The Redskins and Robert Griffin III, here being sacked by the Eagles in the opener, don’t have to fret too much about their 0-2 start with only one NFC East team even at .500. (Alex Brandon/Associated Press)

The Washington Redskins might be lamenting their 0-2 start. But there is some solace for them: Given the woes of the entire NFC East, there’s no immediate threat of them falling out of contention in the division race.

Philadelphia’s loss at home Thursday night to the Kansas City Chiefs dropped the Eagles’ record to 1-2. That leaves only one NFC East team at .500: The first-place Dallas Cowboys are 1-1.

The New York Giants are tied with the Redskins in last place at 0-2. The only victories for NFC East teams this season have come against each other. The Eagles beat the Redskins, and the Cowboys beat the Giants, both on the opening weekend of the season. No NFC East team has won a game since.

Redskins linebacker London Fletcher said this week that Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Lions comes about as close to being a must-win game as there is, at least at this point in a season. But fellow linebacker Brian Orakpo took a different view, given the forgiving nature of the division race.

“We want to win,” Orakpo said. “I wouldn’t say must-win because the division, everybody lost last week. It was kind of a wash. That was the only gratifying thing to find out. Even though we [stunk] last Sunday, that everybody else lost — it kind of made us feel a little better.”

Have a Redskins question? E-mail Mike Jones at mike.jones@washpost.com with the subject line “Mailbag question” for him to answer it in The Mailbag on Tuesday.

What’s ahead:

● Josh Wilson on wins mattering more than yards allowed.

● The Redskins practice at 11:50 a.m. on Friday.

More on the Redskins and NFL:

Hamilton: Suh brings reputation for dirty play to Washington

Gibbs believes Redskins will bounce back

After two whiffs, defense refocuses on its tackling

D.C. Sports Bog: Kerrigan’s Modell’s commercial | More Bog on Redskins

The Early Lead: Bush optimistic he’ll play vs. Redskins | Suh on low hits | More NFL

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