2020 Washington Football Team season

File:Chase Young 2020.jpg was selected second overall by the team and won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.]]

{{main|2020 NFL draft}}

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.

{{multiple image

| align = right

| total_width = 275

| direction = vertical

| image1 = Ron Rivera 2020 (cropped).jpg

| image2 = Washington Football Team President Jason Wright.jpg

| footer = The season saw the hiring of head coach Ron Rivera (top) and team president Jason Wright (bottom)

}}

{{NFL final staff

|Year=2020

|TeamName=Washington Football Team

|Front Office=

• Owner – Daniel Snyder
• President – Jason Wright
• Vice president of player personnel – Kyle Smith
• Director of pro personnel – Eric Stokes
• Director of college personnel – Tim Gribble
• Senior vice president of football administration – Rob Rogers
• Senior vice president of player development – Doug Williams

|Head Coaches=

• Head coach – Ron Rivera

|Offensive Coaches=

• Offensive coordinator – Scott Turner
• Quarterbacks – Ken Zampese
• Running backs – Randy Jordan
• Wide receivers – Jim Hostler
• Assistant wide receivers – Drew Terrell
• Tight ends – Pete Hoener
• Offensive line – John Matsko
• Assistant offensive line – Travelle Wharton
• Offensive quality control – Luke Del Rio and Todd Storm

|Defensive Coaches=

• Defensive coordinator – Jack Del Rio
• Defensive line – Sam Mills III
• Assistant defensive line – Jeff Zgonina
• Linebackers – Steve Russ
• Defensive backs – Chris Harris
• Assistant defensive backs – Brent Vieselmeyer and Richard Rodgers Sr.
• Defensive quality control – Vincent Rivera

|Special Teams Coaches=

• Special teams coordinator – Nate Kaczor
• Assistant special teams – Ben Jacobs

|Strength and Conditioning=

• Head strength and conditioning – Chad Englehart
• Strength and conditioning – Kavan Latham and Jake Sankal
• Head athletic trainer – Ryan Vermillion

}}

{{NFL final roster

|Year=2020

|TeamName=Washington Football Team

|Active=53

|Inactive=17

|Exempt=

|PS=15

|PS-exempt=1

|Quarterbacks=

{{NFLplayer| 4|Taylor Heinicke}}

{{NFLplayer| 6|Steven Montez|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|11|Alex Smith}}

|Running Backs=

{{NFLplayer|34|Peyton Barber}}

{{NFLplayer|24|Antonio Gibson|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|41|J. D. McKissic}}

{{NFLplayer|35|Lamar Miller}}

|Wide Receivers=

{{NFLplayer|19|Robert Foster|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|10|Antonio Gandy-Golden|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|17|Terry McLaurin}}

{{NFLplayer|89|Cam Sims}}

{{NFLplayer|15|Steven Sims}}

{{NFLplayer|83|Isaiah Wright|rookie=y}}

|Tight Ends=

{{NFLplayer|85|Marcus Baugh}}

{{NFLplayer|87|Jeremy Sprinkle}}

{{NFLplayer|82|Logan Thomas}}

|Offensive Linemen=

{{NFLplayer|60|Keith Ismael|C|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|78|Cornelius Lucas|T}}

{{NFLplayer|67|Wes Martin|G}}

{{NFLplayer|76|Morgan Moses|T}}

{{NFLplayer|73|Chase Roullier|C}}

{{NFLplayer|72|David Sharpe|d=American football|T}}

{{NFLplayer|75|Brandon Scherff|G}}

{{NFLplayer|71|Wes Schweitzer|G}}

{{NFLplayer|66|David Steinmetz|d=American football|T}}

|Defensive Linemen=

{{NFLplayer|93|Jonathan Allen|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|91|Ryan Kerrigan|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|94|Daron Payne|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|97|Tim Settle|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|96|James Smith-Williams|DT|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|90|Montez Sweat|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|95|Casey Toohill|DE|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|99|Chase Young|DE|rookie=y}}

|Linebackers=

{{NFLplayer|53|Jon Bostic|MLB}}

{{NFLplayer|58|Thomas Davis Sr.|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|55|Cole Holcomb|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|47|Khaleke Hudson|OLB|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|48|Mychal Kendricks|MLB}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Jordan Kunaszyk|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|50|Jared Norris|MLB}}

