Road to playoffs narrows

Seven games to grow. To improve. To ready for 2021. All good things. But to make the 2020 playoffs? It’s not the easiest route.

- Rick Snider

Seven games.

The 2012 team won its last seven games after a 36 start. This year, it’s one game behind already at 27. Miracles happen, but that 2012 team was led by rookie phenom Robert Griffin III, whose career essentially was sidelined by an injury in the playoffs.

What’s ahead for Washington? Certainly, there are a couple of winnable games immediately ahead against Cincinnati and Dallas. Washington has already beaten Dallas 25-3 on Oct. 25, but this is a Thanksgiving game and crazy things happen on your third helping of turkey.

But let’s say Washington wins both games to reach 4-7. Even in the poor NFC East where 7-9 might win, the final weeks are nearly all must-win games.

Washington plays at Pittsburgh on Dec. 6. As in the 9-0 Steelers. Pittsburgh isn’t exactly the king of the NFL that 9-0 indicates, but tougher teams than Washington have failed. Winning in Pittsburgh is a big challenge, but Washington does have four extra days of rest after playing Dallas.