# 2020 Washington Football Team season

The 2020 season was the Washington Football Team's 89th in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under head coach Ron Rivera. The season also marked the first time since their inaugural season as the Braves in 1932 that the team was not known as the Redskins, as they retired the name and logo during the offseason in the wake of the George Floyd protests, and after decades of controversy. This was also the first season since 2009 without Pro Bowl offensive lineman Trent Williams, who was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on April 25, 2020.
The team improved upon its 3–13 record in 2019 by going 7–9 and winning the NFC East for the first time since 2015. In doing so they became only the third team in NFL history to win a division with a losing record after the 2010 Seattle Seahawks and 2014 Carolina Panthers, the latter of which Rivera also coached. It would be followed by the 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They also became the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after a 2–7 start. Their season would end with a 31–23 loss to the eventual Super Bowl LV champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round. The season also marked the return of quarterback Alex Smith, who suffered a life-threatening leg injury late in the 2018 season and missed the entire 2019 season. Smith was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year, while defensive end Chase Young, selected second overall in the 2020 NFL draft, was named Defensive Rookie of the Year.
For the fourth time in five seasons, Washington played on Thanksgiving, playing the Dallas Cowboys for the third time in that span. Also notable was their scheduled absence from Monday Night Football for the first time since 1999, although the Week 13 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was played on a Monday due to COVID-19-related schedule changes affecting the Steelers' previous week. Washington ended up winning that game to hand the 11–0 Steelers their first loss of the season.
Despite their below-average record, Washington's defense ranked among the best in the league, allowing a total of just 329 points, the fourth-fewest. They also allowed a total of 4,873 yards, the second-lowest behind the Rams (4,511).

## Draft

2020 NFL draft selections :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 2 | Chase Young | DE | Ohio State |
| 3 | 66 | Antonio Gibson | RB | Memphis |
| 4 | 108 | Saahdiq Charles | T | LSU |
| 4 | 142 | Antonio Gandy-Golden | WR | Liberty |
| 5 | 156 | Keith Ismael | C | San Diego State |
| 5 | 162 | Khaleke Hudson | LB | Michigan |
| 7 | 216 | Kamren Curl | SS | Arkansas |
| 7 | 229 | James Smith-Williams | DE | NC State |
Notes
* Washington traded their second-round selection (No. 34 overall), along with their 2019 second-round selection to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for the Colts' 2019 first-round selection.
* Washington traded their fifth-round selection to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for quarterback Kyle Allen.
* Washington traded cornerback Quinton Dunbar to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a fifth-round selection from Seattle.
* Washington traded their sixth-round selection to the Denver Broncos in exchange for quarterback Case Keenum and the Broncos' seventh-round selection.
* Washington traded offensive tackle Trent Williams to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 49ers' fifth-round selection and a third-round selection in the 2021 draft.

## Schedule
### Preseason

The team's preseason schedule was announced on May 7, but was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
| 1 | August 15 | Tennessee Titans | FedExField | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2 | August 24 | at Indianapolis Colts | Lucas Oil Stadium | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 3 | August 29 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | TIAA Bank Field | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 4 | September 3 | Baltimore Ravens | FedExField | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |

### Regular season

Washington's 2020 schedule was announced on May 7.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 13 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 27–17 | 1–0 | FedExField | Recap |
| 2 | September 20 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 15–30 | 1–1 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 27 | at Cleveland Browns | L 20–34 | 1–2 | FirstEnergy Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 4 | Baltimore Ravens | L 17–31 | 1–3 | FedExField | Recap |
| 5 | October 11 | Los Angeles Rams | L 10–30 | 1–4 | FedExField | Recap |
| 6 | October 18 | at New York Giants | L 19–20 | 1–5 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 25 | Dallas Cowboys | W 25–3 | 2–5 | FedExField | Recap |
| 8 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 9 | November 8 | New York Giants | L 20–23 | 2–6 | FedExField | Recap |
| 10 | November 15 | at Detroit Lions | L 27–30 | 2–7 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 11 | November 22 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 20–9 | 3–7 | FedExField | Recap |
| 12 | November 26 | at Dallas Cowboys | W 41–16 | 4–7 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 7 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 23–17 | 5–7 | Heinz Field | Recap |
| 14 | December 13 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 23–15 | 6–7 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 20 | Seattle Seahawks | L 15–20 | 6–8 | FedExField | Recap |
| 16 | December 27 | Carolina Panthers | L 13–20 | 6–9 | FedExField | Recap |
| 17 | January 3 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 20–14 | 7–9 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

#### Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Washington | 0 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 27 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: September 13
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 76 °F (24 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Brad Rogers
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
PHI – Zach Ertz 5-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Jake Elliott kick), 11:14. Eagles 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 62 yards, 2:27.
PHI – Jake Elliott 38-yard field goal, 2:13. Eagles 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 6:45.
Second quarter
PHI – Dallas Goedert 34-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Jake Elliott kick), 6:54. Eagles 17–0. Drive: 6 plays, 62 yards, 2:30.
WAS – Logan Thomas 6-yard pass from Dwayne Haskins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 0:40. Eagles 17–7. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 0:57.
Third quarter
WAS – Peyton Barber 1-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 9:25. Eagles 17–14. Drive: 5 plays, 20 yards, 2:19.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 38-yard field goal, 14:15. Tied 17–17. Drive: 5 plays, 26 yards, 1:58.
WAS – Peyton Barber 3-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 6:13. Football Team 24–17. Drive: 13 plays, 48 yards, 6:14.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 40-yard field goal, 3:25. Football Team 27–17. Drive: 5 plays, 20 yards, 1:06.
Top passers
PHI – Carson Wentz – 24/42, 270 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
WAS – Dwayne Haskins – 17/31, 178 yards, TD
Top rushers
PHI – Boston Scott – 9 rushes, 35 yards
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 9 rushes, 36 yards
Top receivers
PHI – Dallas Goedert – 8 receptions, 101 yards, TD
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 5 receptions, 61 yards :
In their first game as the Washington Football Team, they fell behind 17–0 to the Eagles. Despite the deficit, Washington shut out the Eagles in the second half by accumulating 8 sacks on defense and scoring 27 unanswered points for a 27–17 victory. This was Washington's first victory over the Eagles since Week 14 of the 2016 season, snapping a six-game losing streak against Philadelphia. The win was also the largest comeback against the Eagles in franchise history. With the win, Washington improved to 1–0 for the first time since 2018 (the first time winning a home opener since 2014). Washington also snapped a ten-game division losing streak dating back to 2018.

#### Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| Cardinals | 14 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 30 |
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
* Date: September 20
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. MST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Land Clark
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Brady Quinn and Sara Walsh
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 4-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Zane Gonzalez kick), 9:09. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 48 yards, 4:22.
ARI – Kyler Murray 14-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 0:00. Cardinals 14–0. Drive: 6 plays, 20 yards, 2:44.
Second quarter
ARI – Zane Gonzalez 49-yard field goal, 11:29. Cardinals 17–0. Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 1:47.
ARI – Zane Gonzalez 33-yard field goal, 1:49. Cardinals 20–0. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:03.
Third quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 24-yard field goal, 3:14. Cardinals 20–3. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 4:55.
Fourth quarter
ARI – Kyler Murray 21-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 14:17. Cardinals 27–3. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 3:57.
WAS – Terry McLaurin 24-yard pass from Dwayne Haskins (run failed), 12:20. Cardinals 27–9. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:57.
WAS – Antonio Gibson 11-yard run (pass failed), 6:38. Cardinals 27–15. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 2:55.
ARI – Zane Gonzalez 28-yard field goal, 0:26. Cardinals 30–15. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 6:12.
Top passers
WAS – Dwayne Haskins – 19/33, 223 yards, TD
ARI – Kyler Murray – 26/38, 286 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 13 rushes, 55 yards, TD
ARI – Kenyan Drake – 20 rushes, 86 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 7 receptions, 125 yards, TD
ARI – DeAndre Hopkins – 8 receptions, 68 yards, TD :
Washington was overmatched by Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray, who had two rushing touchdowns, and could not overcome a 20–0 halftime deficit.

#### Week 3: at Cleveland Browns

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 20 |
| Browns | 0 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 34 |
at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: September 27
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 73 °F (23 °C)
* Game attendance: 6,000
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Chris Spielman and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
WAS – Dontrelle Inman 17-yard pass from Dwayne Haskins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 1:44. Football Team 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:24.
Second quarter
CLE – Cody Parkey 42-yard field goal, 10:46. Football Team 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 42 yards, 5:58
CLE – Nick Chubb 16-yard run (Cody Parkey kick), 5:58. Browns 10–7. Drive: 3 plays, 28 yards, 1:26
CLE – Kareem Hunt 9-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (Cody Parkey kick), 0:32. Browns 17–7. Drive: 3 plays, 24 yards, 1:23
Third quarter
WAS – Antonio Gibson 2-yard run (kick failed), 9:05. Browns 17–13. Drive: 6 plays, 49 yards, 2:22.
WAS – Dontrelle Inman 11-yard pass from Dwayne Haskins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 2:20. Football Team 20–17. Drive: 12 plays, 54 yards, 5:08.
Fourth quarter
CLE – Harrison Bryant 3-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (Cody Parkey kick), 11:14. Browns 24–20. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:06
CLE – Nick Chubb 20-yard run (Cody Parkey kick), 8:40. Browns 31–20. Drive: 3 plays, 35 yards, 1:23
CLE – Cody Parkey 30-yard field goal, 1:10. Browns 34–20. Drive: 10 plays, 29 yards, 5:20
Top passers
WAS – Dwayne Haskins – 21/37, 224 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
CLE – Baker Mayfield – 16/23, 156 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 9 rushes, 49 yards, TD
CLE – Nick Chubb – 19 rushes, 108 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 4 receptions, 83 yards
CLE – Odell Beckham Jr. – 4 receptions, 59 yards :
Haskins threw for a career-high three interceptions and lost one fumble. With the loss, the all-time regular season record for the franchise fell to 604–605–28, making it the first time since 1975 that the record fell below a .500 winning percentage.

