2005 Washington Redskins season
Encyclopedia
The 2005
Washington Redskins
began with the team trying to improve on their 6-10 record from 2004. The Redskins placed 2nd in the NFC East. Washington earned their first playoff berth since 1999
.
. Musgrave was the former offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars
and had worked with quarterback Mark Brunell
before. Musgrave added the shotgun formation
to Washington's playbook.
During the offseason, the Redskins lost cornerback Fred Smoot
and starting linebacker Antonio Pierce
to free agency.
The Redskins signed the following free agents: center Casey Rabach
, wide receiver David Patten
, and strong safety Pierson Prioleau
.
The Redskins also traded wide receiver Laveranues Coles
to the New York Jets
for wide receiver Santana Moss
. Most sports writers thought that this was a lopsided deal and that the Redskins were getting the worse end of the trade.
In the 2005 NFL Draft
, the Redskins drafted Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers with the ninth pick. Later in the 1st round, they traded their third round pick in the 2005 draft and their first and fourth round picks in the 2006 draft to the Denver Broncos
for the 25th overall pick. With the 25th overall pick, the Redskins selected Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell
. The Redskins used their remaining picks to draft UCLA fullback Manuel White
, Louisville linebacker Robert McCune
, Stanford linebacker Jared Newberry
, and Citadel fullback Nehemiah Broughton
.
The Redskins finished the 2005 preseason with a record of 1-3, losing to the Carolina Panthers 28-10, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 24-17, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 17-10, and losing to the Baltimore Ravens 26-20.
8/13 @ Panthers 8pm ET L 10-28
8/19 vs. Bengals 8pm ET L 17-24
8/26 vs. Steelers 8pm ET W 17-10
9/1 @ Ravens 8pm ET L 20-26
, Landover, Maryland
The Redskins started the regular season against the Chicago Bears
at home on September 11. The Redskins defense allowed only 41 rushing yards and 125 passing yards. The only score they allowed was a 1-yard Thomas Jones run. On one crucial drive for the Bears, when they needed a field goal to win, the Redskins forced three false starts and a sack to make it third-and-38. The Bears couldn't convert and the Redskins went on to win their first game in the 2005 season. Stats
, Dallas, Texas
The Redskins traveled to Texas Stadium
in Irving, Texas
to take on one of their NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys
in a Monday Night match-up. The Redskins trailed the entire game up until 3:46 left in the game. Dallas kicker Jose Cortez completed a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the third quarter, quarterback Drew Bledsoe
threw a 70-yard pass to Terry Glenn
on a flea flicker
. With 5:58 left to go in the game, Cortez completed another field goal of 41-yards. It looked as there was not a single hope left for Washington. On fourth-and-15, Mark Brunell
threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss
with 3:46 to go. Washington forced a three-and-out and got the ball back at their 20 yardline. On first down, Brunell threw another 70-yard pass to Moss who caught it in stride and went into the endzone. The Cowboys would make one final push to win the game, but the Redskins would stop them on fourth down. With the win, the Redskins moved to 2-0. Stats
The Washington Redskins
defeated the Seattle Seahawks
by the score of 20-17. The Seahawks led early but the Redskins came back to lead by 7. With 1:23 left, Matt Hasselback threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Darrell Jackson
to tie the game. The Redskins won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball. They converted three third downs to get to Seattle's 22-yardline. Nick Novak
kicked a 39-yard field goal to win the game for Washington. The Redskins were 3-0 for the first time since the 1991 Regular Season which led them to their latest Super Bowl
victory to date.Stats
Despite having 447 net yards, the Redskins were defeated by the Broncos, 21-19. Down 21-10 in the fourth quarter, the Redskins made a push to tie the game. Nick Novak
kicked a field goal from 36 yards with 6:27 left. Washington got the ball back and drove down the field. On second-and-5, Mark Brunell
passed to Chris Cooley for a touchdown. The Redskins would try for the 2-point conversion but fail. Denver would recover the onside kick and win the game. With their first loss of the season, the Redskins dropped to 3-1. Stats
. After Mark Brunell
was sacked for a 9-yard loss, Santana Moss
tied the game on a quick pass to the left flat as he ran 78-yards for a touchdown. The Chiefs would retake a 21-14 lead on a Sammy Knight
fumble recovery for an 80-yard touchdown along with a successful two-point conversion. In the final seconds of the third quarter, Brunell hit Chris Cooley with an 11-yard touchdown catch to tie the game once again at 21-21. Trent Green
hit Holmes on a 60-yard touchdown catch to seal the deal for the Chiefs as Brunell and the Redskins would fail in a comeback in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. With the loss, the Redskins dropped to 3-2.
