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The Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 81st season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 76th representing Washington, D.C. Their home games were played at FedExField in Landover, Maryland for the 16th consecutive season. Washington played in the Eastern division of the
National Football Conference The National Football Conference (NFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the United States. The NFC and its counterpart, the American Football Conference ...
(NFC). It was the third season for head coach Mike Shanahan. The Redskins improved on their 5–11 record from the
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
season, and ended the regular season with a 7-game winning streak to finish with a 10–6 record, leading to a NFC East division championship and a 4th seed spot in the playoffs. It was their first division title since
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
. The Redskins lost in the Wild-Card Round to the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
, ending their season but marking the team's first playoff appearance since the end of the 2007 season (in which the Redskins also lost the Wild Card game to the Seahawks). The Redskins ranked #1 in the league in rushing yards for the 2012 season. Robert Griffin III's 815 rushing yards and Alfred Morris's 1,613 rushing yards accounted for 90% of the Redskins rushing yards for 2012.


2012 draft class

;NOTES : The team traded its original first-round selection (#6 overall), second-round selection (#39 overall) and first-round selections in
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(#22 overall) and 2014 (#2 overall) to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the Rams' first-round selection (#2 overall). : The team acquired an additional fourth-round selection in a trade that sent QB Jason Campbell to the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
. : The team traded its original third round selection (#69 overall) to the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
for its 3rd round (#71 overall) and its 7th round selections (#217 overall). : The team acquired a new sixth-round selection (#173 overall) and a 2013 sixth-round selection in a trade that sent QB
Donovan McNabb Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before his NFL career, he played football and b ...
to the Minnesota Vikings. : The team traded its original sixth-round selection (#177 overall) and DE
Vonnie Holliday Dimetry Giovonni "Vonnie" Holliday (born December 11, 1975) is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 19th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football ...
to the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
in exchange for RB
Tim Hightower Timothy Michael Hightower (born May 23, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Richmond and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He also played f ...
. : The team traded the fourth-round pick acquired from the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
(#109 overall) to the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
for its fourth-round (#119 overall) and its sixth-round (#193 overall) selections.


Staff


Final roster


Schedule


Preseason


Regular season

:Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.


Postseason


Game summaries


Regular season


Week 1

The Redskins opened their 2012 season on the road, marking the much-anticipated debut of Robert Griffin III, the second overall pick in the
2012 NFL Draft The 2012 NFL draft was the 77th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players for their rosters. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held ...
. Griffin started his career as well as possible, going 6/6 on his opening possession, setting up a 37-yard field goal by new Redskins kicker Billy Cundiff. However, the lead would be short lived as Six-time Pro Bowl QB Drew Brees marched his Saints down the field, culminating in a 20-yard touchdown pass to star tight end Jimmy Graham. For the first time, Griffin's resolve was tested, as he marched onto the field trailing for the first time. Griffin was unfazed, and after not completing a pass ahead of the line of scrimmage on his first possession, Griffin connected with fellow new Redskins Pierre Garçon for an 88-yard strike to give Washington a 10–7 lead. In the second quarter, Washington's lead continued to grow, as Griffin found second-year man
Aldrick Robinson Aldrick Robinson (born September 24, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He is currently an offensive assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Southern Methodist U ...
for a 5-yard touchdown pass to extend Washington's advantage to 17–7. Cundiff added a 41-yard field goal to give Washington a 20–7 advantage. On the next Saints ensuing possession, Brees found Marques Colston who was on his way to an apparent touchdown, but
fumbled A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
in the Washington end zone, which resulted in a touchback. Appearing to go into the second half up 20–7, Saverio Rocca's punt was blocked and returned four yards for a touchdown by Saints special teamer Courtney Roby to make it 20–14 at the half. Getting the ball to start the second half, Washington extended its advantage by way of a 1-yard rush TD by rookie running back Alfred Morris. Washington would again expand upon its lead via Cundiff's 37-yarder, to make it 30–14 Washington. Saints kicker Garrett Hartley hit a 21-yard field goal to close the third quarter scoring at 30–17. In the fourth, Washington again pushed its advantage to 16 when Billy Cundiff nailed his fourth field goal of the day, this one from 45 yards. However, the Saints would not go quietly. On the Saints' ensuing possession,
Brian Orakpo Brian Ndubisi Orakpo (born July 31, 1986) is a former American football outside linebacker who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, was recognized as a unanimous All-A ...
dropped an interception on 3rd and 10 that would've all but sealed the deal. With this new break, Brees made the Redskins pay, as Lance Moore beat Madieu Williams to the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown on 4th-and-10. Darren Sproles scored on the two-point conversion to cut the Redskins lead to 33–25. The Redskins could not amass a first down on their next drive, and Drew Brees got the ball back with the crowd sensing a comeback. However, Brees overthrew his intended receiver on the first play of the drive, and
DeJon Gomes DeJon "D.J." Gomes (born November 17, 1989) is a former American football safety. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Gomes played college football for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was ...
returned the interception to the Saints 3-yard line, and on the next play, Alfred Morris extended the advantage to 40–25. However, the Saints continued to battle. It took Brees less than one minute to march New Orleans down the field and find Darren Sproles for a 2-yard touchdown pass, and the Saints again pulled within 8. The Redskins got the ball back and were able to nearly run out the clock, but gave Brees one last chance. However, fortunately for the Redskins, Brees'
Hail Mary pass A Hail Mary pass is a very long forward pass in American football, typically made in desperation, with an exceptionally small chance of achieving a completion. Due to the difficulty of a completion with this pass, it makes reference to the Catho ...
on the final play of the game fell short of the intended target and was intercepted by
Reed Doughty Reed Doughty (born November 4, 1982) is a former American football safety who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round, with the 173rd overall pick, of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played co ...
to preserve the 40–32 upset win. With the win, the Redskins began the season 1–0. Robert Griffin III became the first rookie QB to throw for 300 yards in his debut game and win the game. This was the first game in league history to end with a score of 40 to 32.


Week 2

Coming off their upset win over the New Orleans Saints, the Redskins continued their road trip and traveled to the
Edward Jones Dome The Dome at America's Center is a multi-purpose stadium used for concerts, major conventions, and sporting events in Downtown St. Louis, downtown St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Previously known as the Trans World Dome from 1995 to 2001 and ...
to meet the St. Louis Rams for a 5th consecutive season, and for the third consecutive season in St. Louis. The Redskins started the game very well with Josh Wilson recovering a Danny Amendola fumble and returning it to the end zone for a 7–0 Redskins lead on the first snap of the game. St. Louis would fight back, however, and pick up a
Greg Zuerlein Gregory Zuerlein ; (born December 27, 1987) is an American football placekicker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, he played college football at Nebraska-Omaha and Missouri Western. He ...
39-yard field goal to cut the Redskins advantage to 7–3. Washington would close the first quarter with a Robert Griffin III touchdown run to give the Redskins a 14–3 lead going into the second quarter. In the second, St. Louis continued to battle, as Zuerlein hit another field goal. However, on the Redskins' ensuing possession, Griffin III connected with
Leonard Hankerson Leonard Hankerson Jr. (born January 30, 1989) is a former American football wide receiver and coach who is the wide receivers coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University ...
for a 68-yard strike on a play action pass, and the Redskins appeared to take firm control, with a 21–6 edge. However, St. Louis would prove resilient, led by Danny Amendola's 12 receptions in the first half, St. Louis pulled within 8 when
Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the P ...
found the aforementioned Amendola to cut the Redskins' advantage to 21–13. Then, just before the half, Griffin threw his first career interception to
Cortland Finnegan Cortland Temujin Finnegan (born February 2, 1984) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Samford, and was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Finnegan also played for the ...
which set up Zuerlein's 42-yard field goal as the half ended to cut the lead to 21–16. In the third, momentum continued to swing St. Louis' way as Bradford found a wide-open
Brandon Gibson Brandon Lewis Gibson (born August 13, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football and basketball at Washington State and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also pl ...
to give St. Louis its first advantage of the game. Griffin III continued to amaze as he found the end zone for a second time on the ground, and Washington ended the third quarter up 28–23. However, late in the third, for the second straight week, a Saverio Rocca punt was blocked, this time by St. Louis tight end Matthew Mulligan. To open the fourth, Bradford found Mulligan, and rookie
Daryl Richardson Daryl Lashay Richardson (born April 12, 1990) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Abilene Christian. College career Richards ...
scampered into the end zone for the two-point conversion, and St. Louis led 31–28. Washington was unable to get into position to tie the game, but had an opportunity late when Richardson
fumbled A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
and
DeJon Gomes DeJon "D.J." Gomes (born November 17, 1989) is a former American football safety. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Gomes played college football for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was ...
picked it up to give Washington the ball with less than three minutes to play. Washington drove the ball to the St. Louis 29, which would have set up a 46-yard field goal attempt by Billy Cundiff, but Josh Morgan was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after he threw the ball at Cortland Finnegan, moving Washington back to the St. Louis 46, and making it a 62-yard field goal. Cundiff's attempt was wide right and well short of the distance, and St. Louis held on for the 31–28 win. With the loss, the Redskins fell to 1–1. Also, Washington fell to 2–3 in their last five games against St. Louis, dating back the
2008 NFL season The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now." Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on February 1, 2009, w ...
. In that time, the Rams have compiled a 13–53 overall record.