#### Week 4: vs. Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ravens | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
| Washington | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: October 4
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 65 °F (18 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Adrian Hill
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and A. J. Ross
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
BAL – Mark Ingram II 1-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 2:09. Ravens 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 34 yards, 0:42.
Second quarter
BAL – Lamar Jackson 50-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 9:56. Ravens 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 56 yards, 1:30.
WAS – Antonio Gibson 2-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 4:41. Ravens 14–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:15.
BAL – Mark Andrews 25-yard pass from Lamar Jackson (Justin Tucker kick), 1:49. Ravens 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:52.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 43-yard field goal, 0:00. Ravens 21–10. Drive: 3 plays, 12 yards, 0:30.
Third quarter
BAL – Mark Andrews 22-yard pass from Lamar Jackson (Justin Tucker kick), 8:42. Ravens 28–10. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 6:18.
Fourth quarter
BAL – Justin Tucker 46-yard field goal, 5:16. Ravens 31–10. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 6:19.
WAS – Dwayne Haskins 1-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 2:05. Ravens 31–17. Drive: 4 plays, 42 yards, 1:24.
Top passers
BAL – Lamar Jackson – 14/21, 193 yards, 2 TD, INT
WAS – Dwayne Haskins – 32/45, 314 yards
Top rushers
BAL – Lamar Jackson – 7 rushes, 53 yards, TD
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 13 rushes, 46 yards, TD
Top receivers
BAL – Marquise Brown – 4 receptions, 86 yards
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 10 receptions, 118 yards :
Dwayne Haskins set a career high in passing yards but was benched in favor of Kyle Allen the following week.

#### Week 5: vs. Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rams | 6 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 30 |
| Washington | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: October 11
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 69 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Shawn Smith
* TV announcers (Fox): Brandon Gaudin, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
LAR – Darrell Henderson 1-yard run (kick failed), 7:29. Rams 6–0. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 6:03.
WAS – Kyle Allen 7-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 1:34. Football Team 7–6. Drive: 10 plays, 73 yards, 5:55.
Second quarter
LAR – Robert Woods 56-yard pass from Jared Goff (Sam Sloman kick), 14:52. Rams 13–7. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:42.
LAR – Jared Goff 2-yard run (Sam Sloman kick), 7:32. Rams 20–7. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 4:40.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 48-yard field goal, 0:00. Rams 20–10. Drive: 5 plays, 20 yards, 0:49.
Third quarter
LAR – Sam Sloman 28-yard field goal, 7:04. Rams 23–10. Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 3:51.
Fourth quarter
LAR – Darrell Henderson 11-yard pass from Jared Goff (Sam Sloman kick), 6:37. Rams 30–10. Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 2:54.
Top passers
LAR – Jared Goff – 21/30, 309 yards, 2 TD, INT
WAS – Kyle Allen – 9/13, 74 yards
Top rushers
LAR – Cam Akers – 9 rushes, 61 yards
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 11 rushes, 27 yards
Top receivers
LAR – Gerald Everett – 4 receptions, 90 yards
WAS – J. D. McKissic – 6 receptions, 46 yards :
In the second quarter Kyle Allen left the game with what was ruled as an arm injury, leaving Alex Smith to play the remainder of the game. This marked Smith's first NFL game appearance since suffering a severe leg fracture in 2018. Washington's offense was again hampered by quarterback play as they lost 30–10. Their 108 total yards of offense was the fewest by any team in any game all season.

