The team tied their record from the
previous season, and missed the playoffs for the third straight season. Despite a 6–3 start which was their best since
2008 plus leading the
NFC East, the team suffered a late-season collapse, suffering four straight losses after the team lost their starting quarterback
Alex Smith to a catastrophic leg injury in their Week 11 loss to the
Houston Texans. This would cause Smith to miss both the remainder of the 2018 season and the entire
2019 season as Smith stated that he had taken a total of 17 surgeries to repair his leg and nearly had it amputated. Smith's injury also resulted in a quarterback hangover. First, it forced
Colt McCoy into the starting role in Weeks 12 and 13 before also suffering a leg injury in a 28–13 loss to the
Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13, thus forcing the Redskins to start journeyman quarterback
Mark Sanchez in Week 14 before starting another journeyman quarterback
Josh Johnson against the
Jacksonville Jaguars after benching Sanchez at halftime against the
New York Giants. After the
Alex Smith injury, the Redskins finished the last 7 games of the season with a record of 1–6. They were eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the
Titans, including wins by the
Seahawks and
Vikings. The team's season ended with 25 players on injured reserve, which were a league high.
The Redskins traded their third-round selection (78th overall) and cornerback
Kendall Fuller to Kansas City in exchange for quarterback
Alex Smith.[1]
The Redskins traded safety
Su'a Cravens and their fourth- (No. 113 overall) and fifth- (No. 149 overall) round selections to Denver in exchange for Denver's fourth- (No. 109 overall), two fifth-round selections (Nos. 142 and 163 overall) and a conditional
2020 selection.[2]
The Redskins traded their sixth-round selection (No. 188 overall) to Cleveland in exchange for quarterback
Kevin Hogan and Cleveland's sixth-round selection (No. 205 overall).[3]
The Redskins traded tight end
Derek Carrier to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the Rams' seventh-round selection (241st overall).
The Redskins hoped to get revenge for their loss in this game a year ago, where they blew a 31-16 lead with three minutes remaining and lost in overtime. Instead, the Redskins got blown out. This game was the point where Drew Brees passed
Brett Favre and
Peyton Manning on most passing yards. The Redskins fell to 2-2.
Week 6: vs. Carolina Panthers
Week Six: Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins – Game summary
This marked the first time since 2006 that the Redskins had defeated the Panthers. Then the Redskins started a 3 game winning streak and improved to 3-2.
Week 7: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week Seven: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins – Game summary
The Redskins got their first win over the Cowboys at home since 2012. Also, Preston Smith forced a fumble returned for a touchdown off Dak Prescott. As time expired, Brett Maher missed the potential game-tying 52-yard field goal to give the Redskins the win. With this win, the Redskins improved to 4-2.
Week 8: at New York Giants
Week Eight: Washington Redskins at New York Giants – Game summary
During the game, starter Alex Smith suffered a compound fracture injury to his right leg after being sacked by
J. J. Watt and
Kareem Jackson and was replaced by his backup, Colt McCoy. Coincidentally, this was exactly 33 years to the day of
Joe Theismann's career-ending leg injury. Joe Theismann was also present during the game and witnessed the injury. The Redskins fell to 6-4 by losing 23-21, which ironically was the same score in the game where Theismann was injured. Alex Smith would not play again until Week 5 in 2020 against the Rams.
The Redskins improved to 7-7. The Redskins would then eclipse 600 regular season wins in franchise, the fifth team to do so (with Bears, Packers, Giants, & Steelers) with a regular season record of 600-588-28 at that point.[4]
Week 16: at Tennessee Titans
Week Sixteen: Washington Redskins at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
This loss dropped the Redskins to 7-8. Also with this loss, including wins by the Vikings and Seahawks eliminated the Redskins from playoff contention.
Week 17: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week Seventeen: Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Eagles
3
7
7
7
24
Redskins
0
0
0
0
0
at FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
Date: December 30
Game time: 4:25 pm. EST
Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C), sunny
Game attendance: 63,188
Referee: Craig Wrolstad
TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
^
abNew Orleans finished ahead of LA Rams based on head-to-head victory.
^
abcAtlanta finished ahead of Washington based on head-to-head victory. Atlanta finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head sweep. Washington finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head victory.
^
abNY Giants finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.
