Game-by-game analysis of Washington Football Team’s 2020 schedule
Here’s a week-by-week breakdown of Washington’s 2020 schedule, with win probabilities from The Washington Post’s Neil Greenberg for each game.
Week 1: Sept. 13 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 29 percent
Washington opens against Philadelphia for the third time in four seasons after losing Week 1 matchups to the Eagles in 2017 and 2019. The last time Washington beat Philadelphia, in December 2016, quarterback Dwayne Haskins was taking a redshirt year as a freshman at Ohio State and edge rusher Chase Young was a high school senior at DeMatha.
The Eagles are expected to be without rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor (shoulder), and starting left tackle Andre Dillard (torn biceps) was placed on injured reserve. But their offense will still be one of the biggest tests for Washington’s rebuilt secondary. Led by Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia’s tight ends led the league in catches (9.7) and receiving yards (100.6) per game last season.
Week 2: Sept. 20 at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 25 percent
The Cardinals’ 2019 winning percentage is an irrelevant gauge of their potential in 2020. The Arizona team that finished 5-10-1 last season with a subpar passing offense and one of the league’s worst defenses now boasts a receiving trio of DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald and added one of the most dynamic defensive players in the 2020 draft, linebacker Isaiah Simmons. Arizona has the potential to be a problem.
Week 3: Sept. 27 at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 19 percent
The Browns have built on offense over the past few years, with quarterback Baker Mayfield becoming their centerpiece. They acquired wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., drafted running back Nick Chubb and signed running back Kareem Hunt. This offseason, they invested heavily in the offensive line by signing right tackle Jack Conklin and drafting potential left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. The question remains whether the Browns’ star-studded cast can finally live up to its preseason billing.
Week 4: Oct. 4 vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m., CBS
Washington win probability: 16 percent
Baltimore already had the most prolific offense in the league. Now it has a stacked defense that could create havoc for Washington’s offensive line. In addition to retaining pass rusher Matthew Judon on the franchise tag, the Ravens acquired defensive ends Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe — who last season combined for 93 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, and 13.5 sacks — and drafted LSU linebacker Patrick Queen in the first round.
Week 5: Oct. 11 vs. Los Angeles Rams, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 32 percent
After missing the playoffs for the first time in three years, the Rams changed coordinators — including adding former Washington offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell. Their hope of a bounce-back season, though, could depend primarily on the offensive line, which allowed the fourth-most pressures (207) in the league last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Quarterback Jared Goff operates best when he has a clean pocket; he completed 73.2 percent of his passes when kept clean but only 42.3 percent when under pressure, per PFF. So if there’s one area where Washington — which boasts five first-round draft picks on its defensive line — should have the advantage, it’s in the trenches.
Week 6: Oct. 18 at New York Giants, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 32 percent
Just like Washington, the Giants have a second-year quarterback (Daniel Jones) who had to adjust to a new head coach (Joe Judge), a new offensive coordinator (Jason Garrett) and a new scheme (probably some version of Air Coryell) in a limited offseason. Running back Saquon Barkley put up career numbers against Washington over the past two seasons: He had 197 scrimmage yards in Week 14 in 2018 and 279 in Week 16 last year. With the scheme change, he figures to be featured even more in New York’s offense.
Week 7: Oct. 25 vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 29 percent
The Cowboys had the second-best passing offense in the league last year (296.9 net yards per game), and quarterback Dak Prescott is coming off his finest year statistically. He returns with another strong supporting cast that features Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb and Ezekiel Elliott. But the team’s success may depend on the strength of its defense, which underwent a makeover. If there’s one area Washington could exploit, it’s the Cowboys’ secondary, which has yet to settle on a clear replacement for cornerback Byron Jones.
Week 8: Bye
Week 9: Nov. 8 vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 52 percent
A trend Washington would surely like to reverse: It has lost its second meeting with the Giants four years in a row and in seven of the past 10 seasons. Washington came close to ending that losing streak last season when it scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to send the game to overtime, but its defense couldn’t get off the field.
Week 10: Nov. 15 at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 29 percent
Detroit’s defense allowed 400.4 yards per game last season (31st in the league) and 79 plays of 20 yards or more (tied for 29th). Although the Lions lost some key players on defense, including cornerback Darius Slay, they had an impressive offseason, adding linebacker Jamie Collins, nose tackle Danny Shelton and rookie cornerback Jeff Okudah, among others.
Week 11: Nov. 22 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m., CBS
Washington win probability: 53 percent
Cincinnati spent big and came away with arguably the best offseason haul of any team. In addition to placing the franchise tag on wide receiver A.J. Green, the Bengals gave defensive tackle D.J. Reader a four-year contract worth $53 million and handed out three-year deals to cornerback Trae Waynes and safety Vonn Bell. And that was before they drafted Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick. On paper, Cincinnati upgraded significantly, but it remains to be seen whether second-year coach Zac Taylor can put the pieces together.
Week 12: Nov. 26 at Dallas Cowboys, 4:30 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 13 percent
Washington begins what could be a brutal three-game stretch at “Jerry World,” where it hasn’t won since Week 17 of the 2015 season. The Thanksgiving atmosphere probably won’t be what it normally is at AT&T Stadium, but Jerry Jones has been insistent on having some fans — perhaps as many as 45,000 — on game days.
Week 13: Dec. 6 at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 16 percent
It has been 29 years since Washington defeated the Steelers. It was Week 12 of the 1991 season, when Washington improved to 11-0 en route to going 14-2 and winning Super Bowl XXVI. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger played only two games last season because of an elbow injury, but the Steelers’ defense — which stars T.J. Watt on the edge, Minkah Fitzpatrick at safety and Devin Bush at inside linebacker — could be one of the NFL’s best this year.
Week 14: Dec. 13 at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 5 percent
The 49ers transformed from 4-12 in 2018 to NFC champions in 2019, with the second-best scoring offense and the top passing defense in the NFL. They no longer have one of the anchors of their defense, having traded tackle DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis, but they are still loaded with talent. Washington will also go up against a familiar face: Trent Williams, its longtime star left tackle.
Week 15: Dec. 20 vs. Seattle Seahawks, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 29 percent
Russell Wilson is coming off one of his most impressive seasons — 4,110 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and a career-low five interceptions — and Chris Carson posted a career-best 1,230 rushing yards last season. Those two alone will create trouble for Washington’s defense. New coordinator Jack Del Rio faced Seattle twice — both losses — when he was the Broncos’ defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2014. The first loss was one of the biggest blowouts in Super Bowl history, when Seattle cruised to a 43-8 win in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Week 16: Dec. 27 vs. Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m., CBS
Washington win probability: 51 percent
Rivera may not recognize his former team — and that should work in Washington’s favor. There is no Cam Newton and no Kyle Allen. No Greg Olsen, either, or Trai Turner, Luke Kuechly or James Bradberry. Teddy Bridgewater takes over at quarterback, and while he doesn’t have a ton of options, he does have Christian McCaffrey, who had 2,392 scrimmage yards last season.
Week 17: Jan. 3 at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m., Fox
Washington win probability: 14 percent
Washington hasn’t closed the regular season with a win since 2015. In most of the seasons since, it hasn’t mattered; its playoff hopes had faded long before. But as Washington begins a rebuild, the finale of Year 1 under Rivera could be largely dependent on the team’s health. At this time last season, Washington had cycled through all three of its quarterbacks because of injury and/or performance issues.
