2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, June
In his first start since his one-hit shutout in Milwaukee, Scherzer pitched the second no-hitter in Nationals history—as well as the sixth in the history of the franchise since it began play in Montreal in 1969 and the fourth in history for a Washington, D.C., Major League Baseball team—on June 20, 2015, shutting down the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 6–0 win at Nationals Park.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, June
Scherzer's perfect game bid was denied by José Tábata, whom he hit with a pitch on a two-ball, two-strike count with two outs in the ninth inning to become the only Pirates base runner of the game. Tábata faced some criticism after the game by fans and analysts who believed he leaned into the pitch, although Scherzer said he did not blame Tábata for breaking up the perfect game. Scherzer had 10 strikeouts in the game and, although it was only the third complete game of his career, it was his second complete game in a row. In the two games, in which he had a combined 26 strikeouts, his opponents had gone 1-for-55 against him, making him the first Major League Baseball player to allow one hit or fewer in consecutive complete games since Jim Tobin of the Boston Braves in 1944.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, June
In a 9–2 victory over Pittsburgh at Nationals Park on June 21, the Nationals scored nine runs in the first inning. It set a new Nationals record for runs scored in the first inning and tied the Nationals record for runs scored in any inning. The Pirates did not score until the ninth inning, ending a 24-inning streak of scoreless innings pitched by Nationals pitchers Joe Ross, David Carpenter, Drew Storen, Max Scherzer, Gio González, and Matt Thornton during the three games against Pittsburgh, a new Nationals record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, June
In the seventh inning of a 5–2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, on June 26, the Phillies scored a run off Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer, ending a streak of 48 consecutive scoreless innings posted by Nationals starting pitchers Ross, Gonzalez, Strasburg, Zimmermann, Fister, and Scherzer that began in the third inning of a 4–1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on June 19.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, June
It was the longest streak of consecutive scoreless innings by starting pitchers in the history of the Montreal–Washington franchise, and the second-longest by any Major League Baseball team since the beginning of the "expansion era" in 1961. The run given up on June 26 also ended Scherzer's personal scoreless-inning streak of 24+2⁄3 innings, but he became the first major league pitcher since Doyle Alexander in 1976 to pitch a perfect game through the first six innings in three consecutive starts.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, June
Scherzer was named National League Pitcher of the Month for June 2015, the second consecutive month he had received the award. He became the seventeenth major-league pitcher to receive the honor in two consecutive months and the first since Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers did it in June and July 2014.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, June
The award for May 2015 had made Scherzer the fifth Nationals pitcher to receive the award, and the award for June 2015 made him the first Nationals pitcher to win it twice, the first Nationals pitcher to win it in two consecutive months, and the first pitcher in Montreal–Washington franchise history to win it in consecutive months since Jeff Fassero received it in June and July 1996 while playing for the Montreal Expos.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
Ace Max Scherzer was named to the National League team in the All-Star Game on July 14, but he chose not to skip his start before the exhibition game—a hard-fought win over the Baltimore Orioles on July 12 in which he threw 115 pitches—and did not pitch in it. Star outfielder Bryce Harper did play in the All-Star Game after finishing number one overall in fan votes received, a new record at more than 13.9 million, though he went hitless.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
The Nationals' season-long struggle with injuries continued. Center fielder Denard Span was placed on the disabled list effective July 7 after attempting to play through persistent back spasms and skipping a few games to rest. Newly acquired right-handed reliever David Carpenter landed on the disabled list with inflammation in his throwing shoulder on July 12, shortly after returning from paternity leave.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
After the All-Star Break, baseball resumed on July 17 with a very odd evening at Nationals Park in the first of three games the Nationals hosted against the Los Angeles Dodgers. At 8:19 p.m. EDT with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, a bank of lights went out, forcing a 1-hour-22-minute stoppage of play. After the lighting finally was restored, the teams played for nine more minutes before the lights went out for a second time. The second delay lasted 40 minutes, after which play resumed.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
Twelve minutes later, the lights went out for a third time, and the game was suspended with five innings completed and the Nationals ahead 3–2. It was the first game in the history of Nationals Park that was suspended for any reason other than weather. Although rumors spread that the outage somehow was related to a pair of Taylor Swift concerts held at Nationals Park two days earlier, the Nationals announced the following morning that a faulty circuit breaker appeared to have caused the lighting failure. The game was completed on the afternoon following its suspension, resulting in a 5–3 Washington victory.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
On July 18, after the completion of the suspended game, the Nationals and Dodgers also played their previously scheduled game for the date. Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, whom the Nationals had not beaten since the 2010 season, had a dominating three-hit performance in the 4–2 Dodger victory, retiring 17 of the last 18 batters he faced and striking out 14 Nationals over eight scoreless innings. No opposing pitcher had ever struck out that many Nationals in a single game since the team's arrival in Washington for the 2005 season.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
The Nationals swung and missed 30 times against Kershaw, more swings-and-misses than any major-league pitcher had induced in a single game over the past seven years. The next day saw a pitchers' duel between the Dodgers' Zack Greinke, who had not given up a run in a month and had the best ERA in Major League Baseball, and Max Scherzer, who had not issued a walk in a month and had the second-best ERA.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
Greinke gave up only three hits in eight innings and struck out 11 Nats to beat Scherzer, who gave up only one run – on a wild pitch – during six innings of work. The Dodgers won the game 5–0, and Greinke extended his scoreless streak to 43+2⁄3 innings, the longest in Major League Baseball since Orel Hershiser's 59-inning streak, also for the Dodgers, in 1988.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
Star infielder Anthony Rendon returned from the disabled list on July 25 after missing 25 games with a quadriceps strain. He was joined on July 28 by outfielder Jayson Werth and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who missed 61 and 49 games respectively in lengthy disabled list stints.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, July
Expecting a big boost from the return of their previously injured players, the Nationals were less active than their main division rivals, the Mets, at the trade deadline. However, they made a major move by trading with another division rival team, the Philadelphia Phillies, for closer Jonathan Papelbon in exchange for minor league starting pitcher Nick Pivetta. As a result of the trade, closer Drew Storen was tasked with the setup role after Papelbon was given assurances by the Nationals that he would handle save situations.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, August
The Nationals continued to lose ground to the New York Mets, who swept them in a series at Citi Field in Queens and then retook sole possession of the division lead on August 4.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, August
The slumping Nationals also made changes to their rotation in early August. On August 6, after rookie right-hander Joe Ross led the Nationals to a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, manager Matt Williams announced Ross would remain in the rotation going forward and starter Doug Fister, who had been struggling all season, would move to the bullpen.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, August
Stephen Strasburg also returned, taking the mound for the first time since July 4 after a stint on the disabled list, to pitch seven innings in a 6–1 Nationals victory over the Colorado Rockies at Nationals Park on August 8, giving up only three hits and striking out 12. Although he had only six hits during the entire 2014 season, Strasburg went 3-for-3 at the plate in the August 8 game. His three singles made him the first Nationals player ever to strike out 10 or more opponents and have three hits of his own in the same game.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, August
With two outs in the seventh inning of a 3–2 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field on August 21, Nationals center fielder Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run home run to deep left center field off Rockies starting pitcher Yohan Flande measured at 493 feet (150 meters). It went 10 feet (3 meters) farther than any other home run in Major League Baseball during the 2015 season up to that time.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, August
Outfielder Reed Johnson experienced an unusual setback in his recovery, sneezing and ending up with a broken rib. Regular center fielder Denard Span returned from a lengthy stint on the disabled list on August 25, but he played just two games before going back on the disabled list and undergoing season-ending hip surgery. Fellow veteran Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals' starting first baseman, fared better in his return from the disabled list, batting in 28 runs in August to tie a team record.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, August
By the end of the month, the Nationals were barely above .500 for the season at 66–64 and hung 6.5 games behind the Mets in the division.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
The Nationals defeated the Atlanta Braves 15–1 on September 3, setting records for the highest number of runs the Nationals had ever scored in a game at Nationals Park and for the largest margin of victory for the franchise since it moved to Washington for the 2005 season. During the game, center fielder Bryce Harper walked four times in his four plate appearances.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
He scored four runs and had one RBI without ever swinging at any of the 20 pitches thrown to him, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so since at least 1920, when tracking of the RBI statistic began. He saw the second-greatest number of pitches in a game without swinging since 2005, exceeded only by Juan Uribe, who saw 21 pitches in a game without swinging while playing for the San Francisco Giants in 2010.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
He became the first Major League Baseball player with four or more walks, four or more runs, and at least one RBI in the same game since Derrek Lee in 2002 with the Florida Marlins, only the fourth player in history to record at least four walks and at least four runs scored in a single game with no official at-bats, and the first in history to do so while also recording an RBI.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
He also had had four walks and four runs in an August 18 game against the Colorado Rockies, and by repeating this performance on September 3 he became the first Major League Baseball player to have four or more walks and four or more runs in two games in the same season since Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees in 1950. Only Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who had three four-walk games during the 2015 season, had more four-walk games than Harper during the year.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
After rookie starting pitcher Joe Ross was shelled during a September 6 start against the Braves, manager Matt Williams indicated he would be shut down for the season due to fatigue. He was replaced in the rotation by former starter Tanner Roark and made his first appearance out of Washington's bullpen on September 12.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
The Mets swept the Nationals in a close-fought three-game series in Nationals Park, coming from behind to win in each game as the Nationals' bullpen faltered. Williams was booed after a loss to the Mets on September 8 during his postgame press conference. After allowing the eventual game-winning home run to Yoenis Céspedes on September 9, reliever Drew Storen slammed his hand on a clubhouse locker and broke his thumb, bringing an end to his season. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman was also forced to sit out the rest of the season due to injury after straining an oblique muscle in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak with six home runs.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
Storen's replacement as closer, newly acquired Jonathan Papelbon, ran into his own problems in September. He blew his first save of the season, one year to the day after his last blown save as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, in a game against his former team when he allowed a solo home run to Freddy Galvis on September 14. He blew a second consecutive save opportunity on an unearned run on September 18, against the Miami Marlins.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
Days later, he was ejected from a close game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 23 after throwing two pitches above Orioles slugger Manny Machado's shoulders while Machado was at bat. Harper appeared to criticize his teammate after the game, saying "somebody drilled" Machado for hitting a home run earlier in the game and adding, "It's pretty tired." Papelbon was suspended by Major League Baseball for three games over the incident, but he appealed the suspension and was allowed to continue playing through the appeal.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, September
On September 27, Papelbon berated Harper after the slugger popped out during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, telling him he had not run out hard enough to first base. The two exchanged words in the dugout before Papelbon lunged at Harper and grabbed him by the throat, and the teammates briefly grappled before being separated. Harper left the game without speaking to Williams, who sent Papelbon out to pitch the ninth, in which he gave up five runs and took the loss. Asked why he kept Papelbon in the game even after the fight, Williams explained, "He's our closer." He later said he had been unaware of the extent of the altercation. The next day, the Nationals announced Papelbon would accept the earlier three-game suspension as well as a four-game team suspension, effectively ending his season.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, October
With Drew Storen injured and Jonathan Papelbon suspended, rookie left-hander Felipe Rivero assumed the role of closer for the last week of the season, recording his first career save against the Braves on October 1.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, October
Ace Max Scherzer threw his second no-hitter of the season on October 3, the first since Nolan Ryan in 1973 to pitch multiple no-hitters during the regular season. He struck out 17 Mets during the 2–0 Nationals victory, with nine going down swinging in a row before Curtis Granderson popped up for the final out. Only one opposing batter reached base, on a throwing error by third baseman Yunel Escobar. Scherzer's no-hitter was hailed as one of the greatest pitching performances in Major League Baseball history, coming in with a game score of 104—second only to Kerry Wood's one-hitter in 1998 with a game score of 105, among nine-inning games.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, October
Amid a historic age-22 season, outfielder Bryce Harper was in a close race for the National League batting title (with Dee Gordon), on-base percentage title (with Joey Votto), and home run title (with Nolan Arenado) up until the final day of the season on October 4. The Mets defeated the Nationals 1–0 and Harper fell behind Gordon for the batting title, but he clinched the OBP title over Votto with a double in his final at-bat of the season and finished tied with Arenado at 42 home runs apiece. He went on to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award, the youngest ever ballplayer to receive the honor by a unanimous vote, and the National League Hank Aaron Award, as well as a Silver Slugger Award. Scherzer finished fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, October
Manager Matt Williams and his entire coaching staff were dismissed on October 5, the day after the regular season ended.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, Culture and entertainment
In 2015, the Nationals entered a three-year marketing partnership with the White House Historical Association in which the President of the United States honored in the association's annual Christmas ornament each year also would appear that season as a Racing President in the Presidents Race at Nationals Park.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, Culture and entertainment
In accordance with the agreement, the Nationals announced midway through the 2015 season that a likeness of Calvin Coolidge ("Cal" for short), the 30th President of the United States, would become the sixth Racing President, as well as the first one to enter the race while an MLB season was in progress, joining George Washington ("George"), Thomas Jefferson ("Tom"), Abraham Lincoln ("Abe"), Theodore Roosevelt ("Teddy"), and William Howard Taft ("Bill"). Cal debuted on July 3, 2015, the eve of his 143rd birthday, during a game against the San Francisco Giants, and won his first race. Cal was retired after the season.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Regular season, Attendance
The Nationals drew 2,619,843 fans at Nationals Park during 2015, their third-highest attendance since arriving in Washington in 2005. It placed them fifth in attendance for the season among the 15 National League teams, their highest attendance ranking for a single season at the time. Their highest attendance at a home game was on April 6, when they drew 42,295 for a game against the New York Mets on Opening Day, while their lowest was 23,192 for the first game of a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 2. Their average home attendance was 32,344 per game, third-highest since their arrival in Washington.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Statistics, Batting
Through October 4, 2015Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; BB = Base on balls; SO = Strikeouts; AVG = Batting average; SB = Stolen bases


