Photo Garrett Campbell, Redskins.com
Redskins Capital Connection’s resident futurologist Mark Phillips has done what he continues to do each year; rubbed his crystal ball, recited the magic words, and cast his eye forward to determine who Redskins fans should be rooting for in all the other games that matter! The Redskins are very much still alive in the playoff hunt, but there’s always a few results that would help Washington inch closer to clinching a spot, and here they are…
Last week there were eleven games that impacted the Redskins NFC playoff race in some way shape or form. This week that number drops to nine. As the season goes on fewer and fewer teams remain relevant to the playoff race. Last week only San Francisco fell into my irrelevant NFC teams list but they are no longer lonely on this list. They have a roommate and that lucky team is……….
The Chicago Bears
The Bears dropped to 2-7 last week and 7 losses with 7 games to play makes you irrelevant. Chicago scored one TD against a team that once gave up 37 points to CASE KEENUM!!!! That one TD was a Hail Mary before the half. The Bears are just so bad right now and unfortunately the Redskins could really use some help from them this week. We’ll get to that later. There is a candidate that could join the Redskins Review NFC Irrelevancy (Patent Pending) list this week. They are….
The Carolina Panthers
At 3-6 Carolina is at that run the table stage to make the playoffs. With 6 losses and 7 to play while they can stay in the NFC South race with a loss they would no longer be serious Wild Card challengers with a loss. Since I am only interested with them as they relate to the Redskins that would make them irrelevant to me.
So, to recap before we look at this week’s games that matter to the Redskins lets recap the irrelevancy list….
Teams Currently Irrelevant to the Redskins
- San Francisco 49ers (1-8)
- Chicago Bears (2-7)
Candidates to join the list this week
- Carolina Panthers (3-6)
As far as games that matter to the Redskins this week here they are in order of least important to most important in my opinion….
9. Jacksonville at Detroit
It would help the Redskins if two of the three contending NFC North teams fell off. The NFC North is the only division in the NFC, outside the East, that has more than one team with a winning record. Normally Detroit would be the team we most want to lose because they would have all tiebreaker advantages over the Redskins but that damned tie makes tiebreakers for the Redskins a non-issue. As always you should always pull for the AFC team to beat the NFC team so Jacksonville is the team to root for here but Detroit losing would be a surprise.
8. Miami at Los Angeles
It’s Jared Goff time in LA. Reports are coming out that the Rams will be starting Jared Goff in this game. Maybe it was that 9-6 thing of beauty win over the New York Jets that convinced Jeff 7-9 Fisher. The Rams are at 4-5 so they are still in the discussion but with games looming at New Orleans, at New England, at Seattle and home against Atlanta I am not sure Fisher even gets to 7-9. Again, AFC over NFC so pull for the Dolphins here but unlike their Florida counterparts the Jaguars I expect the red-hot Dolphins to win.
7. Tampa Bay at Kansas City
Tampa did look good this week but it was Chicago. Other that over Atlanta in Week One the Bucs don’t have an impressive win this year. On the other hand, other than a Week Three loss to Los Angeles they don’t have a bad loss either so they are a tough team to figure. Kansas City isn’t. They’re good. The only problem with the Chiefs is they aren’t an explosive offense so everyone that plays them does have a punchers chance. However, since they are the better team, they are playing at home and they play in the AFC you should both root for them and, like me, expect them to win.
6. Baltimore at Dallas
Dallas is two wins in their next two games from becoming irrelevant to the Redskins but in a bad way. The Cowboys snatched victory from the jaws of defeat this week. Too bad because it would have made Thanksgiving more interesting if they lost one before that game. Baltimore will be the toughest run defense the Cowboys have faced so it could force Dak Prescott to get points on his own but it’s hard to see Dallas losing here. Obviously, you should root for the Ravens but will they win? Nevermore.
5. New Orleans at Carolina
Finally, we have an NFC vs NFC game. Carolina really needs this one. Primarily to avoid the Redskins Review Irrelevancy list but secondarily they are a game behind the Saints and the Buccaneers and they have already lost to the Saints once. The Panthers would be two back of the Saints with a loss and New Orleans would have all tiebreakers. At this time the best chance the Saints, Panthers and Buccaneers have to make the playoffs is to win the NFC South. Atlanta isn’t running away with it. New Orleans can pull within a game of the idle Falcons with a win and the Saints have the more manageable schedule going forward. For that reason, I think it is best for the Redskins if the Panthers win on Thursday Night Football and I think they will. When you lose on a blocked extra point returned for two points it feels like the football Gods are against you.
4. Arizona at Minnesota
The loser of this game is done. No not mathematically but neither team is great right now. Minnesota is the team reeling the most of the two having lost 4 straight. The Vikings can still get back in it if they can win two of their next three between this one, at Detroit on Thanksgiving and against Dallas on TNF. Arizona is a reasonably respectable 3-1-1 in their last five but the wins are over San Francisco, twice, and the New York Jets. The Cardinals need this one to get over .500 and their schedule is daunting going forward. They play five teams with winning records in their final seven. I think it is best for the Redskins if Arizona wins here because they have a chance to take care of business against the Cards in a few weeks. Minnesota isn’t as bad as they have played the last four weeks in my opinion and I think we need to keep that snowball rolling downhill. I don’t have a strong feel for who wins this game so I will lean with the home team.
3. Chicago at New York Giants
Chicago doesn’t matter in this game. Yes, we should root for them because even if they win they aren’t a real threat. I don’t have much hope for it but the Giants historically have shown a propensity for throwing in a clunker…… SO YOU’RE SAYIN THERE’S A CHANCE!!!!! Not really. The Giants are the biggest threat to Dallas right now. They won in Dallas so they get them at home in Week 14. Dallas just needs to drop one other game and the Giants control their divisional fate. The Giants may find themselves in the odd position of pulling for their closest pursuer, the Redskins, on Thanksgiving Day so they have a shot at the division lead.
2. Philadelphia at Seattle
This looks like a Seattle win but so did the Eagles game against Atlanta last week. Seattle just won at New England. Philly is 1-4 on the road. So many things point to a Seattle win. That said the NFC East is 18-5-1 out of division. 2016 is the opposite of 2015 for the Redskins in one major way. From Week 10 forward in 2015 there were four weeks in which the Redskins won and everyone else in the division lost. It would be nice if we could get that again this year but the NFC East this week went 4-0 including three wins over teams that led or was tied for the lead in the division going into the week. I expect Seattle to win this week and that would be good for the Redskins but it is an uneasy expectation.
1. Green Bay at Washington
Obviously.
How The Playoff Seedings will look if I picked the games correctly
- Dallas 9-1
- Seattle 7-2-1
- Detroit 6-4 (#3 over Atlanta based on conference record)
- Atlanta 6-4
- NY Giants 7-3
- Washington 6-3-1
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