#### Week 6: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington | 0 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 19 |
| Giants | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: October 18
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 62 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Brad Allen
* TV announcers (Fox): Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Lindsay Czarniak
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NYG – Graham Gano 33-yard field goal, 3:23. Giants 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 5:31.
NYG – Darius Slayton 23-yard pass from Daniel Jones (Graham Gano kick), 1:36. Giants 10–0. Drive: 3 plays, 27 yards, 0:55.
Second quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 35-yard field goal, 10:50. Giants 10–3. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 5:46.
NYG – Graham Gano 20-yard field goal, 6:15. Giants 13–3. Drive: 8 plays, 73 yards, 4:35.
WAS – Logan Thomas 5-yard pass from Kyle Allen (Dustin Hopkins kick), 0:13. Giants 13–10. Drive: 13 plays, 70 yards, 6:02.
Third quarter
No scoring plays
Fourth quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 28-yard field goal, 8:56. Tied 13–13. Drive: 14 plays, 70 yards, 6:55.
NYG – Tae Crowder 43-yard fumble return (Graham Gano kick), 3:29. Giants 20–13. Drive: 7 plays, 22 yards, 3:28.
WAS – Cam Sims 22-yard pass from Kyle Allen (pass failed), 0:36. Giants 20–19. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:53.
Top passers
WAS – Kyle Allen – 31/42, 280 yards, 2 TD, INT
NYG – Daniel Jones – 12/19, 112 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
WAS – J. D. McKissic – 8 rushes, 41 yards,
NYG – Daniel Jones – 7 rushes, 74 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 7 receptions, 74 yards
NYG – Darius Slayton – 2 receptions, 41 yards, TD :
Giants linebacker Tae Crowder recovered a Kyle Allen fumble for the go-ahead score and Washington responded with a touchdown of their own with 36 seconds remaining. Coach Rivera opted to go for the game-winning two point conversion which fell incomplete. As a result, Washington lost their fifth straight game overall and their fourth consecutive against the Giants.

#### Week 7: vs. Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Washington | 9 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: October 25
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 46 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
WAS – Dalton Schultz tackled in end zone by Jonathan Allen for a safety, 7:45. Football Team 2–0.
WAS – Antonio Gibson 12-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 3:48. Football Team 9–0. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:57.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 45-yard field goal, 1:52. Football Team 9–3. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:56.
Second quarter
WAS – Terry McLaurin 52-yard pass from Kyle Allen (pass failed), 9:54. Football Team 15–3. Drive: 2 plays, 55 yards, 0:46.
WAS – Logan Thomas 15-yard pass from Kyle Allen (Dustin Hopkins kick), 3:08. Football Team 22–3. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 4:05.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 30-yard field goal, 13:23. Football Team 25–3. Drive: 11 plays, 63 yards, 4:38.
Top passers
DAL – Andy Dalton – 9/19, 75 yards, INT
WAS – Kyle Allen – 15/25, 194 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 12 rushes, 45 yards
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 20 rushes, 128 yards, TD
Top receivers
DAL – Amari Cooper – 7 receptions, 80 yards
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 7 receptions, 90 yards, TD, INT :
Washington's defense had six sacks and only allowed 142 yards of offense. Heading into the bye, the team improved to 2–5, moved to 2–1 in the NFC East, and snapped a three-game losing streak to the Cowboys.

#### Week 9: vs. New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Giants | 10 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| Washington | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 20 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: November 8
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Sunny, 75 °F (24 °C)
* Game attendance: 3,000
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NYG – Graham Gano 38-yard field goal, 9:35. Giants 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 2:14.
NYG – Wayne Gallman 2-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 4:15. Giants 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 16 yards, 0:58.
Second quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 48-yard field goal, 13:05. Giants 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 6:10.
NYG – Graham Gano 48-yard field goal, 9:24. Giants 13–3. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 3:41.
NYG – Evan Engram 16-yard pass from Daniel Jones (Graham Gano kick), 2:05. Giants 20–3. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 4:53.
Third quarter
WAS – Antonio Gibson 1-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 12:24. Giants 20–10. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:36.
NYG – Graham Gano 42-yard field goal, 5:12. Giants 23–10. Drive: 12 plays, 51 yards, 7:12.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 44-yard field goal, 14:56. Giants 23–13. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 5:16.
WAS – Terry McLaurin 68-yard pass from Alex Smith (Dustin Hopkins kick), 10:24. Giants 23–20. Drive: 3 plays, 84 yards, 1:00.
Top passers
NYG – Daniel Jones – 23/34, 212 yards, TD
WAS – Alex Smith – 24/32, 325 yards, TD, 3 INT
Top rushers
NYG – Wayne Gallman – 14 rushes, 68 yards, TD
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 6 rushes, 20 yards, TD
Top receivers
NYG – Austin Mack – 4 receptions, 72 yards
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 7 receptions, 115 yards, TD :
In the first and only game with fans, starting quarterback Kyle Allen suffered a gruesome injury early in the game and was subsequently replaced by Alex Smith. Washington failed to complete a 20–3 comeback and lost 23–20 when Smith threw two interceptions on the final two possessions. Washington was swept by the Giants for the second consecutive season and the seventh time dating back to the 2008 season.