2015 Washington Nationals season, Statistics, Pitching
Through September 16, 2015Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; HR = Home runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, All-Stars
Bryce Harper was a starting outfielder for the National League in the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was the third All-Star Game appearance of his four-year major league career, and his second appearance as a starter. In 2015 all-star fan voting, he received a National League-record 13.86 million votes, nearly four million more than the second-highest National League vote-getter, Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, All-Stars
Max Scherzer was selected for the National League All-Star Team by player vote, the third selection of his career to the all-star team and his first as a National League player. He was a strong candidate to start for the National League in the game, but a Major League Baseball rule prohibiting pitchers who pitch in a game the day before the all-star break from pitching in the All-Star Game two nights later precluded him from appearing in the game after he pitched for the Nationals in a 3–2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on July 13. Scherzer nonetheless traveled to the game and was honored as an all-star.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, Annual awards, Hank Aaron Award
On October 31, 2015, Bryce Harper became the first player in the history of the Montreal-Washington franchise to win the National League Hank Aaron Award, which recognizes the most outstanding offensive performer in the league.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, Annual awards, Players' Choice Award
On November 9, 2015, Bryce Harper received the Players' Choice Award for Outstanding Player in the National League. He became only the third player in Montreal-Washington franchise history and the second in Washington Nationals history to win a Players' Choice Award, and the first to do so since Dmitri Young won the Players' Choice Award for Comeback Player of the Year in 2007.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, Annual awards, Silver Slugger
On November 12, 2015, it was announced that Bryce Harper had won the Silver Slugger for the first time in his career. It was the tenth Silver Slugger awarded to a National since the team arrived in Washington in 2005. It was also the fourth season in a row, and the sixth time in seven seasons, that at least one National had won a Silver Slugger.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, Annual awards, Most Valuable Player
On November 19, 2015, Bryce Harper was announced as the winner of the 2015 National League Most Valuable Player Award. The youngest player ever to be selected as a unanimous choice, receiving all 30 first-place votes, he became the first player in the history of the Montreal-Washington franchise to win the award, and the first player for a Washington, D.C., Major League Baseball team to win it since shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh won the 1925 American League Most Valuable Player Award with the original Washington Senators.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, Annual awards, Most Valuable Player
The 2015 season was the first one in which Harper had stayed healthy all year since debuting in the major leagues in 2012, allowing him to play in a career-high 153 games. He posted a .330 batting average, .460 on-base percentage, and .649 slugging percentage, led the major leagues with a 1.109 on-base plus slugging percentage, had a National League-high 195 OPS+, walked 124 times, hit 42 home runs, scored 118 runs, drove in 99 runs, and had a 9.5 fWAR.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, Annual awards, Most Valuable Player
Only seven other players – Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, and Ted Williams among them – had ever had batting averages, home runs, on-base percentages and slugging percentages in a single season equal to or better than Harper's in 2015. He was the first player in Major League Baseball history to combine at least 42 home runs and 124 walks in one season by age 22.