The team tied their record from the
previous season, and missed the playoffs for the third straight season. Despite a 6–3 start which was their best since
2008 plus leading the
NFC East, the team suffered a late-season collapse, suffering four straight losses after the team lost their starting quarterback
Alex Smith to a catastrophic leg injury in their Week 11 loss to the
Houston Texans. This would cause Smith to miss both the remainder of the 2018 season and the entire
2019 season as Smith stated that he had taken a total of 17 surgeries to repair his leg and nearly had it amputated. Smith's injury also resulted in a quarterback hangover. First, it forced
Colt McCoy into the starting role in Weeks 12 and 13 before also suffering a leg injury in a 28–13 loss to the
Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13, thus forcing the Redskins to start journeyman quarterback
Mark Sanchez in Week 14 before starting another journeyman quarterback
Josh Johnson against the
Jacksonville Jaguars after benching Sanchez at halftime against the
New York Giants. After the
Alex Smith injury, the Redskins finished the last 7 games of the season with a record of 1–6. They were eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the
Titans, including wins by the
Seahawks and
Vikings. The team's season ended with 25 players on injured reserve, which were a league high.
The Redskins traded their third-round selection (78th overall) and cornerback
Kendall Fuller to Kansas City in exchange for quarterback
Alex Smith.[1]
The Redskins traded safety
Su'a Cravens and their fourth- (No. 113 overall) and fifth- (No. 149 overall) round selections to Denver in exchange for Denver's fourth- (No. 109 overall), two fifth-round selections (Nos. 142 and 163 overall) and a conditional
2020 selection.[2]
The Redskins traded their sixth-round selection (No. 188 overall) to Cleveland in exchange for quarterback
Kevin Hogan and Cleveland's sixth-round selection (No. 205 overall).[3]
The Redskins traded tight end
Derek Carrier to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the Rams' seventh-round selection (241st overall).
The Redskins hoped to get revenge for their loss in this game a year ago, where they blew a 31-16 lead with three minutes remaining and lost in overtime. Instead, the Redskins got blown out. This game was the point where Drew Brees passed
Brett Favre and
Peyton Manning on most passing yards. The Redskins fell to 2-2.
Week 6: vs. Carolina Panthers
Week Six: Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins – Game summary
This marked the first time since 2006 that the Redskins had defeated the Panthers. Then the Redskins started a 3 game winning streak and improved to 3-2.
Week 7: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week Seven: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins – Game summary
The Redskins got their first win over the Cowboys at home since 2012. Also, Preston Smith forced a fumble returned for a touchdown off Dak Prescott. As time expired, Brett Maher missed the potential game-tying 52-yard field goal to give the Redskins the win. With this win, the Redskins improved to 4-2.
Week 8: at New York Giants
Week Eight: Washington Redskins at New York Giants – Game summary
During the game, starter Alex Smith suffered a compound fracture injury to his right leg after being sacked by
J. J. Watt and
Kareem Jackson and was replaced by his backup, Colt McCoy. Coincidentally, this was exactly 33 years to the day of
Joe Theismann's career-ending leg injury. Joe Theismann was also present during the game and witnessed the injury. The Redskins fell to 6-4 by losing 23-21, which ironically was the same score in the game where Theismann was injured. Alex Smith would not play again until Week 5 in 2020 against the Rams.
The Redskins improved to 7-7. The Redskins would then eclipse 600 regular season wins in franchise, the fifth team to do so (with Bears, Packers, Giants, & Steelers) with a regular season record of 600-588-28 at that point.[4]
Week 16: at Tennessee Titans
Week Sixteen: Washington Redskins at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
This loss dropped the Redskins to 7-8. Also with this loss, including wins by the Vikings and Seahawks eliminated the Redskins from playoff contention.
Week 17: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week Seventeen: Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Eagles
3
7
7
7
24
Redskins
0
0
0
0
0
at FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
Date: December 30
Game time: 4:25 pm. EST
Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C), sunny
Game attendance: 63,188
Referee: Craig Wrolstad
TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
^
abNew Orleans finished ahead of LA Rams based on head-to-head victory.
^
abcAtlanta finished ahead of Washington based on head-to-head victory. Atlanta finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head sweep. Washington finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head victory.
^
abNY Giants finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.