Week 3

Hoping to rebound from their road upset against the St. Louis Rams, the Redskins returned to FedExField in an attempt to win its sixth straight home opener and, simultaneously, snap a 6-game home losing streak, the longest such streak in the NFL currently. Right out of the gate, things started off on the wrong foot for the Redskins, as the Bengals attempted a trick play on the first play of the game, and executed it to perfection, as rookie wide receiver
Mohamed Sanu Muhammad was an Islamic prophet and a religious and political leader who preached and established Islam. Muhammad and variations may also refer to: *Muhammad (name), a given name and surname, and list of people with the name and its variations ...
took the snap and found a wide-open
A. J. Green Adriel Jeremiah Green (born July 31, 1988) is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia Bulldogs football, Georgia and was drafted by the Cincinnati ...
for a 73-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game to make it 7–0 Bengals. The Redskins would go three-and-out on its next possession, but punter Saverio Rocca would pin the Bengals deep in their own end, and on the ensuing play, Bengals QB Andy Dalton, under duress in his own end zone, threw a pass too wide for running back
BenJarvus Green-Ellis BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis (born July 2, 1985) is a former American football running back who played for the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals. Green-Ellis was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played co ...
, which was
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
by linebacker Rob Jackson in the end zone for a Redskins touchdown, evening the score at 7 apiece. However, the Bengals would continue to set the tone offensively, as Dalton would find Armon Binns on the sideline for a 48-yard score to take a 14–7 lead. In the second quarter, Cincinnati continued to dictate the flow of the game, and things began to look grim for the Redskins in Robert Griffin III's home debut. Late in the second, Mike Nugent connected on a 37-yard field goal to extend Cincinnati's advantage to 17–7. Less than a minute later, Cincinnati recovered a Griffin III
fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...
, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis would score on a direct snap from one yard out to put Cincinnati in firm control, up 24–7. However, Washington refused to give up, as they drove down the field, and Billy Cundiff connected from 36 yards out to bring Washington back within two possessions, down 24–10. In the second half, Washington got the ball to start the third quarter, and wasted no time. Rookie Alfred Morris scored from 7 yards out, and the deficit was cut to 24–17. Later, Cincinnati went 3-and-out, and Washington would rally to tie the game, with Griffin finding
Santana Moss Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he earned All-American hon ...
in the corner of the end zone to even the score at 24 apiece, in a game in which Washington seemed destined to lose earlier in the day. In the fourth, however, Washington's defense could not sustain. After squandering solid field position twice, and being out of timeouts with over twelve minutes to play in the fourth, Dalton found
Jermaine Gresham Jermaine Gresham (born June 16, 1988) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he received All-American honors. Hi ...
for a 6-yard TD to put the Bengals back on top, 31–24. The Redskins again went 3-and-out, and Dalton this time found speedy
Andrew Hawkins Andrew Austin Hawkins (born March 10, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver. He played six seasons in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns and two seasons for the Montreal Alouettes of the Ca ...
for a 59-yard touchdown pass to give Cincinnati a 38–24 advantage. Washington, however, again refused to give in. Griffin III scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 38–31, and after Washington's defense forced a punt, Griffin began with the ball at his own 1-yard line, down 7, with no timeouts. Attempting to recreate The Drive nearly worked, as the Redskins got to the Bengals 20, but Griffin III was then sacked for a sixth time on the day, and a third time by Michael Johnson, and the Redskins were then flagged for a false start and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, making the once highly plausible last-second TD pass nothing short of a miracle. Griffin III threw up a prayer that fell incomplete as time expired, and Washington lost 38–31. With the loss, the Redskins fell to 1–2 and sole possession of last place in the
NFC East The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
. They also set a mark for five consecutive games in which their defense allowed 30 or more points, dating back to the 2011 season. This is also the first time the Redskins have dropped a home opener since
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, making this their seventh consecutive home loss.


Week 4

Looking to snap a two-game losing streak, the Redskins traveled to Raymond James Stadium for a duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Redskins hadn't won in Tampa Bay since the 2006 playoff game in which they gained less than 150 yards. In the first quarter, Tampa Bay struck first, with kicker Connor Barth nailing a 50-yard field goal to give Tampa a 3–0 lead. On the ensuing drive, Washington responded by quarterback Robert Griffin III running a
quarterback draw A draw play, or simply draw for short, is a type of American football play. The draw is a running play disguised as a passing play. It is the opposite of a play-action pass, which is a passing play disguised as a running play. The play is often used ...
, but fumbling in the end zone. Fortunately, however, Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garçon pounced on it, and gave Washington a 7–3 edge as time expired in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Washington continued to increase its lead, as Griffin III scored on what was this time a successful quarterback draw, and Washington extended its advantage to 14–3. After a Tampa Bay punt, Washington was able to convert again as
Florida Atlantic Florida Atlantic University (Florida Atlantic or FAU) is a public research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, and satellite campuses in Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, and Fort Pierce. FAU belongs to the 12-cam ...
rookie running back Alfred Morris scored on a 39-yard run to put Washington firmly in control at 21–3. Near halftime, Barth would hit a 57-yard
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
to bring Tampa Bay back within 2 scores, at 21–6. In the third quarter, Washington's much-maligned defense through the first three games began to fall back into the same patterns.
Josh Freeman Joshua Tyler Freeman (born January 13, 1988) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Kansas State University, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Freeman became th ...
began to find open receivers, including bombs to
Vincent Jackson Vincent Terrell Jackson (January 14, 1983 – February 15, 2021) was an American professional football player who played as a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northern Colorado, ...
and Mike Williams, to set Tampa Bay up in the red zone. Freeman would find Jackson for a 7-yard score, and Tampa cut the deficit to 21–13. In the fourth, with an opportunity to take a 2-possession lead, Redskins kicker Billy Cundiff missed his third field goal of the day, this one from a mere 31 yards, and Washington all of a sudden was in a nail-biter. Freeman and the Buccaneer passing game continued to find its rhythm, and concluded the ensuing drive with a 2-yard run up the gut by
LeGarrette Blount LeGarrette Montez Blount (; born December 5, 1986) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football at Oregon after transferring from East Mississippi Commun ...
. However, Washington would retain the lead thanks to a failed two-point conversion attempt, at 21–19. Unfortunately, Washington could not sustain a drive, and gave the ball back to the now-clicking Tampa Bay offense. Tampa Bay got down the field, and Barth made his third long field goal of the day, to give Tampa Bay a 22–21 advantage with 1:42 to play. Washington would have one more chance, as Griffin III had his third chance in as many weeks to mount a
comeback Comeback, The Comeback or Come Back may refer to: General * Comeback (publicity), a return to prominence by a well-known person * Comeback (retort), a witty response to an insult or criticism * Comeback (sports), an event where an athlete or team ...
. With his headset malfunctioning, Griffin was left to fend for himself, and he was able to. With mere seconds to go, Griffin scrambled to the Tampa Bay 25, giving Billy Cundiff, who had gone 0-for-3 on field goals for the day, a chance for redemption and, quite possibly, a chance to save his job. This time, Cundiff delivered, squeezing the ball inside the upright for the 41-yard field goal with only 3 seconds to go, and Washington escaped, 24–22, when Tampa Bay's lateral drill was stopped short the end zone. With the win, Washington improved to 2–2, and 2–0 against the
NFC South The National Football Conference – Southern Division or NFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when ...
.


