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Shutdown Corner

Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:17 pm EDT

Redskins are first in history to play six straight winless teams

By Chris Chase

If the Washington Redskins' schedule was any softer it would be on a package of Charmin. If the Redskins were a college team (which, at times, they resemble), pundits would mocking the team's strength of schedule.

As the great Joe Posnanski pointed out this morning on his blog, when the Redskins host the 0-5 Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday, it will mark the team's sixth consecutive game against a winless team. I'll repeat that because it doesn't sound as impressive the first time around: So far this season, every team the Redskins have played has been winless at the time of the game. According to STATS LLC, it's the first time in the history of the NFL that this has happened. The last team to have faced five winless teams was the 1954 Giants.

According to some quick math I did in my head my dad (whom I had to call to get help with the equation), the odds of this happening are 1 in 32,768. (Feel free to check this and let me know if our numbers are wrong.)

Here's the way the Redskins schedule has broken down so far, along with their opponent's record at the time:

Week 1 -- at New York Giants (0-0)

Week 2 -- vs. St. Louis Rams (0-1)

Week 3 -- at Detroit Lions (0-2)

Week 4 -- vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3)

Week 5 -- at Carolina Panthers (0-3 -- Note: Carolina had a week 3 bye)

Week 6 -- vs. Kansas City Chiefs (0-5)

Obviously, the Giants were winless because they had yet to play a game. Since then, the Redskins have faced the dregs of the NFL but could only muster a 2-2 record against them. (Which is pretty much all the evidence one should need to pass judgment on the future of Jim Zorn.)

New York excepted, the current combined record of the rest of the 'Skins opponents is 2-22, with the only two wins coming against the Redskins themselves (by Detroit and Carolina). After Sunday, last place Washington will have faced every of their last place peers in the NFC, as well as one in the AFC too.

The streak will end in week 7 when the Redskins host the Philadelphia Eagles, a team with a whopping three wins to its credit thus far.  

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628 Comments

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  1. Johnny Y
    1. Posted by Johnny Y Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:40 pm EDT

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    You make it sound like the eagles suck lol
  2. dudelabowski
    2. Posted by dudelabowski Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:45 pm EDT

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    Thanks for another Redskins article.....uhhhh....... MJD, the ball is in your court, what do you have for us on the Chargers?
  3. eaglesfan691
    3. Posted by eaglesfan691 Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:54 pm EDT

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    And this is important because?...these are the Redskins we are talking about.
  4. Menace213
    4. Posted by Menace213 Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:55 pm EDT

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    The Redskins will finish the season 4-12 @ the best, 3-13 @ the worst.
  5. Mark H
    5. Posted by Mark H Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:06 pm EDT

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    The Skins have not faced all of their last place peers. Last years NFC South last place team was the Saints, Tampa went 9-7 and just missed the playoffs. Obviously the saints and Bucs fortunes have turned in opposite directions since then, but let's be accurate.
  6. me me me
    6. Posted by me me me Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:12 pm EDT

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    @5 technically, the worst they could finish is 0-16 cuz they didn't win yet...and why all the redskins articles MJD?
  7. me me me
    7. Posted by me me me Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:13 pm EDT

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    J/K i meant 2-14...for whatever reason, i saw the pic. of the chiefs fan and though of the chiefs record
  8. MOSScomeBACK2vikes
    8. Posted by MOSScomeBACK2vikes Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:13 pm EDT

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    Redskins will not win with Dan Akroyd as owner
  9. Will
    9. Posted by Will Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:14 pm EDT

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    You can say that those are the odds only if the outcome of each game had an equal probability of winning, which is not the case in football. Wins and losses aren't completely, 50/50 random, so it isn't really technically accurate. Your dad probably told you that and you ignored him.
  10. NE Philly
    10. Posted by NE Philly Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:16 pm EDT

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    So it wasn't a "miracle" the winless Chiefs snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when they lost to the Cowboys, they paid the Cowboys to beat them. (sorry that's the best I can do on short notice).
  11. Cherry
    11. Posted by Cherry Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:24 pm EDT

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    Shneider is all flare, he has proven time and again he allows for unproven talent and over rated superstars to run his team instead of just looking good old down home team players to make the day!!
  12. Brett P
    12. Posted by Brett P Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:27 pm EDT

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    damn you are right #3. It hurts, too. The Panthers SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  13. Brett P
    13. Posted by Brett P Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:29 pm EDT

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    #7, WHAT?!?!?!?!? The Skins record is 2-3. They beat the CFL Stallions, and the California Redwoods.
  14. NFLRULZ
    14. Posted by NFLRULZ Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:33 pm EDT

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    IS Cherry talking about the Cowboys?
  15. Robert C
    15. Posted by Robert C Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:05 pm EDT

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    I don't think it was your intention to make it sound like the Eagles are another sub-par opponent, as we all know they are not. But that is how your statement came across.
    The Deadskins were doomed the day that Danny Boy was handed the keys to the building.
    The really sad part is that Danny Boy could give a crap what the fans think of the team....he has turned them into the most profitable NFL team out there...all while selling an inferior product.
    It is time the fans decide they are not going to accept that inferior product anymore. Boycott the games, or at least the concession stands...etc. Rise up!! Do something other than continue getting shafted by Danny Boy.
  16. Frederick
    16. Posted by Frederick Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:10 pm EDT

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    the redskin need 2 fired jim zorn its time for someone else 2 take this team over we need 2 win
  17. brian b
    17. Posted by brian b Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:21 pm EDT

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    WHere do I get one of those bags with a raider logo on it instead?
  18. Highlander
    18. Posted by Highlander Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:21 pm EDT

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    H coach (if that is what you do) Zorn, I think they hired your replacement last week. I figure one more loss like that last one and Snyder will can you, and he should. You couldn't coach your way out of a paper bag. Uggg, your coaching this year is the worst I have seen in he NFLin 63 years.
  19. Brad
    19. Posted by Brad Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:33 pm EDT

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    Week 1 shouldn't could since everyone is winless at week 1.
  20. MAURICIO
    20. Posted by MAURICIO Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:56 pm EDT

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    Danny boy can careless about us redskin fans, i have been a fan for 27 years and cant stand for it anymore. Sucks that i didnt bet against them eariler. Give them credit, At least they consistently suck. "When life gives you lemons make lemonade"
  21. Shark24DTA
    21. Posted by Shark24DTA Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:58 pm EDT

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    I wonder how the Deadskins would fare against Alabama, Florida, The U, Ohio State, USC, Va. Tech, Texas, Cincinnati Bearcats, LSU and the other top 10 team in the AP.
    How badly would they get blown out in the losses??
    How many of those games would they win??
  22. David M
    22. Posted by David M Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:10 pm EDT

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    I think the probability of this happening is 1 in 16384, I think you multiplied by 1/2 an extra time.
  23. jayyolf1
    23. Posted by jayyolf1 Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:20 pm EDT

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    "If it was any easier it'd be Lindsay Lohan." - WoW, Damn that's harsh......LOL!!!
  24. ruben
    24. Posted by ruben Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:01 pm EDT

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    EAGLES do suck!...mcnabb will never win a superbowl!...go COWBOYs!...whooaaaaaa!....i hate philly!

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Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Contributors:
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