{{NFLplayer|54|Kevin Pierre-Louis|OLB}}

|Defensive Backs=

{{NFLplayer|30|Troy Apke|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|31|Kamren Curl|SS|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|23|Ronald Darby|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|29|Kendall Fuller|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|32|Danny Johnson|d=American football|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|46|Cole Luke|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|25|Fabian Moreau|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|20|Jimmy Moreland|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|39|Jeremy Reaves|FS}}

|Special Teams=

{{NFLplayer| 3|Dustin Hopkins|K}}

{{NFLplayer|57|Nick Sundberg|LS}}

{{NFLplayer| 5|Tress Way|P}}

|Reserve Lists=

{{NFLplayer| 8|Kyle Allen|d=American football|QB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|52|Ryan Anderson|d=linebacker|DE|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|96|Caleb Brantley|DT|Opt-out}}

{{NFLplayer|77|Saahdiq Charles|G|rookie=y|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|74|Geron Christian|T|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|26|Landon Collins|SS|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|51|Shaun Dion Hamilton|MLB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|22|Deshazor Everett|FS|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|56|Reuben Foster|LB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|80|Emanuel Hall|WR|NF-Inj.}}

{{NFLplayer|13|Kelvin Harmon|WR|NF-Inj.}}

{{NFLplayer|40|Josh Harvey-Clemons|OLB|Opt-out}}

{{NFLplayer|88|Temarrick Hemingway|TE|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|98|Matt Ioannidis|DT|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|35|Bryce Love|RB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|46|Thaddeus Moss|rookie=y|TE|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|37|Greg Stroman|CB|IR}}

|Practice Squad=

{{NFLplayer|64|David Bada|DT|rookie=y|int=y}}

{{NFLplayer|38|Jordan Brown|d=American football|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|12|Tony Brown|d=wide receiver|rookie=y|WR}}

{{NFLplayer|45|Dylan Cantrell|TE}}

{{NFLplayer|36|Aaron Colvin|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|14|Trevor Davis|WR}}

{{NFLplayer|80|Dontrelle Inman|WR}}

{{NFLplayer|79|Jalen Jelks|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|92|Devaroe Lawrence|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|38|Javon Leake|RB|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|69|Rick Leonard|T}}

{{NFLplayer|61|Timon Parris|T}}

{{NFLplayer|45|Justin Phillips|d=American football|LB}}

{{NFLplayer|86|Tyrone Swoopes|TE}}

{{NFLplayer| 2|Kaare Vedvik|K/P}}

{{NFLplayer|38|Jonathan Williams|d=running back, born 1994|RB}}

}}

The team's preseason schedule was announced on May 7, but was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last=Shook |first=Nick |title=Roger Goodell writes letter to NFL fans as training camps start across U.S. |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/roger-goodell-letter-nfl-fans-training-camps |work=NFL |date=July 27, 2020 |access-date=July 27, 2020 |archive-date=July 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727192111/https://www.nfl.com/news/roger-goodell-letter-nfl-fans-training-camps |url-status=live }}

Washington's 2020 schedule was announced on May 7.

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

File:Washington Football Team 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 1: Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date=September 13

|time=1:00 p.m. EDT

|road=Eagles

|R1=10|R2=7|R3=0|R4=0

|home=Washington

|H1=0|H2=7|H3=7|H4=13

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=0

|weather=Cloudy, {{convert|76|F|C}}

|referee=Brad Rogers

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/eagles-at-football-team-2020-reg-1 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58177/WAS_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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).{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Scott |title=Takeaways from Washington’s 27-17 comeback win over Philadelphia in season opener |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/09/13/washington-football-team-philadelphia-eagles/ |website=Washington Post |access-date=September 13, 2020 |archive-date=September 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914012518/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/09/13/washington-football-team-philadelphia-eagles/ |url-status=live }} Washington also snapped a ten-game division losing streak dating back to 2018.

{{clear}}

File:Washington vs Arizona, 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 2: Washington Football Team at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary

|date=September 20

|time=4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. MST

|road=Washington

|R1=0|R2=0|R3=3|R4=12

|home=Cardinals

|H1=14|H2=6|H3=0|H4=10

|stadium=State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

|attendance=0

|weather=None (retractable roof closed)

|referee=Land Clark

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Dick Stockton, Brady Quinn and Sara Walsh

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/football-team-at-cardinals-2020-reg-2 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58195/ARI_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

File:Washington Football Team vs. Cleveland Browns - Cleveland, Ohio - September 27, 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 3: Washington Football Team at Cleveland Browns – Game summary

|date=September 27

|time=1:00 p.m. EDT

|road=Washington

|R1=7|R2=0|R3=13|R4=0

|home=Browns

|H1=0|H2=17|H3=0|H4=17

|stadium=FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

|attendance=6,000

|weather=Sunny, {{convert|73|F|C}}

|referee=Shawn Hochuli

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Kevin Kugler, Chris Spielman and Laura Okmin