Week 5

Looking to be over .500 for the second time this season, Washington returned home to face the 4–0 Atlanta Falcons, in hopes of snapping a seven-game home losing streak, as well as, as previously mentioned, be over .500 for the first time since Week 1. A game that was billed to be a game with much offense, and little defense, ironically had the script flipped on its head. In the first quarter, neither team was able to threaten the other, and the teams played to a scoreless tie, with both teams struggling to get the offense in its normal rhythm. In the second quarter, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan threw an interception to Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan who returned it for a Redskins touchdown. After an Atlanta three-and-out, Washington got into the red zone, but Redskins kicker Billy Cundiff, who had missed three field goals the week before in Tampa Bay, shanked one from 31 yards out, and Washington was unable to build upon its advantage. Subsequently, the Falcons got the ball back, and Matt Ryan was able to find legendary tight end
Tony Gonzalez Anthony David Gonzalez (born February 27, 1976) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he is the NFL's all-time leader ...
to even the score at 7–7. In the third, defenses continued to set the tone. On its second possession of the second half, Washington moved the ball effectively into the red zone. However, on third down, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III scrambled to the left, slid down, and was hit hard by Falcons linebacker
Sean Weatherspoon Franklin De'Sean "Sean" Weatherspoon (born December 29, 1987) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at the University of Missouri, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the 19th overall pick in the 2010 NFL ...
, and left the game with a
concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
, and did not return. Cundiff gave Washington a 10–7 advantage by booting a 23-yard
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
, but Washington's main concern now was the health of their quarterback. In the fourth, Washington's defense, who had been on the field far more than it had been off, began to wear down. Matt Ryan found Julio Jones in the corner of the end zone to give Atlanta its first advantage of the day, at 14–10. However, the Redskins, in spite of an injured Griffin, fought back. Fellow rookie Kirk Cousins entered the game and, on 3rd-and-9, found a wide-open
Santana Moss Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he earned All-American hon ...
for a 77-yard strike to put Washington back in the lead, at 17–14. On Atlanta's ensuing possession, veteran kicker Matt Bryant evened the score at 17-all. After a Washington punt, Ryan got the ball back. With a now-exhausted Redskins defense on the field again, Ryan picked the Redskins defense apart, then watched his running back, Michael Turner gash Washington and reach the end zone, and gave Atlanta a 24–17 lead. On Washington's ensuing possession, they were able to get to Atlanta's side of the field, but Cousins showed his rookie colors, stared down a receiver, and veteran cornerback
Dunta Robinson Willie Dunta Robinson ( ; born April 11, 1982) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at South Carolina and was drafted by the Houston Texans with the 10th overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft. Robinson also play ...
made him pay, intercepting him. After Washington's defense stood tall, Washington got one final chance at it. However, Cousins was intercepted again on its first play of the ensuing drive, this time by
Thomas DeCoud Thomas DeCoud ( ; born March 19, 1985) is a former American football free safety. He played college football for the University of California, Berkeley. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. DeCoud c ...
, sealing the win for Atlanta. Atlanta improved to 5–0. With the loss, Washington fell to 2–3 and lost their eighth consecutive home game. They have not won at home since their Week 2 win over the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
last season. After the game, Washington was fined $20,000 for not updating Robert Griffin III's status.


Week 6

After their loss to Atlanta, Washington hosted the Minnesota Vikings, looking to snap an 8-game home losing streak. The first quarter was dominated by the Vikings, as they reached the red zone three times and
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III. However, the Redskins defense was able to stiffen in the red zone, holding the Vikings to three Blair Walsh field goals of 20, 27, and 27 yards, to give the Vikings a 9–0 advantage after one quarter. In the second, Washington finally was able to sustain a drive. The Redskins drive stalled at the Vikings' 33-yard line, however, and new Redskins kicker Kai Forbath got his first NFL opportunity, having replaced Billy Cundiff, who was cut earlier in the week, and delivered a 50-yard boot to trim the deficit to 9–3. After a Vikings three-and-out, Washington was able to run an 11-play drive that gave it its first advantage of the game, as Alfred Morris scored on a 1-yard run and gave Washington a 10–9 lead. On Minnesota's ensuing possession, Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder was sacked,
fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...
d, and the fumble was subsequently recovered by Lorenzo Alexander of Washington, setting the Redskins up at the Vikings 6. Robert Griffin III then found
fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to: Sports * A position in various kinds of football, including: ** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position ** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...
Darrel Young Darrel Young (born April 8, 1987) is a former American football fullback. He is currently the player development director for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent as a linebacker prospect ...
for a 6-yard touchdown pass, extending the Redskins advantage to 17–9. In the third, Washington continued imposing its will, as they drove down the field again, this time culminating in a Robert Griffin III touchdown run, his fifth rushing touchdown of the year, setting a Washington Redskins record for rushing touchdowns by a Redskins QB and extending the Washington advantage to 24–9. The Vikings would not back down, though, and Blair Walsh connected again, this time from 37 yards, his fourth field goal on the day, to cut into the lead, and make it 24–12. In the fourth, the Vikings possessed the ball, but Ponder threw an interception straight into the waiting arms of Redskins
free safety Safety is a position in gridiron football on the defense. The safeties are defensive backs who line up ten to fifteen yards from the line of scrimmage. There are two variations of the position: the free safety and the strong safety. Their dut ...
Madieu Williams, who returned it 24 yards to put the game nearly on ice, at 31–12 Washington. The Vikings, however, proved resilient. On their ensuing drive, the Vikings found the end zone for the first time on the day, with Ponder finding wide receiver Michael Jenkins for a 9-yard score. Ponder subsequently found
Kyle Rudolph Kyle Daniel Rudolph (born November 9, 1989) is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second r ...
on a successful two-point conversion attempt, and the Redskins lead was cut to 31–20. After Washington could not extend its advantage, Minnesota got the ball back. Once again, Minnesota scored, this time Ponder found Rudolph to cut the lead to 31–26. This time, however, the two-point conversion came up short, meaning Minnesota would again need to score a touchdown to complete its rally. However, Washington's rookie QB would see to it that no comeback would be complete on his team on this day, as Griffin, on 3rd-and-6 from his own 24, found a seam on a designed
quarterback draw A draw play, or simply draw for short, is a type of American football play. The draw is a running play disguised as a passing play. It is the opposite of a play-action pass, which is a passing play disguised as a running play. The play is often used ...
, and raced down the sideline for a 76-yard touchdown run, the longest such rush TD by a QB since Kordell Stewart scrambled for an 80-yard score against the Carolina Panthers in the 1996 season. With the score now 38–26 Redskins, the Vikings tried to rally again, and were able to reach the Redskins' goal line. However, with less than a half minute remaining, DeAngelo Hall intercepted Christian Ponder, to officially preserve the 38–26 win. With the win, Washington improved to 3–3, snapped an 8-game home losing streak, and will have an opportunity to take first place in the
NFC East The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
with a victory over the defending
Super Bowl XLVI Super Bowl XLVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
champion
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
next week.