2015 Washington Nationals season, Awards and honors, Annual awards, Esurance MLB Awards
The Esurance MLB Awards were awarded for the first time in 2015. On November 20, 2015, Bryce Harper won two of them, for Best Major Leaguer and for Best Everyday Player.


2015 Washington Redskins season
The 2015 Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 84th season in the National Football League and the second under head coach Jay Gruden and first under general manager Scot McCloughan. Quarterback Robert Griffin III suffered a concussion during the second preseason game and consequently missed the rest of the preseason. Kirk Cousins was later named the starter for the season, and set multiple Redskins franchise records.


2015 Washington Redskins season
The Redskins improved from their 4–12 record from the previous season, going 9–7 and clinching the NFC East division title for the first time since 2012. However, they were defeated by the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins
The Redskins kicked off their 2015 regular season by hosting the Miami Dolphins. After a Kai Forbath field goal put the Redskins up 3–0, they got the ball back, and newly minted starting quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a deep pass to DeSean Jackson. The ball was overthrown, and Jackson sustained a hamstring injury while stretching out to attempt to catch it. Early in the second quarter, Cousins was intercepted by Miami cornerback Brent Grimes at the Redskins' 25-yard line, continuing a trend from previous seasons of turnovers and ill-advised throws.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins
Grimes returned the interception 11 yards to the 14-yard line, but the Dolphins failed to score any points off of the turnover. Near the end of the first half, with Washington still nursing a 3–0 lead, Cousins tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Reed, putting the Redskins up 10–0. Miami scored right before halftime, with Ryan Tannehill throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to receiver Rishard Matthews with 27 seconds remaining. Washington led 10–7 entering halftime.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins
Miami got the ball to begin the second half, and on third-and-7 from the Miami 45-yard line, Tannehill threw deep down the right sideline to former Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Cameron for a gain of 27. However, on third-and-4 from the Redskins' 22-yard line, inside of Miami kicker Andrew Franks' range, defensive end Jason Hatcher forced a Tannehill fumble that was bobbled all the way back to the Miami 40 and recovered by Redskins rookie outside linebacker Preston Smith. The Redskins did not capitalize, however, losing two yards on an Alfred Morris run and two short Cousins passes.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins
On their next possession, Washington drove to the Miami 22-yard line—easily inside Forbath's range—but three consecutive penalties pushed them back 24 yards and forced a punt, squandering a valuable chance to extend the lead. On the ensuing drive, Franks converted a 22-yard field goal attempt to tie the score at 10–10 entering the fourth quarter. The Redskins continued to have no success on offense, resulting in a punt to Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry, who fielded the ball at the Miami 31-yard line, broke a few tackles and burst into the clear for a 69-yard score and a 17–10 Dolphins lead.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins
On third-and-13 from their own 29-yard line, with a chance to cut into or tie the Dolphins' lead, Cousins threw to the end zone for Pierre Garçon, but the ball was intercepted by Miami cornerback Brice McCain, ending the Redskins attempt at a potential field goal to narrow the deficit. That ended up being Washington's best chance, as they could not score on any of their subsequent possessions. Miami scored 17 unanswered points and shut out the Redskins in the second half to win 17–10 and win their third straight season opener under coach Joe Philbin. Washington, by contrast, lost in Week 1 for the third consecutive season and for the second straight time under head coach Jay Gruden. It was also Washington's first home loss to the Dolphins since 1984.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins
After the game, it was announced that receiver DeSean Jackson would miss several weeks with his hamstring injury, and that kicker Kai Forbath had been released and replaced by former Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints kicker Dustin Hopkins.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2: vs. St. Louis Rams
In Week 2, the Redskins played their second straight home game, this time hosting the St. Louis Rams, who had upset the two-time defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks the previous week. Despite concerns that former Pro Bowl running back Alfred Morris was not a good fit for coach Jay Gruden's offensive scheme, he rattled off a 35-yard run in the first quarter to give Washington some momentum. Third-round draft pick and former Florida Gators running back Matt Jones was able to capitalize, breaking loose on a 39-yard run for his first NFL touchdown and a 7–0 Redskins lead.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2: vs. St. Louis Rams
In the second quarter, with the Redskins having added a Dustin Hopkins field goal for a 10–0 lead, their offensive line continued to overpower the Rams' vaunted defensive front, with Jones bursting through for a gain of 25 down to the St. Louis 23-yard line. A few plays later Kirk Cousins threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Pierre Garçon, and the Redskins led 17–0 at halftime, their first shutout in the first half in nearly four years.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2: vs. St. Louis Rams
St. Louis began the second half with a 52-yard Greg Zuerlein field goal to get back within two scores, 17–3. On Washington's ensuing drive Cousins handed the ball off to Jones near midfield but fumbled, and the ball was recovered by Rams safety T.J. McDonald. The Rams took advantage of the turnover a few plays later, with quarterback Nick Foles, a free agent pickup from Philadelphia, throwing a 40-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kenny Britt. All of a sudden St. Louis had pulled to within 7 points.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2: vs. St. Louis Rams
Still holding onto that slim lead with 6 minutes remaining in the game, Cousins hit tight end Jordan Reed for a 29-yard gain, which got the Redskins into field goal range at the Rams' 31-yard line. The Redskins were able to run 3 more minutes off the clock while driving down to the St. Louis 3-yard line, where Jones overpowered several Rams defenders for his second touchdown of the day and a 24–10 lead to put the game away.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2: vs. St. Louis Rams
The story of the day was the Redskins offensive line. They were able to block for running back Matt Jones well enough that he scored the first two touchdowns of his career and rushed for over 120 yards. They also kept the pressure away from Kirk Cousins, allowing him to throw for a career-high 85% completion percentage and zero interceptions. With the win, both teams moved to 1–1 on the season.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3: at New York Giants
With the news that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo had fractured his left clavicle in Dallas' Week 2 win coupled with star wide receiver Dez Bryant's broken foot, Washington and New York, both one game behind Dallas, looked to use this primetime game as a springboard to the division lead. In Week 4 of the 2014 season, Kirk Cousins threw a career-high four interceptions against the Giants in a 45–14 blowout loss. This game began inauspiciously for Washington as well; after their opening drive stalled, punter Tress Way's punt was blocked by Giants running back Rashad Jennings.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3: at New York Giants
The ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety and a 2–0 Giants lead. On the Redskins' next possession they again had the ball near their own end zone, and Cousins' pass intended for Pierre Garçon was intercepted by Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara and returned to the Washington 15-yard line. Giants second-year running back Andre Williams capitalized, running through Redskins defenders for a 1-yard touchdown and a 9–0 Giants lead just 9 minutes into the game.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3: at New York Giants
The teams exchanged field goals to make the score 12–3 in the middle of the second quarter, when Giants tight end Larry Donnell, who had caught 3 touchdown passes in Week 4 of 2014, dropped a pass that would have given New York a first-and-goal. They eventually settled for another Josh Brown field goal to go up 15–3. On the Redskins' next possession, Kirk Cousins underthrew tight end Jordan Reed, who was open in the end zone. They had to settle for a Dustin Hopkins field goal to make the score 15–6 entering halftime.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3: at New York Giants
The Giants again entered Redskins territory but were unable to get in the end zone, leading to Josh Brown's third field goal of the game. Later in the third quarter, a promising Redskins drive into Giants territory was disrupted by a Cousins pass being tipped into the air and intercepted by New York linebacker Uani 'Unga. It was Cousins' 8th career interception against the Giants to go with only 1 career touchdown.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3: at New York Giants
With the score still 18–6 in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning hit star receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who had sprinted past Redskins corner Bashaud Breeland, for a 30-yard touchdown. Redskins running back Chris Thompson caught a 4-yard Cousins pass for a touchdown to provide a glimmer of hope, but it was quickly squashed by a 41-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Rueben Randle to put the Giants lead at 32–13. Redskins rookie receiver and returner Rashad Ross later returned a kickoff 101 yards to make the final score 32–21.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3: at New York Giants
After losing fourth-quarter leads in their first two games, the Giants got their first win of the season to move to 1–2. After leading the NFL in rushing yards per game through the first two weeks of the season, the Redskins' run game was stagnant, with Matt Jones 38 rushing yards leading the team, followed by Alfred Morris' 19. Kirk Cousins threw two interceptions, giving him a total of four in three games.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Redskins hosted the Eagles in another NFC East matchup with both teams at 1–2. The Redskins started on offense, and running back Chris Thompson converted a third-and-long with a 42-yard run into Eagles territory. Just 3 plays later, he took a short Cousins pass 19 yards to the 21-yard line. They moved the ball down to the 2-yard line, but could not score a touchdown. They took a 3–0 lead off of a Dustin Hopkins field goal. Philadelphia started shakily, losing 8 yards on their next drive before punting back to Washington.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Redskins were able to move from midfield down to the Eagles' 20-yard line, but the drive again stalled in the redzone and they settled for another Hopkins field goal. Last year's NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray rattled off a 30-yard gain on the Eagles' next possession, but the teams exchanged punts after it. After several short passes by Cousins got the Redskins inside the red zone yet again, the Redskins got a first down at the 1-yard line after a pass interference call on Eagles rookie cornerback Eric Rowe.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Kirk Cousins then ran the ball in for the first rushing touchdown of his career, and Washington led 13–0. On the Eagles' next drive, a Sam Bradford deep ball to rookie receiver Nelson Agholor was negated by a Ryan Mathews fumble that was recovered by Redskins linebacker Keenan Robinson on a trick play. After a Redskins punt (which speedy returner Darren Sproles returned to the Washington 30-yard line), Bradford threw an apparent touchdown to tight end Zach Ertz that was nullified by an illegal formation penalty on Agholor.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
