One of the bottom feeders in the NFC South will travel to Washington in 2014. What happens this weekend will decide which one.
At 3-12, the Redskins will finish last in the NFC East no matter what happens Sunday in New York, which means, per NFL protocols, the team’s 2014 opponents are all but set.
Washington will play a typical divisional slate, four games against the NFC West, four games against the AFC South, a road contest against the last place team in the NFC North (Minnesota is locked in) and a home game against the last place team in the NFC South.
Atlanta and Tampa Bay are both 4-11, creating a tie at the bottom of the division. Because of multiple tiebreakers, the Buccaneers will take fourth place if both teams win or both teams lose.
The only way Atlanta will play the Redskins in 2014 will be if they lose at Carolina (likely) and the Buccaneers somehow take down the Saints in the Mercedes Benz Superdome (less likely).
The Arizona Cardinals will be rooting for Tampa Bay. If the Cardinals, who have won seven of their last eight, beat San Francisco and Tampa bay wins at New Orleans, Arizona will snatch a wildcard playoff berth from the Saints.
New Frontiers
The Falcons and the Buccaneers will determine the final piece of the 2014 slate at FedExField, but the road rivals are already in place.
Washington has never played a regular season game in four of eight venues it will travel to next year. Here’s a little bit on each.
The home of the Arizona Cardinals opened in 2006 and seats up to 72,200 people.
For my money the coolest facet of the arena is the grass, which the Cardinals grow outdoors and roll inside for games as the only retractable field in North America.
The home of the Indianapolis Colts opened in 2008 and seats more than 67,000 people.
Washington beat the Colts, 16-3, in the 2011 preseason behind a Tim Hightower rushing touchdown and three Graham Gano field goals.
The Minnesota Vikings struck an agreement with the University of Minnesota to use the Golden Gophers’ football stadium for at least two years while they construct their new arena.
The San Francisco 49ers said goodbye to Candlestick Park this year. Their new, $1.2 billion dollar home seats 68,500 and showcases the latest green technology.