#### Week 10: at Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 27 |
| Lions | 7 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 30 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: November 15
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Alex Kemp
* TV announcers (Fox): Dan Hellie, Aqib Talib and Megan Olivi
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET - Marvin Hall 55 yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 7:12. Lions 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 92 yards, 1:52.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 38 yard field goal, 3:25. Lions 7–3. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 3:47.
Second quarter
DET – Marvin Jones 27 yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 11:55. Lions 14–3. Drive: 6 plays, 53 yards, 2:07.
DET – Matt Prater 53 yard field goal, 0:08. Lions 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 34 yards, 1:06.
Third quarter
DET – D'Andre Swift 15 yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 7:58. Lions 24–3. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 7:02.
WAS – J. D. McKissic 2 yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 2:30. Lions 24–10. Drive: 11 plays, 82 yards, 5:28.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Antonio Gibson 2 yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 11:21. Lions 24–17. Drive: 11 plays, 84 yards, 4:39.
WAS – Antonio Gibson 5 yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 6:09. Tied 24–24. Drive: 6 plays, 66 yards, 2:44.
DET – Matt Prater 37 yard field goal, 2:37. Lions 27–24. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 3:32.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 41 yard field goal, 0:16. Tied 27–27. Drive: 17 plays, 66 yards, 2:21.
DET – Matt Prater 59 yard field goal, 0:00. Lions 30–27. Drive: 3 plays, 34 yards, 0:16.
Top passers
WAS – Alex Smith – 38/55, 390 yards
DET – Matthew Stafford – 24/33, 276 yards, 3 TDs
Top rushers
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 13 rushes, 45 yards, 2 TDs
DET – D'Andre Swift – 16 rushes, 81 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 7 receptions, 95 yards
DET – Marvin Jones – 8 receptions, 96 yards, TD :
Alex Smith started his first game since Week 11 of the 2018 season. After falling behind 24–3, Smith and the offense rallied with three straight touchdowns by running backs Antonio Gibson and J. D. McKissic in the second half to tie the game at 24. The Lions responded with a field goal and Washington responded with one of their own to tie the game at 27 with 16 seconds to play. However, on the ensuing Detroit drive, kicker Matt Prater drilled a 59-yard field goal as the clock expired. Washington fell to 2–7 after the crushing loss.

#### Week 11: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Washington | 7 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 20 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: November 22
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 57 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Shawn Smith
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
WAS – Antonio Gibson 1-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 1:38. Football Team 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 76 yards, 4:06.
Second quarter
CIN – A. J. Green 5-yard pass from Joe Burrow (kick failed), 7:32. Football Team 7–6. Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 3:29.
CIN – Randy Bullock 53-yard field goal, 1:39. Bengals 9–7. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 3:39.
Third quarter
WAS – Steven Sims 3-yard pass from Alex Smith (Dustin Hopkins kick), 8:58. Football Team 14–9. Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 2:27.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 32-yard field goal, 4:47. Football Team 17–9. Drive: 6 plays, 49 yards, 2:16.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 50-yard field goal, 9:44. Football Team 20–9. Drive: 14 plays, 65 yards, 7:24.
Top passers
CIN – Joe Burrow – 22/34, 203 yards, TD
WAS – Alex Smith – 17/25, 166 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
CIN – Samaje Perine – 5 rushes, 19 yards
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 16 rushes, 94 yards, TD
Top receivers
CIN – Tyler Boyd – 9 receptions, 85 yards
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 5 receptions, 84 yards :
The Bengals were playing a close game against Washington until the third quarter when Bengals rookie quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending knee injury. The Bengals were unable to move the ball with backup Ryan Finley and Washington took control of the game. With the win on Homecoming Weekend, the team improved to 3–7, matching their win total from the previous season. This was Washington's first victory over Cincinnati since their 1991 Super Bowl-winning season and their first at home since 1985.

#### Week 12: at Dallas Cowboys

NFL on Thanksgiving Day
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington | 7 | 10 | 3 | 21 | 41 |
| Cowboys | 3 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 16 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: November 26
* Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Sunny, 73 °F (23 °C) (retractable roof open)
* Game attendance: 30,048
* Referee: Clay Martin
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 33-yard field goal, 8:30. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:38.
WAS – Antonio Gibson 5-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 1:37. Football Team 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:53.
Second quarter
DAL – Amari Cooper 54-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:08. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:29
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 23-yard field goal, 7:13. Tied 10–10. Drive: 14 plays, 67 yards, 6:55
WAS – Logan Thomas 5-yard pass from Alex Smith (Dustin Hopkins kick), 2:26. Football Team 17–10. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 2:51.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 32-yard field goal, 0:19. Football Team 17–13. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 2:07.
Third quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 36-yard field goal, 10:48. Football Team 20–13. Drive: 6 plays, 15 yards, 3:29.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 28-yard field goal, 2:32. Football Team 20–16. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:38.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Antonio Gibson 23-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 12:07. Football Team 27–16. Drive: 1 play, 23 yards, 0:06.
WAS – Antonio Gibson 37-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 3:31. Football Team 34–16. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 5:50.
WAS – Montez Sweat 15-yard interception return (Dustin Hopkins kick), 3:24. Football Team 41–16.
Top passers
WAS – Alex Smith – 19/26, 149 yards, TD, INT
DAL – Andy Dalton – 25/35, 215 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 20 rushes, 115 yards, 3 TDs
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 10 rushes, 32 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 7 receptions, 92 yards
DAL – Amari Cooper – 6 receptions, 112 yards, TD :
Washington and Dallas played on Thanksgiving afternoon for the 10th time in the rivalry's history. After a close first half, Washington went on a run of 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including a 15-yard interception return for a touchdown by Montez Sweat, the first of his career. Antonio Gibson became the first rookie with three touchdowns on Thanksgiving since Randy Moss in 1998. With the win, Washington improved to 4–7 and swept Dallas for the first time since 2012 and only the second time since 2005. Washington also won in Dallas on Thanksgiving for the second time ever, the first since 2012, and won for the fourth time on the holiday all-time, their first since 2017.

