Washington's Path to Playoffs Remains Surprisingly Plausible
Cue Jim Carrey's iconic line from Dumb and Dumber, because despite the injuries and the losses and the COVID and the infighting and the tiniest of odds ... yes, we're telling you that there is indeed "a chance" that the Washington Football Team can still make the NFL Playoffs.
Entering Sunday's home finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, there is a 94-percent chance of WFT missing the postseason. But their Hail Mary isn't an unfathomable as you think.
In 2020, coach Ron Rivera resurrected WFT from 2-7 to win the NFC East. Undrafted out of Old Dominion, Taylor Heinicke bounced around four NFL teams and one in the XFL before becoming a suitable starting quarterback with a 6-8 career record. Washington's football team played two seasons without a real name.
Shoot, Pete Davidson once dated Ariana Grande.
So, yeah, anything's possible.
"We're going to try to win Sunday against the Eagles, and see what happens," Rivera said this week. "As long as we're alive with a chance, we're going to keep fighting and see if we can get some help. But the main thing is we've got to take care of our business."
First things first, Washington must regroup from last week's embarrassing 56-14 in Dallas and beat the Eagles. While WFT has lost its last three, the Eagles have won five of six including a win over Washington two weeks ago. In that game, however, Washington was without Heinicke or backup Kyle Allen. Still, WFT led 10-0 and it was a one-score game until late in the fourth quarter.
Washington is only a field-goal underdog Sunday. In its finale in Week 18, WFT travels to New York to face a Giants team that has lost five of six. Washington beat them in Week 2.
Washington finds a way to win those two to finish 8-9 and it's game on. If Washington wins out, all it needs to make the playoffs is:
*Falcons lose Bills Sunday
*Vikings lose to Packers Sunday
*Saints lose to either Panthers Sunday or Falcons (Week 18)
*Eagles lose to Cowboys (Week 18)
According to the Las Vegas wise guys, what WFT needs to happen in each of those game will be the expected result. Buffalo is favored over Atlanta, Green Bay over Minnesota, the Panthers over New Orleans and Dallas will likely be playing for the NFC's No. 1 seed when it visits Lincoln Financial Field on the final Sunday of the regular season.
Stranger things have happened. The first piece to the playoff puzzle begins Sunday with WFT finding a way to not fight amongst itself on the bench, overcoming injuries and closing out its home season with a win over the Eagles.
