Washington Redskins 2012 schedule

In addition to their annual home-and-home games against the NFC East, the Redskins will face the NFC South, the AFC North, St. Louis and Minnesota.

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Week 1: Sept. 9, 1 p.m. vs. Saints

The Redskins take on a New Orleans Saints team that will be playing its first game without suspended Coach Sean Payton and interim coach Joe Vitt. Even so, New Orleans has one of the league's best offenses, thanks to quarterback Drew Brees, running back Darren Sproles (43 at left) and wide receiver Marques Colston.

Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Week 2: Sept. 16: 4:05 p.m. vs. Rams

As a result of their repeated last place finishes, the Redskins and Rams will face each other for a fifth consecutive season. Mike Shanahan and new Rams coach Jeff Fisher are close friends, Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett once served as defensive coordinator and interim head coach in St. Louis, and it was the Rams who traded the second pick of the draft to Washington in exchange for the 2011 first- and second-round picks, and first-round picks in both 2013 and 2014. Brian Orakpo and the defense held Steven Jackson to 45 yards on 17 carries in a 17-10 win last October.

John McDonnell / The Washington Post

Week 3: Sept. 23, 1 p.m. vs. Bengals

The Redskins’ aim in 2012 is to pull off a similar feat as the 2011 Bengals, who surrounded a rookie quarterback (Andy Dalton) with a stingy defense, effective running game and talented receivers, and posted a 9-7 campaign, which earned them a wild card playoff berth. Now, the Bengals aim to take another step forward in their development.

Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images

Week 4: Sept. 30, 4:15 p.m. vs. Bucs

New Redskins secondary coach Raheem Morris (pictured with Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman) faces the team for which he served as head coach for the last three seasons. If they remain healthy, the game also will feature a meeting between the NFL’s ironmen – Washington’s London Fletcher and Tampa Bay’s Ronde Barber – who enter the season having each played 224 consecutive games.

Harry How / Getty Images

Week 5: Oct. 7, 1 p.m. vs. Falcons

The Falcons, coming off of a 10-6 campaign, ranked seventh in the NFL in scoring (25.1 points a game) last season and expect Julio Jones to build on a rookie season when he recorded 54 catches for 959 yards and eight touchdowns. But Atlanta lost both its offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator during the offseason. Jones (11) and Roddy White (84) gave the Falcons a potent one-two punch at wide receiver in 2011.

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

Week 6: Oct. 14, 4:15 p.m. vs. Vikings

The Vikings visit Jabar Gaffney (10) and the Redskins for a second consecutive year, and look to pick up their third consecutive victory over Washington. In last year's Christmas Eve meeting, Minnesota overcame the loss of both quarterback Christian Ponder and running back Adrian Peterson and won, 33-26, behind backups Joe Webb and Toby Gerhart.

Ricky Carioti / The Washington Post

Week 7: Oct. 21, 1 p.m. vs. Giants

The Redskins will be looking for their third win in a row over the Super Bowl champion Giants. To open the season in 2011, rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (91) broke out with an interception return for a touchdown as the Redskins won 28-14.

Jonathan Newton / Washington Post

Week 8: Oct. 28, 1 p.m. vs. Steelers

In their first regular season meeting since 2008, the Redskins figure to face a challenging assignment as they take on Ben Roethlisberger & Co. on offense and James Harrison, Troy Polamalu and the gang on defense.

Aaron Josefczyk / Reuters

Week 9: Nov. 4, 1 p.m. vs. Panthers

This matchup is expected to feature a meeting between the last two Heisman Trophy winners: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, and presumed Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III. In his first meeting with the Redskins last season, Newton passed for 256 yards (completing a season-high 78.3 percent of his passes) and a touchdown. He also rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown in Carolina's 33-20 victory.

Ricky Carioti / The Washington Post

Week 11: Nov. 18, 1 p.m. vs. Eagles

Following the bye week, the Redskins take on the Eagles in a game that is expected to feature the first duel between Robert Griffin III and the quarterback he is often compared to, Philadelphia's Michael Vick, the Redskins try to reverse their home fortunes against the Eagles. Washington has lost three straight home games to the Eagles. Last season's 20-13 loss at FedEx Field began the 1-5 skid that ended Washington's season. Last October Terrence Austin hauled in this fourth-quarter bomb from John Beck after Rex Grossman was pulled for throwing four interceptions in a 20-13 Eagles win.

John McDonnell / The Washington Post

Week 12: Nov. 22, 4:15 p.m. vs. Cowboys

The Redskins play their first Thanksgiving Day game since 2002 in what could be Robert Griffin III's first professional game in his home state. The Redskins have lost three straight games in Dallas. Their last victory on the Cowboys' home turf came Sept. 28, 2008. Dez Bryant beat DeAngelo Hall for a first down on third-and-21 to help Dallas edge the Redskins 18-16 last season at Cowboys Stadium.

Toni L. Sandys / The Washington Post

Week 13: Dec. 3, 8:30 p.m. vs. Giants

In the Redskins only scheduled prime time game of 2012, the league's longest-running rivalry is renewed as the Washington hosts the defending Super Bowl champs. Two of the Redskins's five victories in 2011 came against the Giants.

Jim Young / Reuters

Week 14: Dec. 9, 1 p.m. vs. Ravens

The hard-running Ray Rice comes to town, giving the Redskins’ defense one of its toughest assignments of the season. Meanwhile, Washington’s offensive line will face a tough task in trying to fend off Terrell Suggs & Co. while giving their rookie quarterback time to make plays.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

Week 15: Dec. 16, 1 p.m. vs. Browns

The Browns wanted the chance to draft Robert Griffin III, but Washington outbid them, agreeing to send three first-round picks and a second-rounder to St. Louis. Neither team exactly lit it up the last time these two rebuilding franchises faced each other in 2008, as Washington squeaked out a 14-11 victory at FedEx Field. Tight end Benjamin Watson (82) was Cleveland's third-leading receiver in 2011 with 37 receptions for 410 yards.

Matt Sullivan / Getty Images

Week 16: Dec. 23, 1 p.m. vs. Eagles

Brian Orakpo sacked Michael Vick twice in Washington's 2011 visit to Philadelphia, but the Eagles' quarterback still threw for 335 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-10 rout.

Mel Evans / Associated Press

Week 17: Dec. 30, 1 p.m. vs. Cowboys

The Redskins finish the regular season by welcoming DeMarco Murray and the arch-rival Cowboys to FedEx Field where they'll attempt to beat Dallas at home for the first time since the 2010 season opener, when Washington pulled off a 13-7 victory.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

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LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 16: Reenactors dressed as knights stage a medieval jousting competition at Eltham Palace on June 16, 2013 in Eltham, England. The 'Grand Medieval Joust' event at Eltham Palace, an English Heritage property which was the childhood home of King Henry VIII, aims to give a great insight into life at the palace during the medieval period. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

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Miss USA 2013

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