#### Week 13: at Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington | 0 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 23 |
| Steelers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Date: December 7
* Game time: 5:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 34 °F (1 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: John Hussey
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
PIT – Diontae Johnson 3-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Matthew Wright kick), 10:33. Steelers 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 72 yards, 6:16.
PIT – James Washington 50-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Matthew Wright kick), 3:54. Steelers 14–0. Drive: 1 play, 50 yards, 0:09.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 49-yard field goal, 0:01. Steelers 14–3. Drive: 6 plays, 28 yards, 0:49.
Third quarter
WAS – Peyton Barber 1-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 8:16. Steelers 14–10. Drive: 14 plays, 82 yards, 6:44.
Fourth quarter
PIT – Matthew Wright 37-yard field goal, 14:57. Steelers 17–10. Drive: 11 plays, 63 yards, 4:32.
WAS – Logan Thomas 15-yard pass from Alex Smith (Dustin Hopkins kick), 9:09. Tied 17–17. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 3:14.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 45-yard field goal, 2:04. Football Team 20–17. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 2:49.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 45-yard field goal, 0:17. Football Team 23–17. Drive: 4 plays, -2 yards, 1:42.
Top passers
WAS – Alex Smith – 31/46, 296 yards, TD
PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 33/53, 305 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
WAS – Peyton Barber – 14 rushes, 23 yards, TD
PIT – Anthony McFarland Jr. – 4 rushes, 15 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Logan Thomas – 9 receptions, 98 yards, TD
PIT – James Washington – 2 receptions, 80 yards, TD :
The game was originally scheduled for Sunday, but was postponed to Monday due to scheduling changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While down 14–0 in the second quarter, Washington got a quick field goal before halftime and opened the second half with a Peyton Barber touchdown run to cut the deficit to 14–10 before the Steelers offense regained possession. Their defense clamped down, only allowing 120 total yards in the second half. Logan Thomas tied the game mid-way through the fourth quarter while Jon Bostic intercepted a pass tipped by Montez Sweat with 1:59 to play. Kicker Dustin Hopkins made two field goals to put the game at 23–17, which the Steelers were not able to recover from. With the win, Washington improved to 5–7, having won three straight games for the first time since Weeks 6–8 of the 2018 season. This was also Washington's first win over Pittsburgh since their 1991 Super Bowl-winning season.

#### Week 14: at San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington | 0 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 23 |
| 49ers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 15 |
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
* Date: December 13
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/2:25 p.m. MST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Greg Jennings, and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Jeff Wilson 1-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 0:47. 49ers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 57 yards, 4:23.
Second quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 51-yard field goal, 5:45. 49ers 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 29 yards, 3:49.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 31-yard field goal, 3:06. 49ers 7–6. Drive: 6 plays, 13 yards, 1:57.
WAS – Chase Young 47-yard fumble return (Dustin Hopkins kick), 0:58. Washington 13–7.
Third quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 21-yard field goal, 10:05. Washington 16–7. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 4:55.
WAS – Kamren Curl 76-yard interception return (Dustin Hopkins kick), 0:00. Washington 23–7.
Fourth quarter
SF – Kyle Juszczyk 6-yard pass from Nick Mullens (Nick Mullens–Kendrick Bourne pass), 10:18. Washington 23–15. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:42.
Top passers
WAS – Alex Smith – 8/19, 57 yards, INT
SF – Nick Mullens – 25/45, 260 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
WAS – J. D. McKissic – 11 rushes, 68 yards
SF – Raheem Mostert – 14 rushes, 65 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Logan Thomas – 6 receptions, 43 yards
SF – Brandon Aiyuk – 10 receptions, 119 yards :
With scores from rookie defenders Chase Young and Kamren Curl, Washington scored two defensive touchdowns in a game for the first time since Week 17 of the 1997 season, when Darryl Pounds and Hall of Famer Darrell Green accomplished this feat. With the win, Washington improved their record to 6–7 and, with the Giants' loss to the Arizona Cardinals earlier that day, took over sole possession of first place in the NFC East. Washington also won four games in a row for the first time since 2016.

