Written By: Katelyn Huh
Edited By: Slavko Glumicic
When the NFL announced that the 2020-2021 season would resume in September amidst a world-wide pandemic, reactions ranged wide from that of anxiety to anticipation, as the league would attempt to provide a sense of normalcy at a time where normalcy had seemed all but impossible. Though, as players and viewers began to prepare for this exciting albeit uncertain season, a certain team in Washington had already made headlines, announcing that it would retire its former controversial name and logo and would play as the new Washington Football Team for the 2020 season until a more permanent name would be chosen.
Washington's name change wouldn't be their only big headline to come this season, as the team also cycled through major personnel and coaching changes, introducing new Head Coach Ron Rivera, former head coach for the Carolina Panthers. However, what seemed to be another typical year for Washington otherwise was challenged midway through the season, as miraculous returns, explosive young players, and the NFC East's struggles paved the way for a vigorous Washington team with a chance for a playoff spot for the first time since 2015.
A Slow Start
While many fans who had supported a name change in Washington could finally take a breath of relief when they had gone through with the request of many, the positivity surrounding the team hadn’t lasted very long in regards to their actual season. Washington, despite winning their home opener, was 2-7 by week 10. Their record was an early signal of Washington's lack of offensive production, only scoring over 20 points twice by their bye week in week 8, both of which came in their only two wins at the time.
One hopeful aspect at the chance of a playoff spot came from their equally unsuccessful division rivals in what had been fittingly dubbed as the NFC “Least.” Going into week 10, the Philadelphia Eagles were 3-5-1, the Giants 3-7, and the Cowboys another lackluster 2-7. However, Washington’s schedule wasn’t exactly in their favor, as they soon had to look forward to dates with the Seattle Seahawks and the then-undefeated 11-0 Pittsburgh Steelers. Closer on the agenda was the second meet with their long-time rival on Thanksgiving Day, with Washington needing to rally their team in hopes of pulling off a season sweep against the heavily favored Dallas Cowboys.
The Turning Point
Coming off of a win against Cincinnati, Washington would partake in the yearly tradition of Thanksgiving Day Football in week 12. The Dallas Cowboys were 8-1 against Washington on Thanksgiving Day games and were highly anticipated to add another win in what a disappointing season for the Dallas team had been so far.
However, a different kind of Washington team showed up that day, exploding with an unexpected high-powered offensive run game, defeating the Cowboys 41-16. Antonio Gibson, rookie running back for Washington, added to his already stellar debut season with 115 yards on 20 carries and 3 touchdowns. Washington's defense also played its part, stopping a crucial 4th down conversion by the Cowboys, as well as an interception by Montez Sweat with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter, which became the final nail in the coffin for Dallas. The Washington Football Team would go on to win the next two games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, breaking their undefeated streak, and the San Francisco 49ers, until losing Alex Smith to a calf strain for the last couple weeks of the regular season.
An Explosive Defense
It was Washington's defense that stole headlines throughout the season, as defensive end Chase Young, second overall pick in the 2020 draft, made his presence felt on the field for opposing offenses. His leadership especially stood out to Washington, being an active voice when on the sideline and demonstrating it through his confident play when on the field. Chase Young was the latest of the last four defensive first-round draft picks for Washington, following Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, and Daron Payne, all of whom make up Washington's defensive front.
Despite being the youngest at age 21, Young established a leadership role that fit perfectly in hand with his unique maturity. With Young at the forefront, Washington's defense ranked second overall in total yards allowed and allowed per game, and total passing yards allowed and allowed per game by the end of the regular season. Considering that Jonathan Allen is the oldest of the front four at 26, with the rest only getting younger from there, it's safe to say that Washington's defense will only continue to grow and become even tougher to face in the years to come.
Also while Washington's defense was undeniably the show-stopper for the team, their offense also wields some young and deadly weapons that are also looking to improve year after year. In his debut season, Antonio Gibson rushed for 11 touchdowns, leading all other rookies. Other high points for Washington's offense include running back J.D. McKissic, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, and newly-signed tight end Logan Thomas. While unable to do much with Washington's struggle at the quarterback position, Washington is hoping to continue to expand on the role that their promising offensive players can play with more consistency from the passer.
Miraculous Returns
It's safe to say that the Washington Football Team from week 1 was very different from who they were by week 17, but there were many factors, it seems, that would have led to Washington's sudden surge in success halfway through the 2020 season, the most obvious being that of the return of former first overall draft pick Alex Smith. In 2018, Smith suffered a horrific injury against the Houston Texans, a compound fracture that broke the tibia and fibula in his right leg.
The horrific injury was eerily similar to what had happened to Washington legend Joe Theismann 33 years prior to the date. Though while the injury was career-ending for Joe Theismann, Alex Smith would return just two years after he had sustained it.
To describe Alex Smith's return as miraculous would be an understatement, as not only had Alex Smith had to deal with the initial injury, he also encountered a life-threatening flesh-eating bacteria, forcing him to undergo 17 surgeries. It was even believed that Smith would be forced to undergo an amputation if the infection couldn't be controlled.
Luckily, not only was an amputation not necessary, but Smith also returned to football, debuting against the Los Angeles Rams in week 5 of the 2020 season. He then went on to become Washington's starter for the latter half of the regular season, his leadership and return boosting the team both off and on the field for a run at the playoffs.
