Their home games were played at FedExField in Landover, Maryland for the 15th consecutive year.
The Redskins failed to improve on their 2010 record of 6–10, meaning they finished last in the NFC East, but did manage to sweep the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants in the regular season, becoming only the sixth team to do so (the 1969 Oakland Raiders, 1983 Seattle Seahawks, 1995 Washington Redskins, 2002 New Orleans Saints, and 2007 Dallas Cowboys, also against the Giants, being the others).
The season is also notable for being the first of three Redskins seasons to include four future head coaches on the coaching staff: Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, Sean McVay and Mike McDaniel.
The Redskins opened the 2011 season at home against their division rival the New York Giants, on the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on New York City and Washington D.C.[3] With the win, the Redskins started their season at 1–0.
This would be the last time the team would win a game at home until hosting the Minnesota Vikings during the middle of the 2012 season.
Washington threw the game's opening punch in the first quarter with a 46-yard field goal from kicker Graham Gano.
Washington began the third quarter with quarterback Rex Grossman finding running back Tim Hightower on a 1-yard touchdown pass.
Dallas regained the lead in the fourth quarter with Bailey booting a 23-yard and a 40-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Redskins fell to 4–9 and were officially eliminated from playoff contention.