#### Week 15: vs. Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| Washington | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 15 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: December 20
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 43 °F (6 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Adrian Hill
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
SEA – Jason Myers 43-yard field goal, 8:50. Seahawks 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 30 yards, 4:00.
Second quarter
SEA – Jason Myers 40-yard field goal, 10:52. Seahawks 6–0. Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 4:21.
SEA – Jacob Hollister 10-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Jason Myers kick), 1:45. Seahawks 13–0. Drive: 10 plays, 97 yards, 5:05.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 48-yard field goal, 0:06. Seahawks 13–3. Drive: 11 plays, 46 yards, 1:39.
Third quarter
SEA – Carlos Hyde 50-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 13:12. Seahawks 20–3. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:48.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Peyton Barber 1-yard run (kick failed), 14:14. Seahawks 20–9. Drive: 14 plays, 96 yards, 5:50.
WAS – J. D. McKissic 6-yard pass from Dwayne Haskins (run failed), 7:16. Seahawks 20–15. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 3:57.
Top passers
SEA – Russell Wilson – 18/27, 121 yards, TD, INT
WAS – Dwayne Haskins – 38/55, 295 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
SEA – Chris Carson – 15 rushes, 63 yards
WAS – J. D. McKissic – 13 rushes, 51 yards
Top receivers
SEA – DK Metcalf – 5 receptions, 43 yards
WAS – Logan Thomas – 13 receptions, 101 yards :
With the loss, Washington fell to 6–8 and failed to clinch their first winning season since 2016.

#### Week 16: vs. Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 6 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Washington | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: December 27
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Sunny, 41 °F (5 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Brandon Zylstra fumble recovery in end zone (kick failed), 1:42. Panthers 6–0.
Second quarter
CAR – Mike Davis 1-yard run (Joey Slye kick), 8:37. Panthers 13–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 6:14.
CAR – Robby Anderson 14-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Joey Slye kick), 3:06. Panthers 20–0. Drive: 6 plays, 55 yards, 3:34.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 48-yard field goal, 1:20. Panthers 20–3. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 1:46.
Third quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 26-yard field goal, 4:01. Panthers 20–6. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 2:56.
Fourth quarter
WAS – J. D. McKissic 29-yard pass from Taylor Heinicke (Dustin Hopkins kick), 1:50. Panthers 20–13. Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 1:19.
Top passers
CAR – Teddy Bridgewater – 19/28, 197 yards, TD, INT
WAS – Dwayne Haskins – 14/28, 154 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
CAR – Curtis Samuel – 7 rushes, 52 yards
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 10 rushes, 61 yards
Top receivers
CAR – Curtis Samuel – 5 receptions, 106 yards
WAS – J. D. McKissic – 8 receptions, 77 yards, TD :
With a Giants loss to the Baltimore Ravens earlier that afternoon, Washington had an opportunity to clinch the division title against Carolina. The team instead put together a performance of errors, including a mishandled punt by Steven Sims that was recovered for a Panthers touchdown, a 10-play scoring drive of all run plays allowed by the defense and an additional three turnovers from Dwayne Haskins, who was eventually benched in the fourth quarter for Taylor Heinicke. With their second consecutive loss, the team dropped to 6–9 and clinched their fourth straight losing season. Haskins was released by the team the following day.

#### Week 17: at Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| Eagles | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* Date: January 3, 2021
* Game time: 8:20 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Rain, 38 °F (3 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
WAS – Terry McLaurin 5-yard pass from Alex Smith (Dustin Hopkins kick), 4:19. Football Team 7–0. Drive: 15 plays, 91 yards, 8:13.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 42-yard field goal, 2:02. Football Team 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 2:06.
Second quarter
PHI – Jalen Hurts 6-yard run (Jake Elliott kick), 10:18. Football Team 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 6:44.
PHI – Jalen Hurts 6-yard run (Jake Elliott kick), 3:54. Eagles 14–10. Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 4:09.
WAS – Logan Thomas 13-yard pass from Alex Smith (Dustin Hopkins kick), 0:20. Football Team 17–14. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 1:04.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 42-yard field goal, 7:42. Football Team 20–14. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 1:52.
Top passers
WAS – Alex Smith – 22/32, 162 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
PHI – Jalen Hurts – 7/20, 72 yards, INT
Top rushers
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 19 rushes, 75 yards
PHI – Boston Scott – 15 rushes, 65 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Cam Sims – 5 receptions, 43 yards
PHI – J. J. Arcega-Whiteside – 2 receptions, 40 yards :
In a matchup that was flexed to NBC Sunday Night Football, Washington defeated the Eagles 20–14 to clinch the NFC East for the first time since the 2015 season. This was Washington's first sweep of Philadelphia since the 2016 season. With a final record of 7–9, Washington became just the third team in league history to win their division with a losing record after the 2010 Seattle Seahawks and 2014 Carolina Panthers, the latter of whom were also coached by Rivera. They also became the first team in NFL history to clinch a playoff berth after starting the season 2–7.