to town and unleashed a scoring barrage, winning 52-17. After failing to score on their opening drive in each of their first five games, Washington scored first on a 6-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Mark Brunell to Mike Sellers. After forcing another San Francisco punt, the Redskins drove another 60 yards for another score, this time a 5-yard run from Clinton Portis. After two more touchdown passes by Brunell, one each to Sellers and Santana Moss, combined with two more 1-yard touchdown runs by Portis and a Nick Novak
field goal, the Redskins led 45-7 after three quarters. Washington finished their blowout with a 4-yard touchdown run by Rock Cartwright to make it 52-7. San Francisco did score twice on a 72-yard run by Frank Gore
and a 47-yard field goal by Joe Nedney
. With the win, Washington improved to 4-2.
, got off to a fast start with a 57-yard run on the game's first play, leading to a Jay Feely field goal. Barber finished with 206 rushing yards on 24 carries. The 36-0 shutout dropped the Redskins to 4-3.
was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. During the game, Philadelphia drew first blood with a 56-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb
to Reggie Brown that put Philadelphia up 7-0 after the first quarter. Washington responded with a John Hall
field goal and a Mike Sellers touchdown run to lead 10-7 at the half. In the third, the Eagles added a David Akers
field goal, and the Redskins responded with a Clinton Portis touchdown run to make the score 17-10. In the fourth quarter, with time winding down, the Eagles driving, safety Ryan Clark
intercepted a McNabb pass with 1:25 remaining, sealing the win and improving the Redskins to 5-3 at the halfway point in the season.
. Tampa Bay struck first with two touchdown runs by Mike Alstott
. This made the score 14-3, with the only Washington points coming on a John Hall field goal. After Alstott's second touchdown, Ladell Betts
returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards to bring the score to 14-10. Tampa Bay would respond with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Chris Simms
to Joey Galloway
, making the score 21-10. Washington would get another John Hall field goal to make the score 21-13 at halftime.
After halftime, Washington took their first drive of the second half into the endzone on a 7-yard pass from Mark Brunell to Mike Sellers, followed by a converted 2-point conversion on a pass to Clinton Portis, tying the game. Washington also scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ladell Betts, giving the Redskins a 28-21 lead. As the third quarter winded down, Simms completed a 4-yard pass to Ike Hilliard
to tie the game at 28-28 entering the fourth quarter. Portis added a 5-yard touchdown run to give the Redskins a 35-28 lead. With the game on the line, Simms led Tampa Bay to a game-winning touchdown drive with a 30-yard pass to Edell Shepherd
. The Redskins appeared to have blocked the extra point attempt, but were ruled offsides. As a result, Tampa Bay elected to go for two, and successfully converted on a controversial run by Alstott, handing the Redskins a 36-35 loss and dropping them to 5-4 on the season.
in the Wild Card round before losing to the Seattle Seahawks
in the Divisional round. It was the Redskins' first trip to the playoffs and first playoff win since the 1999–2000 NFL playoffs.
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
began with the team trying to improve on their 6-10 record from 2004. The Redskins placed 2nd in the NFC East. Washington earned their first playoff berth since 1999
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
.
Offseason
The Redskins started the offseason by adding a new Quarterbacks Coach, Bill MusgraveBill Musgrave
William Scott Musgrave is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.-Playing career:...
. Musgrave was the former offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and had worked with quarterback Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
before. Musgrave added the shotgun formation
Shotgun formation
The shotgun formation is a formation used by the offensive team in American and Canadian football. This formation is used mainly for passing plays, although some teams use it as their base formation. In the shotgun, instead of the quarterback receiving the snap from center at the line of scrimmage,...
to Washington's playbook.
During the offseason, the Redskins lost cornerback Fred Smoot
Fred Smoot
Fredrick "Fred" Duayne Smoot is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
and starting linebacker Antonio Pierce
Antonio Pierce
Antonio Durran Pierce is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football at Arizona....
to free agency.
The Redskins signed the following free agents: center Casey Rabach
Casey Rabach
Casey Edward Rabach is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
, wide receiver David Patten
David Patten
David Patten is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Albany Firebirds as a street free agent in 1996. He played college football at Western Carolina....
, and strong safety Pierson Prioleau
Pierson Prioleau
Pierson Olin Prioleau [PEER-sun PRAY-low] is an American football safety for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech...
.