With all the momentum lost and a sack by Redskins rookie linebacker Preston Smith moving the Eagles back to the 25-yard line, kicker Caleb Sturgis missed a short field goal to keep the score at 13–0. It was the first time the Redskins had shut out back-to-back home opponents in the first half since 1997.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
After driving to their own 38-yard line, Philadelphia got the break they needed, with Bradford connecting with Riley Cooper for a 62-yard score. This cut the Redskins' lead to only 7 points, as Sturgis missed the extra point. Washington advanced the ball only 9 yards before punting back to the Eagles, who got the ball at their own 29-yard line. Two Redskins penalties moved the ball 29 yards, and a 10-yard Bradford pass was caught by tight end Brent Celek to tie the game at 13–13.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Redskins retaliated by immediately getting into Eagles territory, courtesy of a 43-yard bomb from Kirk Cousins to rookie receiver Rashad Ross. Another rookie receiver, Jamison Crowder, got them inside the 20. From there, Hopkins kicked the ball through the uprights from 33 yards out, allowing Washington to regain its 16–13 advantage. The Redskins were quickly back in business after an Eagles punt, and now had a chance to go up by two scores, but Jordan Reed fumbled in Eagles territory to end the third quarter.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Three plays later, Bradford burned the Redskins secondary on another deep ball, this one 39 yards to veteran wide receiver Miles Austin. More importantly, the Eagles took their first lead of the game, 20–16. The Redskins remained scoreless in the second half, punting from the Eagles' 35-yard line instead of attempting a 53-yard field goal. The Eagles were barely able to cross midfield before punting back to Washington. With under 9 minutes remaining, they needed to regain some offensive momentum, but could not, going three-and-out.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
However, they were able to get a defensive stop, forcing the Eagles to go three-and-out as well. Alfred Morris runs of 16 and 13 yards got the offense rolling, and Pierre Garçon catches of 14 and 12 yards helped get Washington down to the Eagles' 4-yard line with 35 seconds left. Cousins threw one incomplete pass to Crowder before connecting with Garcon for the game-winning touchdown and the 23–20 win.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
It was the second game-winning drive of Cousins' career, the first being Week 14 of the 2012 season against the Baltimore Ravens, when he entered the game in relief of the injured Robert Griffin III. This win was also Cousins' first division win, after previously going 0–5 against the Cowboys, Giants, and Eagles. With the win the Redskins moved to 2–2 for the season. Cousins threw zero interceptions for the second consecutive home game, a first in his career, and the Redskins defense did not allow a 40-yard rusher for the second straight week.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
The Redskins played a 4–0 Atlanta Falcons team for the second time in four years; they had previously hosted the 4–0 Falcons in the 2012 season, when Atlanta won 24–17 to move to 5–0 for the first time in franchise history. That game, coincidentally, was Kirk Cousins' first appearance in an NFL game. Three years later, now as the starter, he was attempting to lead Washington to their first 3–2 start since 2011. He faced a stern test though, as his career TD–INT ratio on the road was 11–13, and he had never played in a road game without throwing at least one interception.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
Washington was only able to run four plays on their first drive before having to punt to Atlanta. The Falcons were able to cross midfield before quarterback Matt Ryan's pass to superstar receiver Julio Jones was tipped and intercepted by Redskins safety Trenton Robinson; it was Washington's first interception of the season. Nearing the end of a scoreless first quarter, the Redskins tried to accumulate some momentum in the running game, as their longest run so far had been only 4 yards.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
Alfred Morris and Matt Jones both saw action, but it was the passing game that began to heat up. The two longest plays on the drive were a 14-yard pass to Chris Thompson and a 21-yarder to Pierre Garçon. The drive culminated in tight end Derek Carrier's first career touchdown pass, a 7-yard throw from Cousins that gave the Redskins a 7–0 lead early in the second quarter. Atlanta responded with a methodical drive, including only two plays longer than 7 yards, to get on the board.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
Kicker Matt Bryant connected on a 42-yard field goal and the Falcons cut the deficit to 7–3. Washington's next drive was not as effective, with only one out of five plays gaining positive yards before Cousins threw deep and was intercepted by Falcons cornerback Robert Alford, who returned the ball into Redskins territory. Of the 8 career road games in which Cousins had now played, he totaled 14 interceptions, and had thrown at least one interception in each.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons now needed to capitalize on the turnover, and advanced the ball to the Redskins' 23-yard line, easily within field goal range. Defensive end Chris Baker had other ideas, sacking Ryan on third-and-3 and forcing a fumble, which was recovered by linebacker Will Compton. However, Atlanta regained possession with 1:39 left and all three of their timeouts. Running back Devonta Freeman and tight end Jacob Tamme helped get the Falcons into field goal range, but Bryant missed a short 38-yard attempt, bouncing the ball off of the right upright. Entering halftime, undefeated Atlanta trailed Washington 7–3 at home.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons began the second half aggressively, throwing on 6 of their first 7 plays. This got them into field goal range. Bryant attempted to redeem himself for the earlier miss, but this kick bounced off the left upright. The ensuing Redskins drive utilized several short Cousins passes to get into field goal range, although Hopkins missed the 53-yard attempt. Atlanta crossed midfield on their next drive, and faced a decision on fourth-and-6 from the Redskins' 40-yard line, just outside of Bryant's range. Ryan threw to Jones, his most reliable target, for a gain of 9 and the first down.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
Two plays later, Bashaud Breeland was called for a horse-collar tackle, which moved the ball from the Redskins' 30-yard line to the 15. This was close enough for Bryant to convert a field goal, and Atlanta had crept within one of Washington, 7–6. Still unable to move the ball effectively, the Redskins went three-and-out to give the ball back to Atlanta. Washington then struggled on defense as well, allowing 4 plays of 10+ yards. Chris Baker forced a Freeman fumble at the goal line, but Julio Jones jumped on the ball in the end zone for the go-ahead score. Falcons first-year head coach Dan Quinn opted to attempt a two-point conversion to go up by a full seven points, but Ryan's pass fell incomplete to keep the lead at 12–7. The Atlanta drive covered 91 yards in just 11 plays, and now only 9 minutes remained in the game.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
With their lead gone, and having been shut out in the second half, the Redskins began a crucial drive from their own 20-yard line. A 10-yard pass and a 26-yard pass, both to rookie receiver Jamison Crowder, were followed by a deep attempt to fellow rookie Rashad Ross. The ball fell incomplete, but Atlanta defensive back Robert Alford was assessed a 42-yard pass interference penalty that gave Washington the ball on the 2-yard line. On the next play, Matt Jones completed the all-rookie drive with a touchdown, allowing Washington to regain the lead, 13-12.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
Redskins coach Jay Gruden attempted a two-point conversion to extend the margin to a field goal, but it, like the Falcons' attempt, fell incomplete. Atlanta then committed a surprising turnover, a Ryan pass intercepted by Breeland, who returned the ball all the way back to the Atlanta 21-yard line. This allowed the Redskins to extend the lead to 16–12, significant because Atlanta now needed a touchdown to win instead of a field goal.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta's next 6 plays covered 67 yards, followed by an apparent 13-yard touchdown pass on third-and-2; however, the play was later ruled an incomplete pass because Freeman did not maintain possession of the ball as he fell to the ground. The Falcons had to convert the next play, a fourth-and-2, to keep any hope of a perfect season. Veteran receiver Roddy White made the catch, and Freeman redeemed himself on the next play with a touchdown, resulting in a 19–16 Falcons lead.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
They had run the clock down to 24 seconds, leaving almost no time for the Redskins to respond, but Washington still had all three timeouts. Their next three plays, gains of 20, 19, and 7 to Carrier, Garcon, and Crowder, took only 19 seconds, leaving 5 seconds for a 52-yard attempt at a game-tying field goal. Hopkins drilled the kick, tying the game at 19–19, and the game went into overtime. In 24 previous meetings, dating back to 1966, the Redskins and Falcons had never gone into overtime, and Atlanta had won the last four meetings.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
The Redskins won the coin toss and began overtime on offense. A Crowder 17-yard catch moved them near midfield, only needing about 20 more yards to get into Hopkins' range. Three plays later, though, Cousins attempted to pass to rookie receiver Ryan Grant, but Grant slipped on the route, allowing Robert Alford to intercept the pass and return it 59 yards for a touchdown, a 25–19 Falcons win, and their second 5–0 start in franchise history.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons
For the Redskins, the heartbreaking loss was the second time in four seasons they had lost to Atlanta in Week 5 by 7 points or fewer. Cousins moved to 0–3 in his career against the Falcons and threw the 15th career interception on the road in only 8 games. In each of Washington's three losses, Cousins had thrown 2 interceptions; in their two wins, he had not thrown any.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
In Week 6, the Redskins played on the road for the second consecutive Sunday, this time against the 4–1 New York Jets, who had held three of their first four opponents to 14 points or less and were coming off of their bye week.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
Washington punted after going three-and-out on their first possession of the game. They were quickly back on offense, however, as Jets receiver Eric Decker was stripped by Bashaud Breeland at the Jets' 37-yard line. After driving down to the 2-yard line, Washington scored on a Kirk Cousins touchdown pass to Pierre Garçon, thanks to an uncharacteristic coverage error by former All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis. New York's first four plays on the next drive all involved running back Chris Ivory, and gained 33 yards.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick then threw a 35-yard pass to Eric Decker, and Ivory punched it in for the tying score two plays later. The Jets’ stingy defense held the Redskins in check on their next drive, forcing another punt to end the first quarter. Chris Ivory then energized the raucous New York crowd with a 54-yard run to just outside the Redskins' 20, but the drive stalled and placekicker Nick Folk tacked on three more points, giving New York a 10–7 lead.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