## Standings
### Division

NFC East :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(4)}$ Washington Football Team | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 5–7 | 335 | 329 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4–2 | 5–7 | 280 | 357 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 5–7 | 395 | 473 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4 | 11 | 1 | .281 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 334 | 418 | L3 |

### Conference

NFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Green Bay Packers | North | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .428 | .387 | W6 |
| 2 | New Orleans Saints | South | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 6–0 | 10–2 | .459 | .406 | W2 |
| 3 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .447 | .404 | W4 |
| 4 | Washington Football Team | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 5–7 | .459 | .388 | W1 |
| Wild cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .488 | .392 | W4 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Rams | West | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 9–3 | .494 | .484 | W1 |
| 7 | Chicago Bears | North | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .488 | .336 | L1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 8 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .475 | .441 | L2 |
| 9 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 5–7 | .504 | .366 | W1 |
| 10 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .549 | .448 | L1 |
| 11 | New York Giants | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4–2 | 5–7 | .502 | .427 | W1 |
| 12 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .471 | .333 | L1 |
| 13 | Carolina Panthers | South | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .531 | .388 | L1 |
| 14 | Detroit Lions | North | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .508 | .350 | L4 |
| 15 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 4 | 11 | 1 | .281 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .537 | .469 | L3 |
| 16 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 2–10 | .551 | .391 | L5 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 New Orleans finished ahead of Seattle based on conference record. 1 2 Chicago finished and clinched the 7th and final playoff spot ahead of Arizona based on better win percentage in common games (against Detroit, the NY Giants, Carolina, and the LA Rams, Chicago finished 3–2, while Arizona finished 1–4). 1 2 San Francisco finished ahead of the NY Giants based on head-to-head victory. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Dallas (see below). 1 2 NY Giants won tiebreaker over Dallas based on division record. 1 2 Carolina finished ahead of Detroit 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. ||||||||||||

## Postseason
### Schedule

| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| Wild Card | January 9, 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5) | L 23–31 | 0–1 | FedExField | Recap |

### Game summaries
#### NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 9 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 31 |
| Washington | 0 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 23 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: January 9, 2021
* Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Clear, 40 °F (4 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Scott Novak
* TV announcers (NBC): Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy and Kathryn Tappen
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Ryan Succop 29-yard field goal, 11:49. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 3:11.
TB – Antonio Brown 36-yard pass from Tom Brady (kick blocked), 2:51. Buccaneers 9–0. Drive: 6 plays, 58 yards, 2:06.
Second quarter
WAS – J. D. McKissic 2-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 12:59. Buccaneers 9–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:52.
TB – Chris Godwin 27-yard pass from Tom Brady (run failed), 10:03. Buccaneers 15–7. Drive: 5 plays, 61 yards, 2:56.
TB – Ryan Succop 23-yard field goal, 1:50. Buccaneers 18–7. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 4:20.
Third quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 36-yard field goal, 11:46. Buccaneers 18–10. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 3:14.
WAS – Taylor Heinicke 8-yard run (pass failed), 2:14. Buccaneers 18–16. Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 3:39.
Fourth quarter
TB – Ryan Succop 38-yard field goal, 13:32. Buccaneers 21–16. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:42.
TB – Leonard Fournette 3-yard run (Ryan Succop kick), 9:11. Buccaneers 28–16. Drive: 7 plays, 69 yards, 3:22.
WAS – Steven Sims 11-yard pass from Taylor Heinicke (Dustin Hopkins kick), 4:51. Buccaneers 28–23. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:20.
TB – Ryan Succop 37-yard field goal, 2:49. Buccaneers 31–23. Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 2:02.
Top passers
TB – Tom Brady – 22/40, 381 yards, 2 TD
WAS – Taylor Heinicke – 26/44, 306 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
TB – Leonard Fournette – 19 rushes, 93 yards, TD
WAS – Taylor Heinicke – 6 rushes, 46 yards, TD
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 6 receptions, 119 yards
WAS – Cam Sims – 7 receptions, 104 yards :
Despite a late comeback and a strong performance from quarterback Taylor Heinicke, Washington's season ended at the hands of Tom Brady and the eventual Super Bowl LV champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a 31–23 home loss. It was Washington's fifth straight playoff loss dating back to 2005 and their third consecutive home playoff loss dating back to 1999.