When you’ve virtually been eliminated from the playoffs in mid-November, you can look at a loss one of two ways.
On the one hand, a celebration is always welcomed, as the team has largely been without joy for much of the season. On the other hand, a check in the win column statistically did more harm than good, as it hurts the teams’ draft position, which is one of the only positives to come from a dismal season.
That’s the position that the Washington Redskins are in right now. Though the sweet relief of victory was a nice change on Sunday, it largely was unimportant in the grand scheme of things. With a 19-16 win over the Detroit Lions, the Redskins improved to 2-9 on the season, giving them a tie for the second-worst record in the league, along with the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants. Here’s how the draft order shakes out.
No. 1 | Cincinnati Bengals (0-11)
No. 2 | Miami Dolphins (2-9)
No. 3 | New York Giants (2-9)
No. 4 | Washington Redskins (2-9)
No. 5 | Denver Broncos (3-8)
No. 6 | Detroit Lions (3-7-1)
If you’re wondering why Washington is behind both New York and Miami in the order, the tie-breaker in draft order comes down to the strength of schedule, followed by other determining factors.
Would the Redskins have been better served by taking another L on Sunday and holding onto the No. 2 overall pick? Probably. However, with 3 of their 5 remaining games coming against division rivals, and the other two against tough NFC opponents, there is a good chance that they will hold onto a top-5 pick when all is said and done. Enjoy the win for now.
