 bet, you can be pretty dang sure that it’s not going to go that way.

Of course, Redskins fans will disagree; especially given that the Redskins have the easiest schedule in the league – but it’s a safe bet those same fans are not going to be putting any money down to back that up.

Odds of the Redskins winning the NFC East:

* 21+ | NJ only | If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER

Analysis: Third place in their division appears to be where the odds makers’ are placing the 2019 Redskins.

Now that assumes the Eagles and Cowboys will perform as predicted – but who knows if unforeseen events (like the injuries that keep taking down the Redskins) are in their future, too.

Not if miracles do happen and Keenum does take his struggling Redskins to the top of their division with, say, a fantastical 12-4 record, this first place bet here will pay you a hefty $1,200 plus your original $100 investment – and all it takes is a few miracles.

Number of regular season Redskins games won:

* 21+ | NJ only | If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER

Analysis: This bet shows the reality of this current Redskins roster.

The team has won the over of this bet for the last four seasons, but guessing these Redskins will go 7-9 or better does seem like a bit of a stretch.

Of course, the Skins have gone 7-9 the last two seasons in a row, so bet on ‘three’s the charm’ if you think that this team can somehow pull it together.

Odds of the Redskins winning the NFC Championship:

* 21+ | NJ only | If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER

Analysis: Not much to analyze here when 15 other NFC teams have better odds than the Redskins to win this bet.

Sure, the payoff is huge, but you might get better use of your $100 donating to the charity of your choice instead.

But if you know something about this team that the public has no clue about, by all means break open your fat gambling kitty and let it ride.

Odds of the Redskins winning Super Bowl LIV:

* 21+ | NJ only | If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER

Analysis: This bet is a big fat NO.

Only the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins have worse odds than the Redskins of winning the next Super Bowl, and that says a lot.

All due respect, you’re better off hanging onto your cash here and putting it down on a bet that doesn’t require quite as many miracles to make happen, like on the sun turning into blue cheese or on Antonio Brown going media silent.