Alex Smith's recovery, though, wasn't the only motivating factor, as their new head coach, Ron Rivera, went through a battle of his own over the course of the season. In August, Rivera was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma and had to undergo seven weeks of treatment. Despite his battle with cancer, Rivera didn't miss any games, continuing to stand alongside his new team through highs and lows, and finally finished treatment in late October, somewhat shortly before Smith also was easing into his role of Washington's new starter.
Quarterback Troubles
The NFL was no stranger to quarterback controversy this year, whether it was the debatable benching of Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz or the sudden debut of Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa. In Washington, the quarterback situation was no less hectic, as by the end of the season, they had started a total of four different quarterbacks.
Washington's original starter, first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins Jr., struggled in his second season. After losing three of the first four games of the season, in which he threw four touchdowns and three interceptions, he was benched. The question at the quarterback position for Washington seemed to be solved with Alex Smith's return and the team's sudden burst of energy, but it wouldn't last for long when a calf strain kept Smith out of the game and allowed Haskins another chance at proving himself.
Ultimately, Haskins failed to impress, losing the next two games against the Seahawks and Panthers, placing Washington's chance at the playoffs in jeopardy. In his last two starts, Haskins threw for only 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions, two of which came in a loss against Ron Rivera's former team, the Carolina Panthers, in a chance to clinch the playoffs. Haskins finished the season ranked 32nd out of 35 in completion percentage and 33rd in passer rating, totaling a discouraging 5 touchdowns to 7 interceptions.
To make matters worse, Haskins' behavior off the field was another telling sign that he may not have been the right fit for Washington after all. After Washington's loss against the Seahawks, Haskins was seen at a party unmasked, breaking COVID-19 protocols, as well as the trust of a coach who had just finished cancer treatment. He was stripped of his captaincy and issued a fine, but was ultimately given another chance to redeem himself against the Panthers, in which he also went on to fail. The loss against the Panthers seemed to be the last straw for Rivera, as just a day later, Haskins was released from the Washington Football Team.
Following Haskins' benching at the end of the Panthers game came a small hope for Washington, as Taylor Heinicke, their fourth-string quarterback, finished off the fourth quarter with impressive play. Heinicke threw for a touchdown and 137 yards, almost matching Haskins' 154 yards with only a fraction of his playing time. However, even after Heinicke's hopeful debut, Rivera decided to turn back to Alex Smith, even though it was clear that Smith had still been having trouble with that calf, resulting in major drawbacks that limited Washington's offense in their final game and shot to make the playoffs.
While Smith's leadership undoubtedly was a contributor to Washington's success, it was questionable as to whether or not Smith would be Washington's long-term solution to their quarterback problem. While going through an incredible recovery, Smith's mobility became his biggest weakness. Defenses exposed this by forcing Smith out of the pocket, which often resulted in Smith failing to get a throw off at all. When Smith was able to throw before the pocket collapsed, oftentimes it was only for short yardage, forcing Washington to rely heavily on its run game. By the end of the season, Smith had ranked 29th out of 35 in average yards per attempt at 6.3.
After a scrape-by (and controversial) win against Philadelphia to clinch the NFC East, it was hard to see how Smith would hold up against a formidable Buccaneers defense. Rivera seemed to understand this, ultimately deciding to start Taylor Heinicke, his first-ever start in the NFL being a playoff game against six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Heinicke impressed the world, however, despite Washington losing that game 31-23, playing near-perfect, showing his abilities in both the pass and the run game, as well as his smart decision-making. Even with a loss, Washington fans had much to look forward to, finding unexpected hope in a potential starter for the next season.
So What’s Next?
In conclusion, 2020 became Washington's building year. A revamp in the organization was highly needed, and while doing so, they managed to fight their way out of the NFC “Least" and headed to their first playoff game since 2015, showing the world its new explosive defense and young leaders. With personnel and management changes, Ron Rivera entered this team not only to change the makeup of the Washington organization but their culture as well, establishing a long-needed fresh look to a dispirited Washington team.
Washington had sought out leadership from Dwayne Haskins, who had been unable to carry the weight of the captaincy with reckless play and off-the-field antics, but unexpectedly found what they were looking for on the defensive side of the ball instead. Chase Young is quickly establishing himself as the one to lead this Washington team, supported by other potential breakout players on both sides of the ball. While most definitely hoping to have produced more this season, players like Gibson, Thomas, and McLaurin still impressed many, signaling that they would be part of what pushes this offense forward instead of backward.
While there are still question marks at the quarterback position, Washington fans can rest easy knowing that both Alex Smith and Taylor Heinicke have stated interest in returning next year. Though, what may be more exciting for fans is the active search for big quarterback names on the market instead. With potential big moves coming to finally fit all the pieces together in this Washington offense and a young and established eager defense, it's hard not to be excited for the new era of this Washington team, whether they will still be "nameless" or if they'll be called something entirely new.
And while to some it may seem like a long shot, for others, it won't be too surprising if Washington becomes a consistent contender for the NFL playoffs, and potentially for the Super Bowl, in the years to come sooner rather than later. Though, for now, fans will keep an eye on any moves Washington makes in this upcoming offseason, especially at the quarterback position, in hopes that whoever next decides to come to Washington will bring the last piece to the puzzle they've been trying to complete for the last 29 years.
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