The Redskins also traded wide receiver Laveranues Coles
Laveranues Coles
Laveranues Leon Coles is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State University....
to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for wide receiver Santana Moss
Santana Moss
Santana Terrell Moss is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...
. Most sports writers thought that this was a lopsided deal and that the Redskins were getting the worse end of the trade.
In the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
, the Redskins drafted Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers with the ninth pick. Later in the 1st round, they traded their third round pick in the 2005 draft and their first and fourth round picks in the 2006 draft to the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the 25th overall pick. With the 25th overall pick, the Redskins selected Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
. The Redskins used their remaining picks to draft UCLA fullback Manuel White
Manuel White
Manuel White Jr. is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. White attended Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, California. Earned four letters in football for coach Brian Stiman at Valencia, CA High School ... Selected to play in the...
, Louisville linebacker Robert McCune
Robert McCune
Robert McCune is an American football linebacker who is currently playing for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, Stanford linebacker Jared Newberry
Jared Newberry
Jared Newberry is an American football linebacker in the All American Football League for Team Alabama. He also played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Jets...
, and Citadel fullback Nehemiah Broughton
Nehemiah Broughton
Nehemiah Broughton, Jr. is an American football fullback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
.
The Redskins finished the 2005 preseason with a record of 1-3, losing to the Carolina Panthers 28-10, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 24-17, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 17-10, and losing to the Baltimore Ravens 26-20.
2005 Preseason
Date / Opponent / Time / Score8/13 @ Panthers 8pm ET L 10-28
8/19 vs. Bengals 8pm ET L 17-24
8/26 vs. Steelers 8pm ET W 17-10
9/1 @ Ravens 8pm ET L 20-26
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | NFL Recap | Record | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 11, 2005 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 9-7 | FedEx Field | Recap | 1-0 | |
| 2 | September 19, 2005 | at Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
W 14-13 | Texas Stadium Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675... |
Recap | 2-0 | |
| 3 | Bye | ||||||
| 4 | October 2, 2005 | Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
W 20-17 (OT) | FedEx Field | Recap | 3-0 | |
| 5 | October 9, 2005 | at Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 21-19 | Invesco Field | Recap | 3-1 | |
| 6 | October 16, 2005 | at Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
L 28-21 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
Recap | 3-2 | |
| 7 | October 23, 2005 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
W 52-17 | FedEx Field | Recap | 4-2 | |
| 8 | October 30, 2005 | at New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 36-0 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
Recap | 4-3 | |
| 9 | November 6, 2005 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 17-10 | FedEx Field | Recap | 5-3 | |
| 10 | November 13, 2005 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
L 36-35 | Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events... |
Recap | 5-4 | |
| 11 | November 20, 2005 | Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 16-13 | FedEx Field | Recap | 5-5 | |
| 12 | November 27, 2005 | San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 23-17 (OT) | FedEx Field | Recap | 5-6 | |
| 13 | December 4, 2005 | at St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
W 24-9 | Edward Jones Dome Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was... |
Recap | 6-6 | |
| 14 | December 11, 2005 | at Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 17-13 | Sun Devil Stadium Sun Devil Stadium Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass... |
Recap | 7-6 | |
| 15 | December 18, 2005 | Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
W 35-7 | FedEx Field | Recap | 8-6 | |
| 16 | December 24, 2005 | New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 35-20 | FedEx Field | Recap | 9-6 | |
| 17 | January 1, 2006 | at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 31-20 | Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex... |
Recap | 10-6 | |
Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears
at FedExFieldFedExField
FedExField is a football stadium located in an unincorporated area near the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, near the site of the old Capital Centre . FedExField is the home of the Washington Redskins football team...
, Landover, Maryland
Landover, Maryland
Landover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover...
The Redskins started the regular season against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at home on September 11. The Redskins defense allowed only 41 rushing yards and 125 passing yards. The only score they allowed was a 1-yard Thomas Jones run. On one crucial drive for the Bears, when they needed a field goal to win, the Redskins forced three false starts and a sack to make it third-and-38. The Bears couldn't convert and the Redskins went on to win their first game in the 2005 season. Stats
Week 2: at Dallas Cowboys
at Texas StadiumTexas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
, Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
The Redskins traveled to Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
to take on one of their NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in a Monday Night match-up. The Redskins trailed the entire game up until 3:46 left in the game. Dallas kicker Jose Cortez completed a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the third quarter, quarterback Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
threw a 70-yard pass to Terry Glenn
Terry Glenn
Terry Tyree Glenn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots seventh overall in the 1996 NFL Draft...
on a flea flicker
Flea flicker (American football)
A flea flicker is an unorthodox play in American football designed to fool the defensive team into thinking that a play is a run instead of a pass...
