The 2016 Washington Redskins entered the season riding high after an unexpected division crown the previous year, looking to validate head coach Jay Gruden’s blueprint. The front office made a massive offseason splash by securing high-profile free agent cornerback Josh Norman to anchor the secondary, alongside depth additions like veteran tight end Vernon Davis and safety David Bruton. To build for the future, the team used the draft to secure key pieces in defensive back Kendall Fuller and defensive tackle Matthew Ioannidis. Yet, the brutal reality of the NFC East caught up with them. Despite a competitive campaign, Washington finished 8-7-1, landing in third place within the division and agonizingly missing out on a consecutive postseason berth.

Washington fielded a historic, high-flying offense that finished third in the league in total yards and 12th in scoring with 396 points (24.8 ppg). Operating out of a lethal, pass-heavy scheme under offensive coordinator Sean McVay, quarterback Kirk Cousins put together a Pro Bowl season, throwing for a franchise-record 4,917 regular season yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The aerial attack featured a terrifying duo of 1,000-yard wideouts, with Pierre Garcon hauling in 79 receptions for 1,041 yards and DeSean Jackson terrorizing secondaries deep with 1,005 yards at a blistering 17.9 yards per catch. When defenses stretched to stop the deep ball, Cousins utilized tight end Jordan Reed, who grabbed six touchdowns in 12 games, and slot weapon Jamison Crowder, who tacked on seven receiving scores. Undrafted rookie Robert Kelley injected tough running into the balanced equation late, leading the team with 704 rushing yards.

Conversely, the defensive side of the ball was a leaky bucket that ultimately held the franchise back from true contention. Washington finished 28th in total yards allowed and 19th in scoring defense (23.9 ppg), routinely struggling to get off the field. The unit’s primary saving grace was a persistent pass rush led by outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who earned a Pro Bowl nod on the back of an 11.0-sack performance, while linebacker Trent Murphy provided great complementary pressure with 9.0 sacks. In the secondary, newcomer Josh Norman brought needed attitude and perimeter stability, recording 19 passes defended and three interceptions. Cornerback Bashaud Breeland matched Norman with three interceptions of his own, while inside linebacker Mason Foster racked up 124 combined tackles to lead the run defense.

The season was defined by extreme highs and lows, critical kicking blunders, and a late-season collapse. After an 0-2 start, Washington rallied with a four-game winning streak, highlighted by a gritty 29-27 division win over the New York Giants. The turning point of the season’s narrative, however, was a 27-27 tie against the Cincinnati Bengals in London where Dustin Hopkins missed a potential game-winning short field goal in overtime. The team hit their peak in November with a spectacular 42-24 primetime blowout of the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, the momentum did not last; dropping three of their final five games, including a painful 26-15 Monday night loss to the Carolina Panthers, which took control of the playoff race right out of their hands.

Everything came down to a win-and-in Week 17 home finale against a New York Giants team that already had their playoff seeding locked up. In a shocking, flat performance, Washington crumbled 19-10, with Cousins throwing a crushing late interception that sealed their elimination from the postseason race. Historically, the 2016 season stands as the frustrating peak of the Cousins era, demonstrating how an elite, record-breaking offense could be entirely neutralized by a bottom-tier defense. It also served as a professional launching pad for Sean McVay, proving his offensive genius to the rest of the football world just before he departed to become a head coach.