The Redskins don't handle prosperity well.
All three NFC East rivals lost on Sunday, the Cowboys to Houston in overtime to fall to 2-3, and the Eagles (2-3) and Giants (1-4) both losing for the second consecutive week. Sitting atop the NFC East and well-rested coming off the bye, Washington (2-1) has a golden opportunity to take a commanding division lead with a win in New Orleans.
That's about the time the Redskins usually have a letdown game.
The Redskins have a chance, once again, to take that next step tonight. With the rest of the NFC East losing, they won't hurt themselves with a loss. But could be a defining win. Too often have lost these games. From 2015-17, Skins 9-14 after a W (14-6-1 after an L).
— John Keim (@john_keim) October 8, 2018"They don't handle prosperity well," said Danny Rouhier on 106.7 The Fan's 'Grant & Danny.' "That's what this comes down to, is you have been given a gift. You have been given an opportunity by virtue of the 1-5 record of the rest of the NFC East over the last two weeks, by the 0-3 record of the NFC East on Sunday, to seize control of the division, to have prosperity."
"The Redskins, from 2015 to '17, are 9-14 after a win. Meaning, you win – you build some momentum, something good happens, you start rolling. Ah-ah-ah! No you don't," he said. "They have a well-under-.500 record, 9-14 after a win. They, by the way, are 14-6-1 after a loss. That's to the good.
"What Jay Gruden and his staff have done really well is your back's against the wall, you're screwed, they rally and they find a way to win games that maybe they shouldn't. Think about at Seattle (2017, Week 9) when the entire world was hurt and they somehow found a way to gut one out."
"Then when prosperity strikes, they fall back down to earth," he said. "This is a golden opportunity against a great team who plays great in their building."
At the risk of sounding over-dramatic about one game, how the Redskins respond could shape the tenor of their season. Win or lose, they'll remain in first place. But a win puts them at 3-1 with a substantial two-game division lead, leaving everyone feeling a lot more confident about the 2018 Washington Redskins and their chances of winning the division for the first time since 2015.
A loss puts them at an even 2-2, leaving everyone to wonder again why the Redskins can't seem to handle prosperity well.
Follow @ChrisLingebach and @1067TheFan on Twitter