. With 5:58 left to go in the game, Cortez completed another field goal of 41-yards. It looked as there was not a single hope left for Washington. On fourth-and-15, Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss
Santana Moss
Santana Terrell Moss is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...
with 3:46 to go. Washington forced a three-and-out and got the ball back at their 20 yardline. On first down, Brunell threw another 70-yard pass to Moss who caught it in stride and went into the endzone. The Cowboys would make one final push to win the game, but the Redskins would stop them on fourth down. With the win, the Redskins moved to 2-0. Stats
Week 4: vs. Seattle Seahawks
at FedEx Field, Landover, MarylandLandover, Maryland
Landover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover...
The Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
defeated the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
by the score of 20-17. The Seahawks led early but the Redskins came back to lead by 7. With 1:23 left, Matt Hasselback threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Darrell Jackson
Darrell Jackson
Darrell Lamont Jackson is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for nine seasons...
to tie the game. The Redskins won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball. They converted three third downs to get to Seattle's 22-yardline. Nick Novak
Nick Novak
Nicholas Ryan "Nick" Novak is an American football placekicker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
kicked a 39-yard field goal to win the game for Washington. The Redskins were 3-0 for the first time since the 1991 Regular Season which led them to their latest Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
victory to date.Stats
Week 5: at Denver Broncos
at Invesco Field, Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
Despite having 447 net yards, the Redskins were defeated by the Broncos, 21-19. Down 21-10 in the fourth quarter, the Redskins made a push to tie the game. Nick Novak
Nick Novak
Nicholas Ryan "Nick" Novak is an American football placekicker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
kicked a field goal from 36 yards with 6:27 left. Washington got the ball back and drove down the field. On second-and-5, Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
passed to Chris Cooley for a touchdown. The Redskins would try for the 2-point conversion but fail. Denver would recover the onside kick and win the game. With their first loss of the season, the Redskins dropped to 3-1. Stats
Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs
The game was close at the half with the Redskins leading 7-6. That would soon disappear as the Chiefs took a 14-7 lead on a 6-yard touchdown run by Priest HolmesPriest Holmes
Priest Anthony Holmes is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Texas.Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV...
. After Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
was sacked for a 9-yard loss, Santana Moss
Santana Moss
Santana Terrell Moss is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...
tied the game on a quick pass to the left flat as he ran 78-yards for a touchdown. The Chiefs would retake a 21-14 lead on a Sammy Knight
Sammy Knight
Sammy D. Knight, Jr. is a former professional American football player. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
fumble recovery for an 80-yard touchdown along with a successful two-point conversion. In the final seconds of the third quarter, Brunell hit Chris Cooley with an 11-yard touchdown catch to tie the game once again at 21-21. Trent Green
Trent Green
Trent Jason Green is a retired professional American football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Indiana University....
hit Holmes on a 60-yard touchdown catch to seal the deal for the Chiefs as Brunell and the Redskins would fail in a comeback in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. With the loss, the Redskins dropped to 3-2.
Week 7: vs San Francisco 49ers
After two close, consecutive, and heartbreaking AFC losses in the last two weeks, the Redskins returned home to welcome the lowly 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
to town and unleashed a scoring barrage, winning 52-17. After failing to score on their opening drive in each of their first five games, Washington scored first on a 6-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Mark Brunell to Mike Sellers. After forcing another San Francisco punt, the Redskins drove another 60 yards for another score, this time a 5-yard run from Clinton Portis. After two more touchdown passes by Brunell, one each to Sellers and Santana Moss, combined with two more 1-yard touchdown runs by Portis and a Nick Novak
Nick Novak
Nicholas Ryan "Nick" Novak is an American football placekicker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
field goal, the Redskins led 45-7 after three quarters. Washington finished their blowout with a 4-yard touchdown run by Rock Cartwright to make it 52-7. San Francisco did score twice on a 72-yard run by Frank Gore
Frank Gore
Franklin Gore is an American football running back who plays for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami. NFL Network analysts have nicknamed Gore "The Inconvenient Truth".-High school career:Gore attended Coral Gables High...
and a 47-yard field goal by Joe Nedney
Joe Nedney
Joseph Thomas Nedney is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996...
. With the win, Washington improved to 4-2.