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/football-team-at-browns-2020-reg-3 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58203/CLE_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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

|stats=

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.{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Scott |title=Hail or Fail: Washington slips below .500 all-time for first time since 1975 with loss to Browns |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/09/28/washington-football-team-highlights-browns-week-3/ |website=Washington Post |access-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-date=September 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929155134/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/09/28/washington-football-team-highlights-browns-week-3/ |url-status=live }}

File:Washington vs Baltimore, 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 4: Baltimore Ravens at Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date=October 4

|time=1:00 p.m. EDT

|road=Ravens

|R1=7|R2=14|R3=7|R4=3

|home=Washington

|H1=0|H2=10|H3=0|H4=7

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=0

|weather=Sunny, {{convert|65|F|C}}

|referee=Adrian Hill

|TV=CBS

|TVAnnouncers= Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and A. J. Ross

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/ravens-at-football-team-2020-reg-4 Recap], [http://nflgsis.com/2020/REG/04/58226/Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

File:Washington vs Los Angeles Rams, 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 5: Los Angeles Rams at Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date=October 11

|time=1:00 p.m. EDT

|road=Rams

|R1=6|R2=14|R3=3|R4=7

|home=Washington

|H1=7|H2=3|H3=0|H4=0

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=0

|weather=Cloudy, {{convert|69|F|C}}

|referee=Shawn Smith

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Brandon Gaudin, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/rams-at-football-team-2020-reg-5 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58241/WAS_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

{{clear}}

File:Washington vs New York, 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 6: Washington Football Team at New York Giants – Game summary

|date=October 18

|time=1:00 p.m. EDT

|road=Washington

|R1=0|R2=10|R3=0|R4=9

|home=Giants

|H1=10|H2=3|H3=0|H4=7

|stadium=MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

|attendance=0

|weather=Partly cloudy, {{convert|62|F|C}}

|referee=Brad Allen

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Lindsay Czarniak

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/football-team-at-giants-2020-reg-6 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58252/NYG_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

File:Ben DiNucci (50531138712).jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 7: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date=October 25

|time=1:00 p.m. EDT

|road=Cowboys

|R1=3|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0

|home=Washington

|H1=9|H2=13|H3=0|H4=3

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=0

|weather=Cloudy, {{convert|46|F|C}}

|referee=Ronald Torbert

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/cowboys-at-football-team-2020-reg-7 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58269/WAS_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

File:DE Chase Young pressures Giants QB Daniel Jones.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 9: New York Giants at Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date=November 8

|time=1:00 p.m. EST

|road=Giants

|R1=10|R2=10|R3=3|R4=0

|home=Washington

|H1=0|H2=3|H3=7|H4=10

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=3,000

|weather=Sunny, {{convert|75|F|C}}

|referee=Shawn Hochuli

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/giants-at-football-team-2020-reg-9 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58296/WAS_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

File:Washington vs Detroit, 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 10: Washington Football Team at Detroit Lions – Game summary

|date=November 15

|time=1:00 p.m. EST

|road=Washington

|R1=3|R2=0|R3=7|R4=17

|home=Lions

|H1=7|H2=10|H3=7|H4=6

|stadium=Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

|attendance=0

|weather=None (indoor stadium)

|referee=Alex Kemp

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Dan Hellie, Aqib Talib and Megan Olivi

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/football-team-at-lions-2020-reg-10 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58305/DET_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

File:Washington vs Cincinatti.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Redskins 32thru69|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date=November 22

|time=1:00 p.m. EST

|road=Bengals

|R1=0|R2=9|R3=0|R4=0

|home=Washington

|H1=7|H2=0|H3=10|H4=3

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=0

|weather=Cloudy, {{convert|57|F|C}}

|referee=Shawn Smith

|TV=CBS

|TVAnnouncers=Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/bengals-at-football-team-2020-reg-11 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58324/WAS_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

NFL on Thanksgiving Day

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 12: Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

|date={{dow tooltip|November 26, 2020}}

|time=4:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. CST

|road=Washington

|R1=7|R2=10|R3=3|R4=21

|home=Cowboys

|H1=3|H2=10|H3=3|H4=0

|stadium=AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

|attendance=30,048

|weather=Sunny, {{convert|73|F|C}} (retractable roof open)

|referee=Clay Martin

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/football-team-at-cowboys-2020-reg-12 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58330/DAL_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.{{cite web |title=Football Team's Antonio Gibson: Smashes Cowboys for three TDs |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/football-teams-antonio-gibson-smashes-cowboys-for-three-tds/ |website=CBSSports.com |access-date=November 27, 2020 |language=en |date=November 26, 2020 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126225240/https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/football-teams-antonio-gibson-smashes-cowboys-for-three-tds/ |url-status=live }} With the win, Washington improved to 4–7 and swept Dallas for the first time since 2012 and only the second time since 2005.{{cite web |title=Washington blows out Dallas, 41-16, improves to first place in NFC East |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/11/26/washington-cowboys/ |website=Washington Post |access-date=November 27, 2020 |language=en |date=November 26, 2020 |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127005554/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/11/26/washington-cowboys/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=WFT can do something it hasn't in 8 years with win in Dallas |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/football-team/washington-can-do-something-it-hasnt-eight-years-win-vs-cowboys |website=RSN |access-date=November 27, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125144721/https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/football-team/washington-can-do-something-it-hasnt-eight-years-win-vs-cowboys |url-status=live }} 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.