Three punts followed, two by Washington and one by New York, before Breeland forced and recovered his second fumble of the game, this one off of five-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro receiver Brandon Marshall. With a short field, Cousins and the Redskins gained 19 yards, and Redskins kicker Dustin Hopkins booted a career-long 54-yard field goal to tie the game at 10–10 with just over two minutes remaining in the first half.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
Fitzpatrick led the Jets into Redskins territory with three short passes that gained 32 yards, before being intercepted by Breeland at the Washington 20-yard line, Breeland's third turnover recovery of the half. Six plays and three timeouts later, Hopkins converted a 30-yard field goal to give the visiting Redskins a 13–10 halftime lead.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
On the first New York drive of the second half, back-to-back plays by Ivory carried the Jets across midfield, and the game was quickly tied again thanks to a Nick Folk field goal. After a Jets punt and an Alfred Morris 2-yard run, Cousins was intercepted by Revis, who returned the ball to the Redskins’ 18-yard line. Fitzpatrick, not normally known as a particularly mobile quarterback, saw a hole in the defense and scored an 18-yard rushing touchdown on the very next play.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
Washington had gone from a 3-point lead to a 7-point deficit in a span of only five plays, and now trailed 20–13. The turnover also kept alive Cousins’ streak of having thrown an interception in every road game of his career. The next Redskins drive, a three-and-out, did nothing to help them regain the momentum, nor did the 14-yard Marshall catch, 18-yard Zac Stacy run, or 35-yard touchdown reception, also by Marshall, on the next Jets drive.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
Badly hoping to get themselves back in the game, the Redskins called a deep pass to former Duke University receiver Jamison Crowder, but Jets safety Marcus Gilchrist intercepted the ball for Cousins’ second turnover of the game. New York continued to pile up big plays, as well, with a 32-yard Ivory run to start the drive, and two third-down conversions totaling 28 yards. Fitzpatrick capitalized on those conversions, and threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Decker, wrapping up a 21–0 third quarter that resulted in a 34–13 Jets lead.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
Still reeling with 11 minutes left, Washington desperately tried to mount a comeback, engineering a 59-yard drive that resulted in no points, due to an incomplete pass on fourth-and-1 from the Jets 2-yard line. They ended up scoring later in the fourth quarter, but not on offense; undrafted rookie Rashad Ross blocked a Jets punt and recovered it in the end zone, which provided the game's final score of 34–20.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Jets
The hometown New York Jets improved to a surprising 5–1, already surpassing their win total from the entire 2014 season. The Washington Redskins dropped to 2–4 on the season with the loss, and 0–3 on the road. In each of their four losses, Cousins had thrown 2 interceptions; he had thrown none in the two victories. Murmurs calling for coach Jay Gruden to be fired had begun to escalate.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The 2–4 Washington Redskins hosted the 2–3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at FedExField for the second consecutive season, with both teams badly needing a win to get their seasons back on track. In 2014, the Buccaneers were 1–8 entering their matchup at Washington, but rookie receiver Mike Evans torched the Redskins defense for 209 receiving yards, setting up a 27–7 Bucs win.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After a quick Washington three-and-out to start the game, Evans picked up right where he left off, beating safety Ryan Clark for a 40-yard touchdown less than two minutes into the game. A second short Redskins drive gave the ball right back to Tampa Bay, and #1 overall pick Jameis Winston wasted no time driving down the field, with back-to-back completions covering 54 yards to Louis Murphy and Evans, respectively. Washington limited the damage, forcing a field goal attempt to only be down 10–0. Their offense continued to stagnate, however, and the Buccaneers quickly regained possession.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
A methodical, 14-play, 72-yard drive ensued, and the results were a 7-yard touchdown pass from Winston to Donteea Dye and a 17–0 lead. Washington's offense, which ran only 10 plays in the first quarter and only gained one first down (by penalty), managed to cross midfield on their subsequent drive, but Buccaneer defensive end Jacquies Smith sacked Cousins, forcing a fumble that fellow defensive end Howard Jones returned 43 yards for a touchdown. The visiting Buccaneers, all of a sudden, led 24–0.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Two rookie receivers, Ryan Grant and Jamison Crowder, caught passes from Cousins totaling 37 yards on the next drive, and Cousins finished it off himself with a 7-yard touchdown run, his second of the season. The rest of the first half would pass without any more fireworks, but the Redskins sorely needed some in the second half to overcome the 17-point halftime deficit they faced.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay exited the locker room looking to extend their lead, but could not do so and punted back to the Redskins. A deep pass from Cousins to much-maligned receiver Andre Roberts picked up 38 yards and got them inside Tampa Bay's 10-yard line. Two plays later, Ryan Grant hauled in a 4-yard touchdown pass to inch closer, 24–14. Redskins coach Jay Gruden made a bold decision, opting to attempt an onside kick. A few Redskins players struggled to handle the ball, but safety Trenton Robinson dove on it and gave Washington a fresh drive just short of midfield.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The first play of the drive was a deep Cousins pass to Grant that got Washington inside the 20-yard line. Two false start penalties unnerved the home crowd, but tight end Jordan Reed made a 3-yard touchdown reception on third-and-goal. In just over eight minutes, the Buccaneers' lead had shrunk from 17 points to only 3. Trying to regain their momentum on the next drive, Tampa Bay gained 44 yards on two Evans catches, but a 43-yard run by Charles Sims was nullified by penalty.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Winston threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Evans, but that, too, was nullified due to a pas interference call on Evans. The Buccaneers had to settle for a Connor Barth field goal to make the score 27–21. Washington's next drive had no plays longer than 15 yards, but a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on William Gholston helped them get into Hopkins' range. He countered with a field goal of his own to bring the score back within 3 with 7:29 remaining in the game.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Winston and Evans, hoping to put the game out of reach, hooked up twice for a total of 30 yards, and Doug Martin broke free for a 49-yard gain before Bashaud Breeland pushed him out-of-bounds at the 5-yard line. On third-and-goal from the 1-yard line, attempting for a 10-point lead with under 3 minutes remaining, Charles Sims was stopped for a loss of 2 yards. The Buccaneers had failed to salt the game away, and Barth's field goal left Washington with a chance to win the game.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington advanced from their own 20-yard line to Tampa Bay's 6-yard line in just 8 plays, all of which were Cousins completions. With only 36 seconds left, Washington had a first-and-goal from the 6-yard line. Two incompletions, Cousins' first two of the drive, followed, but on third down Cousins hit Jordan Reed for a 6-yard touchdown and a 31–30 lead with 24 seconds left on the clock. Tampa Bay still had a chance to kick a game-winning field goal.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
They had moved the ball to their own 42-yard line, only about 20 yards from Barth's range, when Charles Sims fumbled the ball and Chris Baker recovered it for Washington. They had stormed back from a 24–0 deficit, which was the largest comeback in franchise history. Kirk Cousins became the first quarterback in NFL history with two game-winning touchdowns in the final 30 seconds of games in the same calendar month, and Jordan Reed had the first multi-touchdown game of his career, but perhaps most importantly, coach Gruden had quieted the doubters by inspiring his team to a historic comeback.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 9: at New England Patriots
The Skins would not get in any rhythm during this game, as Tom Brady and the Patriots controlled the game from start to finish. With the loss, the Redskins fell to 3–5.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 10: vs. New Orleans Saints
Kirk Cousins would have another great game, as he would throw four touchdowns in this game along with 324 passing yards, as the Redskins crushed the Saints 47–14. With the win, the Redskins improved to 4–5.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11: at Carolina Panthers
The Redskins would be embarrassed 44–16 in Carolina against the undefeated Panthers. The Panthers would lead the entire game, and the Redskins suffered their worst loss of the season.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11: at Carolina Panthers
With the loss, Washington fell to 4–6, leaving the lead in the NFC East up for grabs.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 12: vs. New York Giants
This contest broke a five-game losing streak to the Giants. In addition, the Redskins claimed first place in the division.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 13: vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys would win their fourth game of the season. The Redskins also suffered their third straight home loss to Dallas.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 13: vs. Dallas Cowboys
With the loss, the Redskins fell to 5–7, once again leaving the NFC East lead up for grabs.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 14: at Chicago Bears
This was the Redskins' first road win of the season and second under Jay Gruden. This had been a problem during Gruden's time with the team.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 15: vs. Buffalo Bills
In a game that was cross-flexed, the Redskins would defeat the Buffalo Bills 35–25, getting their first and only win against an AFC opponent. With the win, the Redskins evened their record at 7–7. They also defeated the Bills for the first time since Super Bowl XXVI, as the Bills came into this game having won the last 6 games against Washington.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 16: at Philadelphia Eagles
With the win, the Redskins clinched the division title for the first time since 2012.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 17: at Dallas Cowboys
Redskins fans would travel well for this game, and the Redskins powered out to a 24–0 lead during the second quarter. The Cowboys would try to come back, but they wouldn't, as the Skins won 34–23.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 17: at Dallas Cowboys
With the win, the Redskins ended their season at 9–7, their first winning record since 2012.