Week 7

Looking to take sole possession of first place in the
NFC East The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
, the Redskins traveled to MetLife Stadium to take on their division rival, the
Super Bowl champion The Super Bowl is the annual American football game that determines the champion of the National Football League (NFL). The game culminates a season that begins in the previous calendar year, and is the conclusion of the NFL playoffs. The winn ...
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
. In a first quarter dominated by the Redskins, Washington ran a drive that chewed up over half the quarter, but were only able to muster a Kai Forbath 20-yard field goal as the drive stalled in the red zone. In the second, the Giants would make the Redskins pay for being unable to capitalize in the red zone, as running back Andre Brown found the end zone to give the Giants a 7–3 lead. Washington would respond, however, with a 26-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III to veteran wide receiver
Santana Moss Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he earned All-American hon ...
to give Washington's advantage back, at 10–7. The Giants would again answer, as Lawrence Tynes connected from 27 yards out to even the score. Washington would respond with a 43-yard field goal from Forbath, and Tynes would again tie it from 39 yards out as time expired in the second. Albeit a scoreless third quarter, it was an eventful quarter that culminated in turnovers for both sides. Despite these events, neither team could capitalize in the third. In the fourth, Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw gave the Giants a 20–13 edge. Later in the fourth, Washington was able to cut into the deficit, as Forbath connected, this time from 45 yards out, and the lead was cut to 20–16. After the Redskins were able to stop the Giants on their ensuing possession, the Redskins were able to march down the field and stun the Giants, as Robert Griffin III hit Santana Moss from 30 yards out to give Washington a 23–20 lead. However, Eli Manning's receivers bailed him out again, as he connected with a wide-open Victor Cruz for a 77-yard score to give New York its advantage back. Washington was able to get a drive going, but Santana Moss
fumbled A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
after getting into Giants territory, ending any chance of a comeback. With the loss, Washington fell to 3–4, 0–1 in the NFC East, and to the NFC East basement.


Week 8

Hoping to rebound from their tough loss to the Giants, the Redskins traveled to
Heinz Field Acrisure Stadium is a football stadium located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It primarily serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Pittsburgh Panth ...
to take on the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
, and attempted to improve to 1–1 against the AFC. The Steelers marched straight down the field on Washington's defense, culminating in a fourth-and-goal 1-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end
Leonard Pope Leonard Pope (born September 10, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia. Pope has also played for the Kansas City Chi ...
from Ben Roethlisberger to give the Steelers a 7–0 lead. Following a Washington three-and-out, the Steelers got the ball back, this time scoring by way of former despised Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham nailing a 48-yard field goal to extend the Steelers' advantage to 10–0. In the second, Washington was able to get on the board as quarterback Robert Griffin III found
Santana Moss Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he earned All-American hon ...
to cut into Pittsburgh's advantage 10–6. It would have been 10–7, but Kai Forbath's extra point was blocked. Pittsburgh responded with a
Heath Miller Earl Heath Miller Jr. (born October 22, 1982) is a former American football tight end who played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons from 2005 to 2015. Miller played college football fo ...
7-yard touchdown and a Suisham 27-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh a 20–6 lead at the half. In the third, Washington drew to 20–9 on a Forbath 48-yard field goal, but Pittsburgh nearly put the game away with a Will Johnson 1-yard touchdown catch to give Pittsburgh a 27–9 lead late in the third. In the fourth, Washington tried to rally as Forbath connected again, this time from 45 yards, but Washington could not score again, as a myriad of dropped passes and a turnover on downs with just over four minutes remaining sealed their fate, as the final score remained 27–12. With the loss, Washington fell to 3–5, and 0–2 against the AFC. Washington has now lost 6 straight games to AFC opponents and has not beaten an AFC team since Week 16 of the 2010 season. During the game, DeAngelo Hall was ejected from the game after using profanity at the officials and was given a fine by the NFL.


Week 9

Looking to snap a two-game losing streak, Washington traveled home two days before the
2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: E ...
to take on the Carolina Panthers in a game that was dubbed a
homecoming game Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...
for them, with past superstars being honored and wearing throwback jerseys from their 1937 season. The Redskins got on the board first with a Kai Forbath 47-yard field goal, but Carolina countered with a DeAngelo Williams 30-yard score that was aided by an inadvertent whistle by the referee. Upon review, the call stood, and Carolina led 7–3. On Washington's ensuing possession, Washington got down to Carolina's 2, but were stuffed on fourth-and-goal, and Carolina took over on downs. Carolina was able to move the ball efficiently on Washington's much-maligned and porous defense, culminating in a Cam Newton 19-yard TD pass to Steve Smith, giving Carolina a 14–3 halftime advantage. In the second half, Washington continued to stay within striking distance, but was unable to make enough plays to get over the hump. Forbath chipped in a 25-yard field goal to cut the score to 14–6. In the fourth, Carolina pulled away. Pinned inside their 10, Newton found a wide-open Armanti Edwards for an 82-yard completion, and capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to take a 21–6 lead. Washington would respond later in the game by way of an
Evan Royster Evan Mathias Royster (born November 26, 1987) is a former American football running back. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Penn State University, where he was a thr ...
2-yard touchdown run, but with only 1:28 left in the game, and only two timeouts, Washington did not recover the onside kick. Following a Carolina three-and-out, Washington got the ball back with 18 seconds to go, but Brandon Banks was tackled in bounds at his own 9-yard line, and with no time outs, the clock ran out. With the loss, Washington fell to 3–6, 1–3 at home, and the
Redskins Rule The Redskins Rule is a spurious relationship in which the results of National Football League (NFL) games correlated strongly with the results of subsequent United States presidential elections. Briefly stated, there was a strong correlation betw ...
stated that
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
would win the election. This proved, however, not to be the case, and only the second time the Rule did not apply. The Redskins have now lost 9 of their past 10 home games dating back to last season, one home short of matching the Eagles' streak of 10 straight home losses.