File:WAS at PIT Photo 98 (50695535333).jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 13: Washington Football Team at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary

|date={{dow tooltip|December 7, 2020}}

|time=5:00 p.m. EST

|road=Washington

|R1=0|R2=3|R3=7|R4=13

|home=Steelers

|H1=0|H2=14|H3=0|H4=3

|stadium=Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

|attendance=0

|weather=Cloudy, {{convert|34|F|C}}

|referee=John Hussey

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/football-team-at-steelers-2020-reg-13 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58352/PIT_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

{{clear}}

File:Chase Young fumble, 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 14: Washington Football Team at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary

|date=December 13

|time=4:25 p.m. EST/2:25 p.m. MST

|road=Washington

|R1=0|R2=13|R3=10|R4=0

|home=49ers

|H1=7|H2=0|H3=0|H4=8

|stadium=State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona{{efn-ua|name=49ersWeek14}}

|attendance=0

|weather=None (retractable roof closed)

|referee=Carl Cheffers

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Chris Myers, Greg Jennings, and Jen Hale

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/football-team-at-49ers-2020-reg-14 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58373/SF_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Scott |title=Hail or Fail: Chase Young asks ‘What would Kobe do?’ after Washington’s fourth straight win |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/12/14/washington-football-team-highlights-niners-week-14/ |website=Washington Post |access-date=December 15, 2020 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214155236/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/12/14/washington-football-team-highlights-niners-week-14/ |url-status=live }} 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.

File:WFT vs. Seahawks 84.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 15: Seattle Seahawks at Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date=December 20

|time=1:00 p.m. EST

|road=Seahawks

|R1=3|R2=10|R3=7|R4=0

|home=Washington

|H1=0|H2=3|H3=0|H4=12

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=0

|weather=Cloudy, {{convert|43|F|C}}

|referee=Adrian Hill

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/seahawks-at-football-team-2020-reg-15 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58387/WAS_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

File:Washington vs Carolina, 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 16: Carolina Panthers at Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date=December 27

|time=4:05 p.m. EST

|road=Panthers

|R1=6|R2=14|R3=0|R4=0

|home=Washington

|H1=0|H2=3|H3=3|H4=7

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=0

|weather=Sunny, {{convert|41|F|C}}

|referee=Carl Cheffers

|TV=CBS

|TVAnnouncers=Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/panthers-at-redskins-2020-reg-16 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58403/WAS_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

File:Terry McLaurin touchdown catch, 2021.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 17: Washington Football Team at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary

|date=January 3, 2021

|time=8:20 p.m. EST

|road=Washington

|R1=10|R2=7|R3=0|R4=3

|home=Eagles

|H1=0|H2=14|H3=0|H4=0

|stadium=Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

|attendance=0

|weather=Rain, {{convert|38|F|C}}

|referee=Ronald Torbert

|TV=NBC

|TVAnnouncers=Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/football-team-at-eagles-2020-reg-17 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58417/PHI_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

{{2020 NFC East standings|team=WAS}}

{{2020 NFC standings|team=WAS}}

{{see also|2020–21 NFL playoffs}}

File:Washington vs Tampa Bay, Wild Card 2020.jpg

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|Washington Football Team|year=2020|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=NFC Wild Card Playoffs: (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at (4) Washington Football Team – Game summary

|date={{dow tooltip|January 9, 2021|df=F j, Y}}

|time=8:15 p.m. EST

|road=Buccaneers

|R1=9|R2=9|R3=0|R4=13

|home=Washington

|H1=0|H2=7|H3=9|H4=7

|stadium=FedExField, Landover, Maryland

|attendance=0

|weather=Clear, {{convert|40|F|C}}

|referee=Scott Novak

|TV=NBC

|TVAnnouncers=Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy and Kathryn Tappen

|reference=[https://www.nfl.com/games/buccaneers-at-football-team-2020-post-1 Recap], [https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/58491/WAS_Gamebook.pdf Game Book]

|scoring=

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.

|stats=

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.

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{{reflist}}

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{{Washington Commanders}}

{{Washington Commanders seasons}}

{{2020 NFL season by team}}

Washington

Category:Washington Football Team seasons

Washington Football Team

Category:NFC East championship seasons