The Redskins backs are up against the wall.
The Giants are flying high after winning their first two games in 2016. There will be a lot of pressure on the Skins to go on the road and beat a division rival in week three The Skins have also not beat the Giants on their turf since 2011.
The Redskins are currently sitting at 0-2 after losing two tough home games. A 0-2 start does not necessarily mean that a team won’t make the playoffs but the odds only get worse after that. In addition, according to FiveThirtyEight’s simulation forecast’s for the season, they predict them to finish last in the NFC East and win between five and six games. Winning only five to six games gives them only a 10 percent chance at reaching the playoffs. There is some hope if they are victorious at MetLife in week three. The Redskins started 1-2 in both 2012 and 2015 when they won the NFC East. Do not give up on the season yet fans!
The week two loss against Dallas stings the most because they were without starting quarterback Tony Romo, and were in the driver’s seat deep into the fourth quarter. The Skins were in the red zone looking to extend the game to two possessions when Cousins threw a brutal interception which swung the momentum of the game. Dak Prescott, fourth round rookie quarterback thoroughly outplayed Kirk Cousins, and to put the icing on the cake, former Redskins running back Alfred Morris punched the ball into the end zone for the game winning touchdown.
Cousins has a lot to prove in week three especially after hearing murmurs that his teammates have been frustrated with his play. Pro Football Talk reported that multiple players have been unhappy with quarterback Kirk Cousins. They reported, “Per a source with knowledge of the situation, multiple offensive players have begun to complain about quarterback Kirk Cousins, pointing to a lack of decisiveness, erratic play, and confusion. ... I asked the source whether the players who are griping would prefer Colt McCoy. Said the source, "At least he’d play with poise."
In the off-season the Redskins insisted on placing the franchise tag on Kirk instead of offering him a long-term contract. Only two games into this season, the decision is looking pretty good. Cousins still has plenty of time to turn things around and right the ship.
The Redskins cannot afford to go 0-3 for a multitude of reasons. First off, since the Super Bowl era, only five teams have made the playoffs after starting 0-3. The last team to overcome a 0-3 start was the Buffalo Bills in 1998. A loss to the Giants would put them in a huge hole considering they still have to face top teams like the Panthers, Packers, and Cardinals latter in the season. The body language of starting wide receivers, Desean Jackson and Pierre Garcon is already concerning after bad plays from Cousins. The locker room will quickly fall apart if the Redskins lose three in a row to begin the year.
On the flip side, if the Redskins can pull off the upset (currently 4.5 point underdogs), they will pick up some momentum heading into an easier matchup against the 0-2 and injury-plagued Cleveland Browns.