Week 11

Coming off their bye, the Redskins looked to break their three-game losing streak, both in the current season and against their division rival, and owners of a five-game losing streak, the Philadelphia Eagles. Eagles quarterback
Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is a former American football quarterback. Regarded as having transformed the quarterback position with his rushing abilities, he is the NFL leader in quarterback rushing yards and was the league's firs ...
was ruled out with a concussion, meaning the Eagles were forced to use rookie Nick Foles. Going into the game, the Redskins had lost to the last 8 rookie quarterbacks they faced, dating back to 2005, when they beat backup Ryan Fitzpatrick, filling in for an injured Marc Bulger for the St. Louis Rams. In the first quarter, Philadelphia got the ball first, but on third-and-8, tight end
Brent Celek Brent Steven Celek (; born January 25, 1985) is an American football executive and former tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Cincinnati and was drafted by the Eagles in the ...
could not catch Nick Foles' pass, it was batted in the air, and
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
by DeAngelo Hall and returned to the Eagles' 9. Two plays later, Robert Griffin III found
fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to: Sports * A position in various kinds of football, including: ** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position ** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...
Darrel Young Darrel Young (born April 8, 1987) is a former American football fullback. He is currently the player development director for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent as a linebacker prospect ...
for a 6-yard touchdown pass for a 7–0 Redskins lead. On the ensuing Eagles possession, Brandon Meriweather, playing in his first game as a Redskin due to lingering knee problems, intercepted Foles and returned it. Unfortunately, however, Washington could not capitalize, and the first quarter ended with Philadelphia driving. In the second, Philadelphia got on the board by way of an Alex Henery 42-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7–3. However, Washington continued to be aggressive and take advantage of Philadelphia's struggling secondary, as Griffin III found a wide-open
Aldrick Robinson Aldrick Robinson (born September 24, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He is currently an offensive assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Southern Methodist U ...
for a 48-yard touchdown to extend Washington's advantage to 14–3. After forcing a Washington punt late in this first half, Eagles running back LeSean McCoy
fumbled A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
in the red zone, and Washington was able to convert the turnover into a 25-yard Kai Forbath field goal to close out the half leading 17–3. In the third, Philadelphia tried to rally, connecting on another Henery field goal to cut the lead to 17–6. However, later in the third, Robert Griffin III would scramble for 23 yards on 3rd-and-15, then three plays later, on third-and-10, connect with
Santana Moss Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he earned All-American hon ...
, who was being double-covered for a 61-yard strike and a 24–6 lead. In the fourth, Washington put the game on ice, as Griffin found
Logan Paulsen Logan Sindre Paulsen (born February 26, 1987) is a former American football tight end. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at UCLA. Before that, he played at Chaminade Colleg ...
on a 17-yard score, and took a 31–6 lead with 10:50 left. Philadelphia tried to cut into the deficit, but the attempts proved futile, and unfortunately for the Eagles, with the game well over, LeSean McCoy suffered a concussion when hit by safety Madieu Williams. The Redskins would not allow an Eagles score, and won comfortably, 31–6. Robert Griffin III had a career day, throwing for 200 yards and four touchdowns on 14 of 15 passes, while rushing for 84 yards on 12 carries. With the win, the Redskins improved to 4–6, snapping a 3-game losing streak. They also improved to 1–1 in the NFC East, snapping a three-game losing streak to the Eagles, having not beaten them since Donovan McNabb returned to Philadelphia and beat the Eagles, 17–12 on Oct. 3rd, 2010. Even more importantly, the Redskins defense also did not allow a touchdown for the first time since Week 3 of last season, when they lost 18–16 to Dallas on six Dan Bailey
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
s. Even more importantly than ''that'', they pulled out of the NFC East basement, and into 3rd place, with the win.


Week 12

Coming off their win against the Eagles, the Redskins had a short turnaround and traveled to Cowboys Stadium to take on their hated rival the Dallas Cowboys for the 2012 edition of the annual Thanksgiving Day game. Washington had reason to be nervous, as they were 1–6 all-time on Thanksgiving, and 0–6 against Dallas. In the first, Washington got the ball first, but went three-and-out. After a
Sav Rocca Saverio Giovanni Rocca (born 20 November 1973) is a retired Australian professional sportsman. He played Australian rules football for Collingwood and North Melbourne in the Australian Football League, and then switched to playing American f ...
punt, Dallas had decent field position, and quickly reached the red zone. However, Washington's defense then stiffened, and held Dallas to a Dan Bailey 30-yard field goal. The teams then exchanged punts, and the first quarter concluded without any further scoring. In the second, Washington had the ball inside their own 35, and quarterback Robert Griffin III used a
play-action A play-action pass (also known as a play fake or simply "play-action") is an American football play. The play action starts with what appears to be a running play, but turns out to be a pass play; in this way, it can be considered the opposite of ...
pass, and found a streaking
Aldrick Robinson Aldrick Robinson (born September 24, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He is currently an offensive assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Southern Methodist U ...
for a 68-yard strike, and Washington took its first lead of the game, at 7–3. On Dallas' ensuing possession, Dallas moved the ball into Washington territory, but after Tony Romo completed an 11-yard pass to Dez Bryant that had Dallas in Washington territory, Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson hit him, and dislodged the football, which was subsequently recovered by safety
DeJon Gomes DeJon "D.J." Gomes (born November 17, 1989) is a former American football safety. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Gomes played college football for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was ...
into Dallas territory. Washington would capitalize, with their drive culminating in an Alfred Morris 1-yard touchdown run to extend Washington's advantage to 14–3. Dallas would then punt after just three plays, and Washington marched near midfield, before Griffin connected with wide receiver Pierre Garçon across the middle, and Garcon proceeded to streak to the end zone for a 59-yard score, and Washington led 21–3 with just over 2 minutes remaining in the half. Dallas would attempt to run a
two-minute drill The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style, which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays. The hurry-up, no-huddle offense (HUNH) refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle to l ...
, but Romo's pass, intended for Cole Beasley was
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
by DeAngelo Hall and returned inside the Dallas 25. With mere seconds remaining in the half, Griffin found
Santana Moss Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he earned All-American hon ...
in the corner of the end zone for a score, and a 28–3 halftime lead. In the third, Dallas marched down the field on their opening possession, but the drive stalled again, and Dallas settled for another Bailey field goal, this time from 33 yards out. The majority of the rest of the quarter proved to be a defensive struggle, as Romo was intercepted again, this time by London Fletcher, but Washington could not capitalize on it. After a Rocca punt, Dallas was pinned inside their 20, but Romo connected with a wide-open Dez Bryant, who streaked 85 yards to the end zone, and before you could blink, Dallas was back in the game, at 28–13 Washington. Going into the fourth, Washington was driving, in an attempt to extend their lead back to three scores. They would succeed in this endeavor, as Griffin found tight end
Niles Paul Niles Paul (born August 9, 1989) is a former American football tight end. He played college football as a wide receiver at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskin ...
for a 30-yard touchdown on third-and-inches, and Washington took a 35–13 lead with just under 13 minutes to go. Dallas, however, would not give up, as expected. To save time, Dallas ran a no-huddle offense, and was able to march down the field, and find Felix Jones for a 10-yard touchdown, and a subsequent
quarterback draw A draw play, or simply draw for short, is a type of American football play. The draw is a running play disguised as a passing play. It is the opposite of a play-action pass, which is a passing play disguised as a running play. The play is often used ...
by Romo cut the lead to 35–21 with just under 10 minutes remaining. On Washington's next possession, disaster struck. Robert Griffin III lofted a throw over the middle that he overthrew horribly, and it was easily intercepted by
Charlie Peprah Charles Yaw Peprah (born February 24, 1983) is a former American football safety and current football scout. He played college football at Alabama. Peprah was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has also b ...
and returned inside the Washington 20. However, Washington's defense put Dallas into a 4th down situation, but Romo found Dez Bryant in the left corner of the end zone, and with over 8 minutes remaining, Dallas was now within a touchdown, as Washington's lead was merely 35–28. With his mettle about to be tested, Robert Griffin III led an efficient, clock-chewing drive that concluded with a Kai Forbath 48-yard field goal to extend Washington's advantage to 38–28 with just under three minutes remaining. Dallas, needing a touchdown, onside kick recovery, and field goal to send it to overtime, again marched into Washington territory, but couldn't get to the end zone, as Dez Bryant caught a pass in the end zone that was dislodged at the last minute by Madieu Williams, and Dallas had to settle for a 51-yard field goal by Bailey. This cut the score to 38–31, and Dallas lined up for an
onside kick In gridiron football, an onside kick is a kickoff deliberately kicked short in an attempt by the kicking team to regain possession of the ball. This is in contrast with a typical kickoff, in which the kicking team intends to give the ball to the o ...
, needing a touchdown to tie the game, with 18 seconds remaining. However, it was recovered by DeAngelo Hall and returned to the Dallas 2, as Hall opted not to score, instead letting Robert Griffin III kneel-down to seal the deal. Griffin went 20-for-28 for 311 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception, becoming the first rookie QB in NFL history to throw 4 passing touchdowns in back-to-back games. With the win, Washington improved to 5–6, 2–1 in the NFC East, and into second place in the NFC East by virtue of the tiebreaker over Dallas. Washington also won its first Thanksgiving game since the 1973 season, when they defeated the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
. Washington improved to 2–6 all-time on Thanksgiving, and 1–6 against Dallas.


