The Redskins managed to finish with a winning record for a second consecutive season in 2016, and it was the first time the franchise has had back-to-back winning years since 1996-97.
Can Kirk Cousins make it three in a row despite the departue of Sean McVay, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson? Let's break it down.
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SportsLine
| Projected wins | In playoffs | Win division | Conference | Super Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.0 | 32.7% | 18.9% | 3.6% | 1.3% |
SportsLine projects the Redskins with about the same odds to win the division as the Giants and Eagles but not being in the same class as the Cowboys (9.6 projected wins). The playoff odds above suggest the Redskins are worth a play at anything better than +200.
Vegas
| Win total | Playoffs | Division | Conference | Super Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | 3/1 | 6/1 | 40/1 | 80/1 |
All odds via Westgate.
Bettors are playing 7.5 as the perfect win total for the Redskins, as there's a balance on the payouts on either side. According to the projections above, there is some value in taking Washington to make the playoffs and even to win the division.
Experts
| |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Record | 7-9 | 8-8 | 8-8 | 6-10 | 6-10 | 5-11 |
| Playoffs? | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Will Brinson defends his 8-8 prediction:
The Redskins continue not to get any respect from Vegas or prognosticators, which is surprising considering the quality pieces on the roster. Kirk Cousins is a lightning rod, but he's also very productive from a statistical standpoint. Losing DeSean Jackson hurts in a big way, but Terrelle Pryor can replicate Pierre Garcon's production with more athleticism and upside. Jamison Crowder remains criminally underrated, and 16 games of Jordan Reed would equate to a monster year, even if it's a pipe dream. Credit ex-GM Scot McCloughan for the work in rebuilding the offensive line, a unit that should once again protect Cousins well.
On defense there are a lot more pieces than people want to credit. The addition of Jonathan Allen was a home run in the draft and will shore up the defensive line. Josh Norman might very well end up justifying his contract in Washington if last year is a quality precursor. Ryan Kerrigan continues to grow as a pass rusher and could easily match his 11-sack total from last year. The linebacking group of Preston Smith, Mason Foster and Zach Brown are an intriguing group. The schedule is a nightmare, but the guess here is that the Redskins will be in the hunt for the division later thanks to the Cowboys and Giants taking a step back.
