Redskins' Playoff Chances Are Low, Easy Schedule Could Keep Washington Alive Beyond Week 15

The Washington Redskins’ season might have effectively ended four weeks ago when Alex Smith broke his leg. Washington entered that game atop the NFC East with a 6-3 record. They’ve since lost four straight games and fallen out of the playoff picture.

Four quarterbacks have started for the Redskins in their last five games. After Colt McCoy suffered a season-ending injury and Mark Sanchez had one of the worst performances by a signal caller in 2018, it’ll be Josh Johnson that gets in the call in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Johnson hasn’t started a game in seven years. The Redskins are 7.5-point underdogs on the road, per OddsShark, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they don’t win another game this season.

But even with all the obstacles they have faced and several teams still competing for the final NFC wild-card spot, Washington is still, at least mathematically, very much alive in the postseason race.

The Dallas Cowboys have all but wrapped up the division with a two-game lead and the tiebreakers over both Washington and the Philadelphia Eagles. The conference’s No.6 seed, however, is up for grabs.

The Minnesota Vikings have just a half-game lead over Washington, Philadelphia and the Carolina Panthers for the last playoff berth. The Green Bay Packers are a game out. The New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 1.5 games out of the postseason.

Washington might have the worst team of anyone still in the hunt, but the Redskins probably have the easiest remaining schedule.

Jacksonville has just one victory in their last nine games, and they’ve totaled 15 points in two games with Cody Kessler as their starting quarterback. In Week 17, the Redskins will host the Eagles, who might also be without their starting quarterback. Washington’s Week 16 road game against the 7-6 Tennessee Titans is their most difficult upcoming contest.

Philadelphia is expected to lose against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday with Carson Wentz sidelined, and they could be in for a rough finish to the season because of all their injuries. Carolina still has to play the New Orleans Saints twice. Green Bay’s playoff hopes could end Sunday when they visit the first-place Chicago Bears.

Minnesota is clearly in the best position to finish with the No.6 seed. They’ll host the Miami Dolphins and visit the Detroit Lions before facing the Bears in the season finale.

The Redskins’ offense was much better last week when Johnson replaced Sanchez. The journeyman quarterback completed 11 of 16 passes for 195 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

It’s certainly not impossible for Washington to win in Jacksonville and stay in the race for another week.