{"id":15092,"date":"2017-08-25T11:43:10","date_gmt":"2017-08-25T15:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thehogs.net\/blogs\/?p=15092"},"modified":"2025-06-01T23:27:30","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T03:27:30","slug":"can-the-washington-redskins-win-the-nfc-east-title-in-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/the-hogs.net\/blogs\/2017\/08\/25\/can-the-washington-redskins-win-the-nfc-east-title-in-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Can the Washington Redskins Win the NFC East Title in 2017?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Source: Washington Redskins via Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

Washington had a disappointing 2016 NFL season. While key injuries may have hindered the Redskins’ chance of competing against their NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, ultimately they fell short in the grand scheme of things. For many Redskins fans, it felt like Jay Gruden\u2019s men had failed to build, or improve on the 2015 campaign.<\/p>\n

But the 2016 season has been and gone. Time to focus on the future, and can Washington challenge at the top of the division in the coming months? With a few favorable results\u00a0in the opening few weeks of the year, Gruden\u2019s side could hit the ground running, and early momentum\u00a0could help the Redskins pull away from Dallas and New York in the NFC East title race.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/RoobCSN\/status\/899411445024247809<\/p>\n

In the Redskins favor, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is suspended for the first six weeks<\/a> of the season. Washington will be desperate to gain an early advantage over Dallas before his return. As a rookie, Elliott\u00a0broke numerous rushing records in 2016 and the Redskins know he will make\u00a0an immediate impact when he\u00a0returns. Washington will still have to contend with Elliott twice, as they play\u00a0the Cowboys both times\u00a0in the second half of the year. But his suspension will hurt Dallas early on.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Eagles are going through a transitional period right now and might not appear\u00a0too great a threat, but it would be foolish to write them off. Alshon Jeffery is, if he is able to regain his best form, an elite wide receiver and Carson Wentz has a decent corps at his disposal.\u00a0Do the Redskins have a more complete team?<\/p>\n

In Kirk Cousins, Washington has one of the best and most consistent passing quarterbacks<\/a> in the National Football League. That may seem a little far-fetched but Cousins has shown that\u00a0he can consistently carry this Redskins offense \u2013 especially when he has all of his options healthy. Jordan Reed, Jamison Crowder and free agency acquisition Terrelle Pryor are all capable of putting up big numbers when called upon.<\/p>\n