It certainly has been hard to imagine that Washington would be in this position this late into the season, but that's where they are. A year where the team was in a state of transition and rebuilding, any fan would realistically think that this team was not going to the playoffs. However, with how weak the NFC East division has been in 2020, the Burgundy and Gold actually have a chance at making it to the playoffs.
5-7 is a losing record, no doubt, but it's good enough for a tie of first place with the New York Giants. The Giants hold a tie breaker because they swept Washington this season thus making them division champions if the season was to end today. But, it is still a good position nonetheless.
When the team even had just two victories, they were still in the playoff hunt though Washington seemed to be in better position for a division title than a Wild Card spot. With their recent three game win streak, even a Wild Card spot seems possible especially with the added seventh team to the playoffs. There are four games left in the season, this is where things get very interesting. Washington has the easiest remaining schedule in the division with their upcoming game this weekend at San Francisco, Seattle next week, Carolina the week after that, and finish the season at Philadelphia. Two home games and two away ones, so it might feel like one of those is a trap game as both San Francisco and Philadelphia have losing records despite having recent success in 2019. Seattle is the only one who has a winning record, but they are coming off a loss against New York meaning possibly that it could be a close one against the Burgundy and Gold. Carolina has talent, but they have been inconsistent and that bodes well for a hot Washington side. Finishing the season 3-1 could be good enough to win the division depending on what the Giants do, but Washington should be eyeing winning out. At 9-7, that would mean they would be in a good spot to make the playoffs. If Washington goes 2-2, it's then difficult to see them advancing to the postseason. The team knows what's at stake, so they'll be going for it and take advantage of that schedule.
The question is whether Washington is actually a good team or not. The record is 5-7, so technically no. If they were in another division, then the Burgundy and Gold would likely be struggling. Despite being one of the hottest teams in the NFL, them being a good team is a strong adjective to describe them as there are still a lot of flaws and so much more head coach Ron Rivera needs to fix. So the answer is no, but they don't need to be a good team to win. Any team can win at any given point. Washington is hot right now, something Pittsburgh figured out last week, and a hot team can be dangerous to play for any side no matter how great they might be. What should be taken from this year is that Rivera seems to have found some great talent and them becoming a consistent playoff team and a strong Super Bowl contender might become a closer reality than what was anticipated. Rebuilds usually take some time, but Washington might be on the precipice of something big.
The offensive line, which struggled mightily through most of this season, has suddenly found a rhythm and is looking like one of the best units in the league. Spear headed by guard Brandon Scherff and with Morgan Moses switching sides at tackle, it seems like there is good chemistry there and every player on the line is in tune with one another. David Sharpe has proven to be an underrated signing too as he has been playing fantastic. Heck, Chase Roullier has been one of the best at center the last few weeks and looks like a good candidate for an extension.
The strength of this team was going to be the defensive line as there is so much talent there. However, when Matt Ioannidis went down with a season-ending injury, Tim Settle and James Smith-Williams stepped up and seemingly the defensive line has gotten even better. Ryan Anderson's transition to defensive line has helped a lot too as he provides depth, cover, and great skills at the line. Ryan Kerrigan made a transition to defensive line as it made sense as he has gotten older, but his leadership might be the biggest factor behind the growth of the line. But, with Montez Sweat, Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, and Daron Payne as the main players on the defensive line, their hot play has probably been the biggest reason behind Washington's hot streak as they have been terrorizing and feasting on opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks.
Behind the defensive line, the linebacking corp and defensive backs have been stepping up too. There were a lot of questions about them and rightfully so as they struggled earlier in the season, but just like the rest of the team, both units have seemingly found a rhythm. Cole Holcomb and Khaleke Hudson have been outstanding this season as it might be because of Thomas Davis' leadership that has helped them develop. Shaun Dion Hamilton and Kevin Pierre-Louis have also been outstanding making the linebackers deeper. In the defensive backs, Rivera has seemingly found his safety partnerships to be working as Kamren Curl and Deshazor Everett have seeming been in sync when playing on the field together and Jeremy Reaves and Troy Apke have paired up well together. Reaves has filled in well with Landon Collins, but Collins might have a hard time getting back into the lineup if he returns. The cornerbacks have been outstanding as possibly bringing Kendall Fuller back into the fold was the best decision they could have ever made. Signing Ronald Darby as a veteran presence has also been huge as he and Fuller have been great when starting alongside each other. Danny Johnson, Jimmy Moreland, and Fabian Moreau have also played well when coming and it gives Rivera another option if he wants to use another defensive back.
However, what has been great for them is how in sync the offense has been. With the outstanding play the offensive line has been of late, it has allowed Alex Smith, who is having a career resurgence ever since coming on as an injury replacement for Kyle Allen, to control the tempo and effectiveness of their play. Having a veteran quarterback like Alex Smith really helps and even him playing well has a domino effect on other players. Antonio Gibson has come out and played like the talented player they expected out of him as he is in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year and he has been a key component of the offense. Even his backups J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber have been useful and productive when called upon. Terry McLaurin continues to get better and better and has now been named a team captain as he has been the biggest threat, plus the a massive leader when out on the field. Dontrelle Inman, Cam Sims, and Steven Sims have also been nice complimentary pieces to McLaurin as now Smith has found weapons to lessen the load on McLaurin's shoulders when throwing down the field. Finally, the most underrated pickup Rivera made this offseason and has been one of the most productive players for Washington has been tight end Logan Thomas as he has stepped up and seemingly has been unstoppable.
How they got into this rhythm is unbeknownst to even the most experienced NFL pundit, but what's clear is they are playing well enough that any team should fear them. Being the hottest team in the league has it's benefits and if they continue this play, a deep run in the playoffs is a possibility. Even if that's not what happens, Rivera is building some that could become a great team sooner rather than later.
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