Week 8: at New York Giants
Following their lopsided blowout win over the 49ers, the Redskins headed to the Meadowlands for an NFC East duel with the New York Giants. Looking to follow up with another impressive win, the afternoon turned out to be a miserable one for the Redskins, getting shut out 36-0. The Giants, playing with heavy hearts after the death of owner Wellington MaraWellington Mara
Wellington Timothy Mara was the co-owner of the NFL's New York Giants from 1959 until his death, and one of the most influential and iconic figures in the history of the National Football League. He was the younger son of Tim Mara, who founded the Giants in 1925...
, got off to a fast start with a 57-yard run on the game's first play, leading to a Jay Feely field goal. Barber finished with 206 rushing yards on 24 carries. The 36-0 shutout dropped the Redskins to 4-3.
Week 9: vs Philadelphia Eagles
Looking to rebound from a 36-0 shutout against the Giants, Washington returned home for a second consecutive NFC East matchup, this time against the Philadelphia Eagles. Earlier in the week, Eagles WR Terrell OwensTerrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. During the game, Philadelphia drew first blood with a 56-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
to Reggie Brown that put Philadelphia up 7-0 after the first quarter. Washington responded with a John Hall
John Hall (American football)
John Hall is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He kicked for Port Charlotte High School and played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. While at Wisconsin, Hall played and won three bowl games...
field goal and a Mike Sellers touchdown run to lead 10-7 at the half. In the third, the Eagles added a David Akers
David Akers
David Roy Akers is a left footed American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. He played college football at Louisville....
field goal, and the Redskins responded with a Clinton Portis touchdown run to make the score 17-10. In the fourth quarter, with time winding down, the Eagles driving, safety Ryan Clark
Ryan Clark (American football)
Ryan Terry Clark is an American football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
intercepted a McNabb pass with 1:25 remaining, sealing the win and improving the Redskins to 5-3 at the halfway point in the season.
Week 10: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
At the halfway point of the season, the Redskins' record stood at 5-3, tied for second in the NFC East with Dallas. On Week 10, the Redskins marched to Tampa Bay for a matchup against the BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. Tampa Bay struck first with two touchdown runs by Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
. This made the score 14-3, with the only Washington points coming on a John Hall field goal. After Alstott's second touchdown, Ladell Betts
Ladell Betts
Matthew Ladell Betts is an American football running back who is currently a free agent He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Iowa....
returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards to bring the score to 14-10. Tampa Bay would respond with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
to Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
, making the score 21-10. Washington would get another John Hall field goal to make the score 21-13 at halftime.
After halftime, Washington took their first drive of the second half into the endzone on a 7-yard pass from Mark Brunell to Mike Sellers, followed by a converted 2-point conversion on a pass to Clinton Portis, tying the game. Washington also scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ladell Betts, giving the Redskins a 28-21 lead. As the third quarter winded down, Simms completed a 4-yard pass to Ike Hilliard
Ike Hilliard
Isaac Jason "Ike" Hilliard is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver for twelve seasons in the National Football League during the 1990s and 2000s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for...
to tie the game at 28-28 entering the fourth quarter. Portis added a 5-yard touchdown run to give the Redskins a 35-28 lead. With the game on the line, Simms led Tampa Bay to a game-winning touchdown drive with a 30-yard pass to Edell Shepherd
Edell Shepherd
Edell Eugene Shepherd is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. The Redskins appeared to have blocked the extra point attempt, but were ruled offsides. As a result, Tampa Bay elected to go for two, and successfully converted on a controversial run by Alstott, handing the Redskins a 36-35 loss and dropping them to 5-4 on the season.
Summary
The Redskins earned a playoff berth on the back of a 5-game winning streak to end the season. They beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on their 5-11 record in 2004. Carnell Williams won rookie of the year....
in the Wild Card round before losing to the Seattle Seahawks
2005 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2005 Seattle Seahawks season saw them advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in the team's history. They were the NFC representative in Super Bowl XL, a game they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Seahawks compiled a 13-3 record in the regular season, easily winning the NFC West and...
in the Divisional round. It was the Redskins' first trip to the playoffs and first playoff win since the 1999–2000 NFL playoffs.
Schedule
| Playoff Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Game Site | NFL Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | January 7, 2006 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on their 5-11 record in 2004. Carnell Williams won rookie of the year.... (3) |
W, 17-10 | 11-6 | Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events... |
Recap |
| Divisional | January 14, 2006 | Seattle Seahawks 2005 Seattle Seahawks season The 2005 Seattle Seahawks season saw them advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in the team's history. They were the NFC representative in Super Bowl XL, a game they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Seahawks compiled a 13-3 record in the regular season, easily winning the NFC West and... (1) |
L, 10-20 | 11-7 | Qwest Field Qwest Field CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer... |
Recap |