2015 Washington Redskins season, Postseason, Game summaries, NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (5) Green Bay Packers
The Redskins, favored by 1, struggled in the second half, letting Green Bay end the game on a run of 17 unanswered points. The Redskins offense turned the ball over late and failed to convert a fourth down in their own territory with 5 minutes to play. Mason Crosby then kicked a field goal, putting the game out of reach.


2015 Washington Spirit season
The 2015 season was Washington Spirit's third season of existence in which they competed in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States.


2015 Washington Spirit season, Review
Building off 2014's playoff achievement, the Spirit added a few key contributors including midfielder Joanna Lohman (from Boston Breakers), defenders Megan Oyster (drafted out of UCLA) and Katherine Reynolds (from Western New York Flash), and Nigerian international Francisca Ordega (signed from Piteå IF). The season also served as the breakout year for Crystal Dunn who was awarded the 2015 NWSL Golden Boot Award, scoring 15 goals during the campaign.


2015 Washington Spirit season, Review
The Spirit finished the 2015 season with a record of 8-6-6 and repeating their 4th place league position. The playoff result, again, ended in an away loss to Seattle in the semifinals.


2015 Washington Spirit season, Review
At the conclusion of the season, Mark Parsons stepped down as head coach and general manager to take over as coach of the Portland Thorns FC.


2015 Washington Spirit season, Club, Roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 Washington Spirit season, Squad statistics
Key to positions: FW – Forward, MF – Midfielder, DF – Defender, GK – Goalkeeper


2015 Washington State Cougars football team
The 2015 Washington State Cougars football team represented Washington State University during the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by fourth-year head coach Mike Leach and played their home games at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington. They were members of the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They finished the season 9–4, 6–3 in Pac-12 play to finish in third place in the North Division. They were invited to the Sun Bowl where they defeated the Miami Hurricanes.


