The 2015 Washington Redskins season entered with low expectations following a chaotic 4-12 campaign the previous year. Head coach Jay Gruden made a definitive statement in the offseason by permanently naming Kirk Cousins the starting quarterback over former top pick Robert Griffin III. The front office reinforced the trenches by selecting offensive tackle Brandon Scherff in the first round of the draft and bringing in free-agent defensive anchors like Terrance Knighton and Ricky Jean-Francois. This calculated restructuring culminated in an unexpected turnaround, as Washington rallied to finish 9-7-0 and secured the NFC East division, punching a ticket to the postseason.

Washington fielded a dynamic, balanced offensive attack that finished 10th in league scoring by averaging 24.3 points per game. Kirk Cousins commanded the unit with high efficiency, completing a spectacular 69.8% of his passes for 4,166 regular season yards, 29 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. The passing game thrived heavily on intermediate routes, exemplified by tight end Jordan Reed, who caught 87 passes for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. Rookie receiver Jamison Crowder added a reliable 59 catches out of the slot, while veteran Alfred Morris led the ground game with 202 carries for 751 yards.

Defensively, Washington operated as an opportunistic unit that finished 17th in points allowed (23.7 ppg) but ranked a stellar 8th in takeaways with 27 on the season. The defensive front relied on the pass-rushing presence of linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who anchored the team with 9.5 sacks, while rookie second-round pick Preston Smith emerged late in the season to chip in 8.0 sacks. Defensive lineman Chris Baker enjoyed a breakout year with 6.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. While the secondary yielded yards to rank 28th overall, cornerback Bashaud Breeland provided sturdy perimeter coverage with 16 passes defended and two interceptions.

Washington's season was defined by a solid home record going 6-2 and a classic late-season surge. After an inconsistent 2-4 start, the definitive turning point arrived in Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Down 24-0, Cousins led the largest comeback in franchise history to win 31-30, giving birth to his famous ‘You like that!’ catchphrase. Though a painful 19-16 Monday night loss to Dallas dropped them to 5-7 in early December, Washington caught fire down the stretch. Gruden’s squad reeled off four consecutive wins, capped by a decisive 38-24 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16 to clinch the division.

The improbable run concluded in the Wild Card round with a 35-18 defeat to the Green Bay Packers at FedExField, where a fierce Packers pass rush dropped Cousins six times despite his 329 passing yards. Tight end Jordan Reed remained uncoverable in defeat, hauling in nine catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. The 2015 campaign holds strong historical significance as the peak of the Cousins era in Washington, validating Gruden's system and demonstrating that a team constructed around premium offensive line draft capital and smart veteran free agents could rapidly capture a division crown.