The 2023 season has sadly turned into one of the more disappointing seasons in Washington NFL history since the NFL merger.
Some may ask if this team is one of the worst teams in modern franchise history? There have certainly been other Washington teams that could be considered to be some of the worst teams in franchise history.
Yet, sadly this team losing as it has the last two weeks (45-10, 45-15) can’t help us wonder if this team will lose the remainder of their games, finishing the season at 4-13.
2013
The 2013 team first comes to mind. That team was awful on offense and defense. They were 29th in scoring offense and 30th in scoring defense. They did conclude the season, losing their last eight games, finishing 3-13. That coaching staff was loaded (Mike Shanahan, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel), but the team entirely unraveled largely due to Daniel Snyder and Robert Griffin.
2019
The 2019 team began the season losing their first five games, and head coach Jay Gruden was fired. That team struggled terribly at quarterback, and the offense was dead last in scoring. That team also finished 3-13, earned the second overall draft selection, and chose Chase Young in the 2020 NFL draft.
2009
Jim Zorn’s second and final season as head coach was with the 2009 team. The defense was actually 18th in scoring defense but 26th in scoring offense. The final two home games were the worst of the season. Against the Giants, Zorn attempted the Swinging Gate to end a half as Washington fell embarrassingly 45-12. The following week, they were shut out by Dallas 17-0. That team finished 4-12.
1994
The 1994 team was Norv Turner’s first as an NFL head coach. Though they had the 13th-scoring offense, they were the 28th-scoring defense, finishing 3-13. This team started three quarterbacks (Heath Shuler, Gus Frerotte and John Friesz). The team had a five-game losing streak and another 7-game losing streak.
1993
1993 was a shockingly horrible season. Joe Gibbs had retired following the 1992 season in which there was a road playoff win at Minnesota. Richie Petitbon, Gibb’s long-time defensive coordinator, became Gibbs’s successor. Washington actually defeated Dallas 35-16, opening Monday Night Football, but then lost six straight. Being so spoiled by the Joe Gibbs teams, this season for me might have been the worst because it was so shocking to see the franchise play so poorly, and have such a bad team.