Week 13

Coming off a big Thanksgiving Day win over the rival Cowboys, the Redskins returned home for a Monday Night Football duel against the NFC East-leading
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
, who beat them in Week 7 27–23. The team came in highly motivated: in the week leading up to the game, team officials posted signs on Redskin Park walls implying that NFL referees were biased in favor of the Giants and quoting Giants owner
John Mara John K. Mara ( ; born December 1, 1954) is the president, CEO, and co-owner of the New York Giants. Early life Mara was born in New York City and grew up in White Plains, a nearby suburb. He is the eldest son of Ann Mara (née Mumm) and late ...
, in his role as head of the league's Management Council, claiming that the $36 million salary cap penalty the council imposed on the Redskins (and a smaller one for the Cowboys) for violating unwritten rules in structuring contracts for the uncapped 2010 season – many within the Redskins organization (and around the league), noting that both teams punished were in the Giants' division, believed Mara had used his NFL position for his own team's interests by weakening their rivals – was, if anything, too light, and they should have lost draft picks as well; the latter was regarded as particularly malicious, as, it would have likely nullified the trade which allowed the Redskins to draft Robert Griffin III. (The animosity ran so deep that, after the game, owner Daniel Snyder was overheard telling a team employee that ''"I hate those motherfuckers"''.) The first quarter began with a Washington punt. The Giants then possessed the ball, but could not get to the end zone, settling for a Lawrence Tynes 39-yard field goal to give the Giants a 3–0 edge. On Washington's ensuing possession, the Redskins moved the ball quickly, and quarterback Robert Griffin III scrambled for a first down, but
fumbled A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
. Fortunately, however, for Washington, it bounced into the waiting arms of wide receiver Josh Morgan, and Washington took a 7–3 lead, as Morgan took it 13 yards into the end zone. The second quarter was dominated by the Giants. However, the Giants, despite long, clock-chewing drives, had a missed field goal by Tynes, and Washington then took over. Washington could not capitalize, and they gave the ball back to the Giants. The Giants then again marched down the field on Washington's much-maligned secondary, and 2-time
Super Bowl MVP The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's (NFL) championship game. The winner is chosen by a panel of 16 football writers a ...
Eli Manning Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the youngest son o ...
found tight end Martellus Bennett for a 4-yard score to retake the lead at 10–7. Washington ran an efficient
two-minute drill The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style, which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays. The hurry-up, no-huddle offense (HUNH) refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle to l ...
, however, and evened the game on a Kai Forbath 33-yard field goal to even the score, appearing to send the game to the locker rooms tied. However, the Redskins porous secondary again got picked on, as Manning led a drive into field goal range, and Tynes connected from 40 yards out, and the Giants sent the game to halftime 13–10. In the third, the Giants punted, and Washington ran a methodical drive, running the ball with efficiency. However, after amassing a first down, Alfred Morris fumbled, and the Giants recovered inside their own 20. The Giants again ran a strong drive down the field, but it stalled, and the Giants settled for another Tynes field goal, this time from 35 yards out, and the Giants took a 16–10 lead into the fourth. In the fourth, Washington drove down the field, with Griffin connecting with Pierre Garçon for an 8-yard score and a 17–16 lead with 11:31 left in the game. The Giants got the ball back, but failed to score. Washington then got it back, but could not run out the clock. New York received it again, and with just under four minutes remaining, called on
Steve Weatherford Steven Thomas "Steve" Weatherford (born December 17, 1982) is a former American football punter. He played college football at Illinois and was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Weatherford has been a member o ...
to punt it back to Washington. Weatherford attempted to draw a roughing the kicker penalty on Redskins linebacker Bryan Kehl, but only
running into the kicker In gridiron football, a penalty is a sanction assessed against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow colored penalty flag onto the field toward or at the spot of a f ...
was called, and Washington got the ball back. Upon receiving possession of the ball, Griffin and Morris saw to it that the Giants would not possess the ball again, as they drove down the field, and ran out the clock, sealing the 1-point win. With the win, Washington improved to 6–6, 3–1 in the NFC East, and one game behind the Giants who now sat at 7–5. Additionally, the third straight win is Washington's longest winning streak in a season since they won 4 straight in Weeks 2–5 of the 2008 season.


Week 14

Following their close win against the Giants, the Redskins played an inter-conference duel with the nearby Baltimore Ravens, looking to extend their winning streak to four games, while simultaneously snapping a six-game losing streak to AFC opponents. The Redskins possessed the ball first, and struck first, as quarterback Robert Griffin III found wide receiver Josh Morgan in the end zone for a 7–0 lead. Less than 3 minutes later, however, Ravens quarterback
Joe Flacco Joseph Vincent Flacco (born January 16, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Delaware after transferring from Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Baltim ...
connected with receiver
Anquan Boldin Anquan Kenmile Boldin Sr. (; born October 3, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver who played 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State University and was drafted by the Arizona Ca ...
to even the score at 7-all. Washington would quickly respond again, this time by way of an Alfred Morris 1-yard touchdown run. In the second, Flacco again found Boldin, this time from 31 yards away, to even the scoring again at 14-all. On Washington's ensuing possession, Alfred Morris
fumbled A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
, Baltimore recovered, and Flacco found tight end
Dennis Pitta Dennis Gregory Pitta Jr. (born June 29, 1985) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at BYU, where he was a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Af ...
from 19 yards out for his 3rd TD pass of the half, and the Ravens went into the halftime locker room with a 21–14 edge as Washington could not answer in the quarter. In the third, Baltimore was able to sustain a drive, but turned the ball over in the red zone, which Washington converted into a Kai Forbath 48-yard field goal to cut the score to 21–17. Baltimore would again turn the ball over, and Washington would again convert the Ravens miscue into a Forbath field goal, this one from 49 yards away. In the fourth, Baltimore was able to again sustain a drive, but this time did not turn the ball over, instead Ravens star running back Ray Rice found the end zone, and Baltimore took a 28–20 advantage with just over four minutes remaining. On the ensuing kickoff, new Redskins kick returner
Niles Paul Niles Paul (born August 9, 1989) is a former American football tight end. He played college football as a wide receiver at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskin ...
, filling in for a deactivated Brandon Banks, fumbled at his own 15, and the ball appeared to be recovered by Baltimore, but upon replay review, was ruled to have recovered out-of-bounds, thus possession remained with Washington. On a 2nd down play, Griffin III scrambled, but was hit by Ravens
defensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
Haloti Ngata, and his leg snapped awkwardly. He was helped off the field, and fellow backup rookie Kirk Cousins stepped in. Cousins threw an incomplete pass intended for Pierre Garçon, but pass interference was called on Baltimore, granting Washington a first down. Griffin III then returned to the game, and got Washington into Baltimore's red zone, but had to depart again after being called for
intentional grounding In gridiron football, intentional grounding is a violation of the rules where "a passer...throws a forward pass without a realistic chance of completion."Official Rules of the NFL, Rule 8-3-1. This typically happens when a quarterback about to be ...
with under a minute remaining. Cousins stepped back in, however, and connected with Garcon for a 6-yard score with 29 seconds remaining, cutting Baltimore's advantage to 28–26. Needing a two-point conversion, Washington ran a
quarterback draw A draw play, or simply draw for short, is a type of American football play. The draw is a running play disguised as a passing play. It is the opposite of a play-action pass, which is a passing play disguised as a running play. The play is often used ...
, Cousins reached the end zone, and the game was even at 28-all with 29 seconds remaining. Baltimore opted to settle for overtime, and knelt down to end regulation. In overtime, Baltimore got the ball first, and went three-and-out, punter
Sam Koch Samuel David Koch ( ; born August 13, 1982) is a former American football punter who played for the Baltimore Ravens for his entire 16-year career in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 20 ...
then punted to Redskins punt returner Richard Crawford, who, like Paul, was filling in for a deactivated Banks. Crawford found a hole and returned the ball 64 yards. Washington then sealed the deal when Kai Forbath connected on his third field goal of the day, this time from 34 yards away, to seal the comeback victory 31–28. With the win, the Redskins improved to 7–6, and 1–0 in overtime, as well as snapping a six-game losing streak to AFC teams. Washington's win also matched their longest win streak since
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
.