2015 Washington wildfires
The 2015 wildfire season was the largest in Washington state history, with more than one million acres (400,000 ha; 1,600 sq mi) burning across the state from June to September. As many as 3,000 firefighters including 800 Washington National Guard members were deployed to fight the fires. The 17th Field Artillery Brigade of the United States Army also deployed 200 soldiers from Joint Base Lewis–McChord to help fight the fires.


2015 Washington wildfires
On August 21, President Barack Obama declared the fires a federal emergency. On August 24, the Washington Department of Natural Resources announced the Okanogan Complex fire had become the largest fire complex in Washington State history.


2015 Washington wildfires
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources called the season the "worst-ever" in the state's history.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, June
June 2015 was a remarkably hot month for the state of Washington, with average temperatures between 4 and 9 °F (2 and 5 °C) above normal conditions, setting new records.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, June
By June 23, there had already been 313 wildfires across the state.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, June, Governor's action
Governor Jay Inslee issued a proclamation on June 26, declaring a state of emergency to exist in all Washington state counties, implementing the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, and ordering deployment of National Guard and other organized militia for incident-related service assistance, all because of the predicted risk of wildfires in the wake of significantly drier-than-average weather in June. The Commissioner of Public Lands Peter J. Goldmark, head of the Washington Department of Natural Resources, issued an updated burn ban to the one issued June 22, as the earlier ban was superseded by the Governor's proclamation. The Commissioner's prohibition of campfires in state forests, state parks and state forestlands until September 30, 2015, was issued June 26, 2015.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, June, Sleepy Hollow fire
The season began unprecedentedly early with the Sleepy Hollow Fire on June 28, affecting the city of Wenatchee in Chelan County, Washington. It burned 2,950 acres, destroying 29 homes and several commercial buildings. The cause of the fire is under investigation but is "likely human-caused". Officials said the fire's unusual intensity was caused by drought and record high temperatures. As a safety precaution, officials banned Fourth of July fireworks in many parts of the state. A man was arrested in connection with the fire, confessing to starting it with a disposable lighter, but faced no charges due to his mental illness.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, July
By July 12, over 16,000 acres had burned, including a single fire near Ephrata, in Grant County, that had burned at least 10,000 acres. Later in the month, another major fire was triggered by farm equipment near Walla Walla and burned more than 6,000 acres over two weeks.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, August
The extent of wildfires in August 2015 led to the federal declaration of a state of emergency in Washington state by President Barack Obama on August 21, 2015.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, August
By August 24, over 16 active fires had burned more than 920 square miles (2,400 km2).


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, August
On August 29 there was concern that unusually strong southerly winds would cause "significant growth" of the Tunk Block and Lime Belt fires in the Okanogan complex and growth in the Chelan complex fires. The Twisp River and Nine Mile fires were about 95 percent contained.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, August, Chelan Complex
Three fires on the south end of Lake Chelan, near the city of Chelan, merged into a complex fire and forced the immediate evacuation of over 1,000 residents on August 14. By August 16, the Reach Complex Fire had grown to 54,500 acres (22,100 ha), while the Wolverine fire burned nearly 39,000 acres (16,000 ha). According to Rico Smith, a spokesman for the firefighters near Chelan, by August 29 "about 85 homes, businesses and other residences [had] been destroyed by the Chelan complex fires."


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, August, Okanogan Complex
The Okanogan Complex Fire was formed from five separate wildfires in Okanogan County, of which all but one were caused by lightning strikes, burning approximately 96,034 acres (38,864 ha) by August 20. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal grants on August 14 for the Nine Mile Fire, one of the five fires that are part of the Okanogan Complex, determining that it constituted a "major disaster". Over 1,300 residents in the towns of Twisp and Winthrop were ordered to evacuate because of the approaching Twisp River Fire. On August 19, 2015, three firefighters were killed battling a wildfire near Twisp.


2015 Washington wildfires, Progression and response, August, Okanogan Complex
By August 24, the fire had grown to 256,657 acres (103,865 ha), surpassing the Carlton Complex fire of 2014 to become the largest wildfire complex in Washington state history. By August 28 "at least 45 primary residences, 49 cabins and 60 outbuildings [were] destroyed in the Okanogan complex fires." The size of the complex peaked at 304,782 acres (123,341 ha) on August 30, before the transfer of the 161,440-acre (65,330 ha) Tunk Block Fire under the North Star Fire on August 31.


2015 Washington wildfires, International assistance
After the emergency declaration in August, President Obama asked Australian Fire Services (including those of the Black Saturday bushfires) to aid the depleted American services. By August 24, about 70 fire managers from Australia and New Zealand arrived at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, to be briefed and provided with gear before heading west to fight the fires.


2015 Washington wildfires, Air quality
As a result of the wildfires, air quality across the state and into Canada dropped to unhealthy levels in many cities and led to the issuing of several air quality alerts by the U.S. National Weather Service and Environment Canada. Omak, located 15 miles (24 km) northeast of the Okanogan Complex fire, reported an air quality index rating of 500 on August 24. The city of Spokane, 150 miles (240 km) from the fires, reported a rating of 188 on August 24, forcing high school athletics and other outdoor activities to be canceled.


2015 Washington wildfires, Air quality
By Tuesday, August 25, Environment Canada had posted an Air Quality Health Index alert for cities as far away as Calgary, Alberta—400 miles (640 km)—with a score of 12. The Canadian Air Quality Health Index, measured on a scale of one to 10-plus with 10 as "very high risk", is based on measurements of "ozone at ground level, particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide". By Wednesday the third day of the thick haze of smoke, air quality in Calgary scored 17.


2015 Washington wildfires, Air quality
Smoke from the Chelan Complex fire was pushed westward over Seattle and the Puget Sound region by upper-level winds on August 22, causing hazy weather and worsened air quality for several days.


2015 Washington wildfires, Aftermath
In December, Governor Jay Inslee proposed a supplemental budget that included $178 million to cover the costs incurred by the state in fighting the wildfires.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident
On May 14, 2015, three members of the Savopoulos family—Savvas, Amy, and their son Philip—as well as their housekeeper, Veralicia Figueroa, were killed at the Savopoulos home in Washington, D.C. The victims were held hostage for 19 hours, starting on May 13. Ten-year-old Philip was tortured in order to coerce $40,000 in cash from the family. The perpetrator(s) restrained them with duct tape before killing them, then set the house on fire. They all sustained blunt force trauma, and Philip was also stabbed.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident
On October 25, 2018, the defendant Daron Wint, a welder fired from a company owned by Savvas Savopoulos, was found guilty of 20 counts of kidnapping, extortion, and murder. He was sentenced to four consecutive life-without-release terms.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Robbery and murder
The perpetrators stole $40,000 in cash from the family after an assistant, Jordan Wallace, delivered it to the house. They also stole the family's blue Porsche, which was later found burned in a church parking lot in Maryland.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Robbery and murder
On May 14, 2015, the Savopoulos house in Northwest Washington was spotted ablaze and firefighters were called. They discovered the three bodies of the Savopoulos family and their housekeeper. The police determined the fire was intentionally set, and the victims had blunt-force and stab wounds, leading them to label the deaths homicides.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Victims
The Savopouloses were a prominent, upper-class family in the Woodley Park neighborhood of Northwest Washington. Savvas Savopoulos was the CEO and president of American Iron Works, a construction company that played a role in building the Verizon Center.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Victims
Two teenage daughters, Abigail and Katerina Savopoulos, were not present at the scene when the four were killed.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Suspect
Daron Dylon Wint (born November 27, 1980) was identified by police as the prime suspect in the case. He was found by matching his DNA to that found on the crust of a Domino's pizza delivered to the house on May 13, while the family was apparently captive. He was a certified welder who formerly worked at American Iron Works, leading police to believe the murders weren't random.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Suspect
Wint is originally from Guyana and immigrated to the U.S. in 2000. He was a United States Marine Corps recruit but was discharged before his training was complete for medical reasons. He had a long rap sheet of criminal charges; he was convicted in 2009 of second-degree assault in Maryland and sentenced to 30 days in jail, and also pleaded guilty to the crime of malicious destruction of property in 2010 as part of a plea deal, in which a second charge, burglary, was dropped. He has also been charged in the past with theft, assault, a sexual offense, and weapons possession.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Suspect
After Wint's DNA was matched, a warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of first-degree murder. Wint was found and arrested on May 21, 2015, in northeast Washington, a week after the murders, and was subsequently charged with first-degree murder.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Suspect
Prosecutors believe Wint had help killing the victims and did not act alone, however Wint was the only person charged in the deaths.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Reactions
Attorney Robin Ficker said that Wint did not seem violent when he defended him in earlier cases. "My impression of him — I remember him rather well — is that he wouldn't hurt a fly. He's a very nice person," Ficker said. He then characterized Wint as "kind and gentle" and added that authorities have arrested "the wrong guy" in the Savopoulos case, claiming, "They've made a big mistake here." Ficker also said that Wint's family had told him "that he doesn't like pizza and never eats pizza", referring to the matching of Wint's DNA to that found on a pizza crust at the crime scene.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Reactions
After almost two years, the five-bedroom, six-bathroom house was demolished. Located in the neighborhood near the National Cathedral, the property was once valued at $4.5 million but sold months after the killings for just $3 million.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Trial
The trial date for Daron Wint was set on February 3, 2017 to begin September 4, 2018. The trial began with opening statements on September 11, 2018.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Trial
On October 25, 2018, the defendant was found guilty of 20 counts of kidnapping, extortion, and murder. Wint was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.


2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident, Trial
Wint appealed his conviction in December 2020, seeking a new trial on the grounds that the judge improperly blocked his lawyers from calling an additional witness.


2015 Waterford Crystal Cup
The 2015 Waterford Crystal Cup was the tenth and final staging of the Waterford Crystal Cup. It was replaced by the Munster Senior Hurling League in 2016.


2015 Waterford Crystal Cup
The Waterford Crystal Cup is a hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association for the inter-county teams and third-level institutes and universities in the province of Munster in Ireland.


2015 Waterford Crystal Cup
The competition began on 10 January 2015 and ended on 31 January 2014. Tipperary were the defending champions.


2015 Waterford Crystal Cup
Limerick won their second Waterford Crystal Cup after a 3-20 to 1-16 win against Cork in the final in Mallow.


2015 Waterford Crystal Cup, Teams
A total of eleven teams contested the 2015 Waterford Crystal Cup.


2015 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship
The 2015 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship was the 115th staging of the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Waterford County Board in 1887. The championship began on 8 May 2015 and ended on 18 October 2015.


2015 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship
Ballygunner were the defending champions. Affane Cappoquin entered as a promoted team from the intermediate championship.


2015 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship
On 18 October 2015, Ballygunner won the championship following a 0-16 to 0-12 defeat of Tallow in the final. This was their 14th championship title, their second in succession.


2015 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship
Lismore were relegated following a 1-18 to 1-12 defeat by De La Salle.


2015 Watford Borough Council election
The 2015 Watford Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Watford Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.


2015 Waveney District Council election
The 2015 Waveney District Council election was held on 7 May 2015 to elect all 48 members of Waveney District Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.


2015 Waveney District Council election
Before the election, the Conservatives were one seat short of a majority, with 24 (exactly half) of the seats. Labour had 20 seats, the Green Party had one seat, two seats were held by independents and one seat was vacant.


2015 Waveney District Council election
Following the election, 27 seats were held by the Conservatives, 20 by Labour and one by the Green Party, giving the Conservatives a majority.


2015 Waverley Borough Council election
The 2015 Waverley Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Waverley Borough Council in England as one of the 2015 local elections, held simultaneously with the General Election.


2015 Waverley Borough Council election, Results
In 2011 Conservatives won all seats except one won by an independent, but saw in the four years three defections of councillors opposed to the group's intra-borough priorities.


2015 Waverley Borough Council election, Results
Defections considered, the 2015 result saw the same number of Conservatives returned to the council, with areas of politically-standing residents associations winning three seats compensating, as the bulk of opposition, for the loss of three Independent seats across the borough to Conservatives. There was only one other party represented, UKIP, in the form of Diane James, MEP, who lost her majority in single-seat Elstead to a Conservative, her winning denomination in the last election. An independent picked up a seat to balance the majority, Conservative, grouping as the same as immediately before the election.


2015 Wealden District Council election
The 2015 Wealden District Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of the Wealden District Council in England. It was held on the same day as other local elections.


2015 Web.com Tour
The 2015 Web.com Tour was the 26th season of the top developmental tour for the U.S. PGA Tour in men's golf, and the fourth under the current sponsored name of Web.com Tour. It ran from January 29 to October 4. The season consisted of 25 official money tournaments; seven of which were played outside of the United States.


2015 Web.com Tour, Schedule
The table below shows the Web.com Tour's 2015 schedule, which included one new tournament. The numbers in parentheses after winners' names show the player's total number of wins on the Web.com Tour including that event. No one accumulates many wins on the Web.com Tour because success at this level soon leads to promotion to the PGA Tour. Any player who wins three Web.com Tour events in a season will automatically earn their PGA Tour card immediately.


2015 Web.com Tour, Money leaders
The table shows the final top 10 money winners for the 2015 Web.com Tour season. For the list of the top 50 golfers, given PGA Tour memberships for the 2015–16 season, see 2015 Web.com Tour Finals graduates.


2015 Web.com Tour Finals graduates
This is a list of golf players who graduated from the Web.com Tour Finals in 2015. The top 25 players on the Web.com Tour's regular season money list in 2015 earned their PGA Tour card for 2016. The Finals determined the other 25 players to earn their PGA Tour cards and their priority order.


2015 Web.com Tour Finals graduates
As in previous seasons, the Finals featured the top-75 players on the Web.com Tour's regular season money list, players ranked 126–200 on the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup regular season points list (except players exempt through other means), non-members of the PGA Tour with enough FedEx Cup regular season points to place 126–200, and special medical exemptions.


2015 Web.com Tour Finals graduates
To determine the initial 2016 PGA Tour priority rank, the top 25 Web.com Tour's regular season players were alternated with the top 25 Web.com Tour Finals players. This priority order was then reshuffled several times during the 2016 season.


2015 Web.com Tour Finals graduates
Patton Kizzire (Finals and regular season combined earnings) and Chez Reavie (Finals earnings) were fully exempt for the 2015–16 season and received invitations to The Players Championship. Patrick Rodgers was also fully exempt on the PGA Tour after earning enough FedEx Cup points as a PGA Tour non-member.


2015 Web.com Tour Finals graduates, 2015 Web.com Tour
Note: Kim Si-woo had previously been a PGA Tour member in the 2013 season, but did not play ten events and retained his rookie status.


2015 Web.com Tour Finals graduates, Results on 2015–16 PGA Tour
Miguel Ángel Carballo, Kelly Kraft, Rod Pampling, Michael Thompson, and Tim Wilkinson regained their cards through the 2016 Web.com Tour Finals.


2015 Webby Awards
The 19th annual Webby Awards for 2015 was held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on May 19, 2015, which was hosted by comedian and actor Hannibal Buress. The awards ceremony was streamed live at the Webby Awards webpage. Judges from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences picked the over one hundred winners, which may or may not match the people's choice.


2015 Webby Awards
The Webby for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Wired magazine co-founders Louis Rossetto and Jane Metcalfe for shaping how the world thinks about technology.


2015 Webby Awards, