2012 Washington Redskins season

^[b] The team acquired an additional fourth-round selection in a trade that sent QB Jason Campbell to the Oakland Raiders.

^{^[c]} The team traded its original third round selection (#69 overall) to the Buffalo Bills for its 3rd round (#71 overall) and its 7th round selections (#217 overall).

^{^[d]} The team acquired a new sixth-round selection (#173 overall) and a 2013 sixth-round selection in a trade that sent QB Donovan McNabb to the Minnesota Vikings.

^{^[e]} The team traded its original sixth-round selection (#177 overall) and DE Vonnie Holliday to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for RB Tim Hightower.

^{^[f]} The team traded the fourth-round pick acquired from the Oakland Raiders (#109 overall) to the Pittsburgh Steelers 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

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 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 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 on the final play of the game fell short of the intended target and was intercepted by Reed Doughty 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

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. 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

Right out of the gate, things started off on the wrong foot for the Redskins, as the Bengals attempted a

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, 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 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 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 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. 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, making this their seventh consecutive home loss.

Week 4

Looking to snap a two-game losing streak, the Redskins traveled to

In the first quarter, Tampa Bay struck first, with kicker

In the third quarter, Washington's much-maligned defense through the first three games began to fall back into the same patterns. Josh Freeman began to find open receivers, including bombs to Vincent Jackson 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. 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. 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.

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

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 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 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, 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 last season.

After the game, Washington was fined $20,000 for not updating Robert Griffin III's status.^[4]

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 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

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 with a victory over the defending Super Bowl XLVI champion New York Giants next week.

Week 7

Looking to take sole possession of first place in the NFC East, the Redskins traveled to MetLife Stadium to take on their division rival, the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

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 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

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

In the second, Washington was able to get on the board as quarterback Robert Griffin III found Santana Moss 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 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

With the loss, Washington fell to 3–6, 1–3 at home, and the Redskins Rule stated that Mitt Romney 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 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,

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, 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

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

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. 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

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

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 connected with receiver Anquan Boldin 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

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

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.

Week 15

Following the overtime win against the Ravens, the Redskins traveled to Cleveland Browns Stadium 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

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 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. 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' 34–0 loss to the Atlanta Falcons put Washington in first place in the NFC East, meaning, if they win their final two games, they will be division champions for the first time since 1999.

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

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, clinching a winning record against the NFC East for the first time since 2005 and a winning overall record for the first time since 2007. 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.^[7]

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 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 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,^[8] but the call was quickly reversed and replays showed he had reached the end zone well before losing the ball.^[9] 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. It was the first time a team started a season 3–6 and made the playoffs since the 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars, who also won their final 7 games. The Redskins also clinched their first NFC East title since 1999, and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2007 as the 4th seed. They also eliminated the Cowboys from playoff contention and swept them for the first time since 2005.

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

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. 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.

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

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 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. 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

^{^[a]} 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.^[10] The game was ultimately moved to NBC.^[11][12]

References