Week 15

Following the overtime win against the Ravens, the Redskins traveled to
Cleveland Browns Stadium FirstEnergy Stadium is a stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, primarily for American football. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), and serves as a venue for other events such as college and h ...
to take on the Cleveland Browns in hopes to gain their first five-game win streak since 2005. The game started slowly for the Redskins, behind rookie quarterback Kirk Cousins, filling in for fellow rookie Robert Griffin III, who sprained his LCL the week prior. After a series of punts, Cousins threw a pass over the middle that was
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
by
T. J. Ward Terrell Ray "T. J." Ward Jr. (born December 12, 1986) is a former American football safety who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the s ...
and returned to the Washington 5. Cleveland then used their first-round rookie,
Trent Richardson Trenton Jamond Richardson (born July 10, 1990) is an American football running back for the Caudillos de Chihuahua of Fútbol Americano de México. He played college football for the University of Alabama, was recognized as an All-American, and ...
to punch it in and take a 7–0 lead. However, Cousins was able to settle in after this, as he fired a pass to
Leonard Hankerson Leonard Hankerson Jr. (born January 30, 1989) is a former American football wide receiver and coach who is the wide receivers coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University ...
for a 54-yard score to even the game at 7 apiece. In the second, both teams continued to exchange possessions, and eventually scores, in a tit-for-tat manner, as Kai Forbath connected from 44 yards out to give Washington a 10–7 lead. Cleveland, however would respond with another Richardson touchdown, to take a 14–10 lead at halftime. In the third, Cleveland got the ball first, but Brandon Weeden threw an interception to Redskins linebacker Rob Jackson, and Washington quickly converted, as running back Alfred Morris scored from 3 yards out to put Washington back on top 17–14. Following a Cleveland punt, Washington drove down the field again, and Cousins again found Hankerson, this time from two yards away, and Washington took a 24–14 lead. In the fourth, Washington capitalized on a second Weeden interception, this time by London Fletcher, and capped off the drive with an
Evan Royster Evan Mathias Royster (born November 26, 1987) is a former American football running back. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Penn State University, where he was a thr ...
4-yard touchdown run to take a 31–14 lead. However, Cleveland would not surrender, as Weeden found wide receiver Travis Benjamin for a 69-yard strike, and got back into the game at 31–21. Not to be outdone, Cousins led a clock-chewing, 5 minute drive that culminated with Morris' 2nd Touchdown run of the day, this time from 8 yards out, to effectively put the game away, taking a 38–21 lead. Cleveland tried to answer, but went four and out, and Washington was able to run out the clock. With the win, the Redskins advance to 8–6 which guarantees them to end the season at .500 for the first time since
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
. Additionally, the win was their fifth consecutive win, their longest streak since Weeks 13–17 of the 2005 season. ''Most'' importantly, however, the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
' 34–0 loss to the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
put Washington in first place in the
NFC East The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
, meaning, if they win their final two games, they will be division champions for the first time since
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
.


Week 16

Coming off their win over the Browns, Washington traveled to Lincoln Financial Field for a rematch with the rival Philadelphia Eagles, who they beat 31–6 in Week 11. In the first, Philadelphia got the ball first, and subsequently got on the board first, as well, taking the opening kickoff and going on a drive in which they converted two fourth downs, and ended with quarterback Nick Foles finding wide receiver Jeremy Maclin for a 27-yard score and a 7–0 lead. Washington would be unable to answer in the quarter. In the second, Washington had good field position, as Richard Crawford had just recovered a Foles
fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...
and Washington converted the fumble into a Kai Forbath 45-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7–3. Forbath's field goal was his 16th consecutive field goal to start his career, tying an NFL record. Following a Philadelphia punt, Washington drove and called on Forbath again, this time from 42 yards, and he delivered to cut the lead to 7–6. This field goal was his 17th consecutive make, setting an NFL mark for consecutive field goals made to start a career. On Philadelphia's ensuing possession, Foles was
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
by London Fletcher, and Washington got the ball at the Eagles' 25. Washington turned Philadelphia's second turnover of the quarter into a Josh Morgan 13-yard touchdown pass from Robert Griffin III, back in after missing last week's game, for a 13–7 lead. Philadelphia would answer with an Alex Henery 38-yard field goal to cut the Washington lead to 13–10 at the half. In the third, Washington got the ball first, and drove down the field, capping off the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run by Alfred Morris to extend its advantage to 20–10. Philadelphia would respond with Henery connecting again, this time from 30 yards out, to cut the lead to 20–13. After exchanging punts, Washington got the ball back again, and this time Griffin found
Santana Moss Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he earned All-American hon ...
in the corner of the end zone for a 22-yard score and a 27–13 advantage. After a Philadelphia punt, Washington tried to drive down the field in an attempt to put the game on ice, but Griffin's pass was overthrown and intercepted by Colt Anderson of Philadelphia, and Philadelphia converted that into a Dion Lewis 17-yard scamper to cut Washington's advantage to 27–20. After Washington could not extend its advantage, Philadelphia got the ball back, and got into the red zone in the game's final minute. Despite an open Maclin in the end zone, Foles short-hopped the pass, and then tight end Evan Moore dropped another, and the Eagles had one final play. With 8 seconds remaining, Foles was pressured, threw an incomplete pass that did not reach the line of scrimmage, resulting in an
illegal forward pass In gridiron football, a penalty is a sanction assessed against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow colored penalty flag onto the field toward or at the spot of a fou ...
, and with only 1 second on the clock, the 1 second was run off due to the ten-second runoff rule, and Washington barely hung on for a 27–20 win. With the nail-biting win, Washington improved to 9–6, 4–1 in the NFC East, winning six straight for the first time since
1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
, clinching a winning record against the NFC East for the first time since
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
and a winning overall record for the first time since
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
. Additionally, the win guaranteed that they would be in control of their own destiny in their season finale against the Dallas Cowboys. This is also the team's first seasonal sweep over the Eagles since 2008.


Week 17

Coming off their win over Philadelphia, Washington returned home for the season finale, a rematch against their archrival, the Dallas Cowboys, whom they beat 38–31 earlier in the year with the winner of the game clinching the NFC East on NBC Sunday Night Football. With playoff implications, the game was flexed to its prime-time, nationwide showing after proving to be one of the more competitive and intriguing match-ups in the final week of the regular season. The game started off quickly, with the Cowboys forcing a Redskins three-and-out on the first possession. A 28-yard punt return by Dwayne Harris put the Cowboys in good field position early, but it proved to be irrelevant as Tony Romo threw an interception to Richard Crawford. After a missed Kai Forbath field goal, the first of his season and professional career, Romo failed to capitalize again deep in Redskins territory, throwing a second interception to Josh Wilson. The first quarter ended scoreless. Dallas finally got the ball into the end zone 7 minutes into the 2nd quarter, as Romo found
Jason Witten Christopher Jason Witten (born May 6, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for 17 seasons, primarily for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Univers ...
in the end zone, despite the missed call by the official when the play clock struck zero before the ball was snapped. Regardless, the Redskins rebounded with an 8-play drive that ended in an Alfred Morris 17-yard touchdown run. The half ended with the teams deadlocked at 7. The defensive showdown continued through the 3rd, but Washington finally got their first lead of the game thanks to a Robert Griffin III 10-yard touchdown run. As the 4th quarter started, the Redskins defense stopped the Cowboys at their own 30-yard line, forcing Dallas to settle for a Dan Bailey field goal. Washington responded yet again, taking advantage of an injury-plagued Dallas defense, as Morris scored another rushing touchdown with 10 minutes left. With the Redskins up by 11, the two teams traded punts, but it was Harris again that ran a
Sav Rocca Saverio Giovanni Rocca (born 20 November 1973) is a retired Australian professional sportsman. He played Australian rules football for Collingwood and North Melbourne in the Australian Football League, and then switched to playing American f ...
punt down to the Redskins 31-yard line, plus a penalty for grasping the facemask committed by Rocca himself, potentially saving a touchdown in the process. Rocca would later be fined $7,875 for the infraction. Dallas converted later with a Romo pass to Kevin Ogletree, plus a 2-point conversion. The Cowboys eventually got the ball back, but in what would be a pivotal moment in the game, Romo threw his third interception of the night to Rob Jackson with just over three minutes left. Washington took advantage with a one-yard touchdown run by Morris with 1:15 remaining; initially it appeared that Morris had fumbled and the Cowboys had recovered, but the call was quickly reversed and replays showed he had reached the end zone well before losing the ball. Up 2 scores, and Dallas being out of time-outs, this lead proved insurmountable leading to a Washington 28–18 victory. The Redskins win improved them to 10–6, 5–1 in the NFC East, winning 7 in a row for the first time since
1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
. It was the first time a team started a season 3–6 and made the playoffs since the
1996 Jacksonville Jaguars The 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the franchise's 2nd season in the National Football League and the 2nd under head coach Tom Coughlin. The Jaguars improved on their 4–12 record from their inaugural season. The Jaguars marked success as ...
, who also won their final 7 games. The Redskins also clinched their first
NFC East The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
title since
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
, and returned to the playoffs for the first time since
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
as the 4th seed. They also eliminated the Cowboys from playoff contention and swept them for the first time since
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
.


Postseason


Wild Card

Seattle overcame a 14-point deficit in the first quarter to earn their first playoff win on the road since 1983. Seattle won their third straight playoff game against Washington, who were playing in their first home playoff game since 1999. Coincidentally, the Seahawks also ended another playoff futility streak against the Redskins in 2005 when they beat them 20–10 at home in the divisional game for their first playoff victory since 1984 on their way to their first Super Bowl appearance. Robert Griffin III faced off against
Russell Wilson Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is widely regarded ...
for the second such instance of both teams starting with rookie quarterbacks in the playoffs, in the Super Bowl era; after T.J. Yates and Andy Dalton had previously done so for the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
and the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
respectively, in the previous year's playoffs. Washington stormed out of the game with touchdowns on their first two drives. After receiving the opening kickoff, they drove 80 yards, featuring a 30-yard reception by Pierre Garçon and an 18-yard run by Alfred Morris. Griffin finished the drive with four-yard touchdown pass to reserve running back
Evan Royster Evan Mathias Royster (born November 26, 1987) is a former American football running back. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Penn State University, where he was a thr ...
. Then the Redskins defense forced a three-and-out, and Richard Crawford gave them good field position with a 12-yard punt return to the 46-yard line. Washington subsequently moved the ball 54 yards and scored on Griffin's 4-yard toss to tight end
Logan Paulsen Logan Sindre Paulsen (born February 26, 1987) is a former American football tight end. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at UCLA. Before that, he played at Chaminade Colleg ...
. But Seattle dominated the rest of the game, holding the Redskins to a final total of just 202 offensive yards. The Seahawks responded with a 66-yard drive, including a 19-yard scramble by Wilson, that ended on a field goal by
Steven Hauschka Stephen Theodore Hauschka (born June 29, 1985) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Middlebury College and North Carolina State. Hausc ...
. Following a punt, running back Marshawn Lynch's 20-yard gain on a fumble recovery set up their first touchdown of the game. Fullback Michael Robinson also made a big impact on the drive, catching a 19-yard pass from Wilson and capping the drive with a 4-yard touchdown catch. On the next possession, safety
Earl Thomas Earl Winty Thomas III (born May 7, 1989) is an American former football free safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. During his time with the Sea ...
intercepted a pass from Griffin on the Seattle 26-yard line. Wilson's subsequent completions to Doug Baldwin and Zach Miller for gains of 33 and 22 yards set up Hauschka's second field goal, cutting the score to 14–13 at the end of the half. Seattle started the third quarter with a drive to the Redskins 1-yard line, but then Lynch lost a fumble that was recovered by Washington lineman
Jarvis Jenkins Jarvis Jenkins (born April 24, 1988) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson University. Early years Jenkins attend ...
. In the fourth quarter, he managed to redeem himself with a 27-yard touchdown run. Then Wilson completed a pass to Miller for the two-point conversion, giving his team a 21–14 lead. Then after the kickoff,
Bruce Irvin Bruce Pernell Irvin Jr. (born November 1, 1987) is an American football outside linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round with the 15th overall pick of t ...
sacked Griffin for a 12-yard loss. On the next play, Griffin fumbled the snap and suffered a game-ending injury. Seahawks lineman
Clinton McDonald Clinton Myles McDonald (born January 6, 1987) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Memphis. He has also played for the Sea ...
recovered the ball on the Redskins 5-yard line, setting up Hauschka's third field goal to make the final score 24–14. Washington responded with a drive to the Seattle 20, but turned the ball over on downs with 1:08 left in the game. Wilson finished his first playoff game 15/26 for 187 yards and a touchdown, along with 67 rushing yards. Lynch rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown, and caught a pass for 9 yards. For the Redskins, safety
Reed Doughty Reed Doughty (born November 4, 1982) is a former American football safety who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round, with the 173rd overall pick, of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played co ...
had 11 tackles and 2 sacks. Morris was their top rusher with 80 yards. After the game, an MRI revealed Griffin had torn his lateral collateral ligament and would have to undergo surgery to repair it. In response, Washington head coach Mike Shanahan faced criticism for not pulling Griffin from the game earlier, despite warning signs he was playing injured. This was an injury that likely dated back to Week 14 when Griffin was injured versus Baltimore.


Standings


Pro Bowl

Six players from the team were elected to the
2013 Pro Bowl The 2013 Pro Bowl was the National Football League (NFL)'s sixty-third annual all-star game which featured players from the 2012 season. It took place at 2:30 pm Hawaii–Aleutian Time ( UTC−10:00; 7:30 pm Eastern Time) on Sunday, Ja ...
. From the offense, quarterback Robert Griffin III, offensive tackle Trent Williams, and running back Alfred Morris (as an alternate) all received invitations while linebackers Lorenzo Alexander, London Fletcher and Ryan Kerrigan were elected from the defense. While he was voted a Pro Bowler, Robert Griffin III did not play in the game after suffering ACL and MCL injuries during the regular season and during the Wild-Card Round of the playoffs. And while Trent Williams was also voted in, he was removed from the game after an incident at a local nightclub in Honolulu, Hawaii occurred in which he was struck over the head with a glass bottle, receiving stitches in the process, thus not playing. Charges were filed against the owner of the nightclub, but Williams did not receive any charges himself.


Footnotes

: See Flexible Scheduling The Week 17 game was originally going to be aired on Fox, but due to playoff implications, NBC lobbied the NFL to move the game to ''
Sunday Night Football Sunday Night Football may refer to: * ''NBC Sunday Night Football'', the Sunday night broadcast of American NFL games by NBC since 2006 * ''ESPN Sunday Night Football'', the Sunday night broadcast of American NFL games from 1987 to 2005 by ESPN * ...
''. The game was ultimately moved to NBC.


References


External links

* {{2012 NFL season by team Washington Washington Redskins seasons NFC East championship seasons Red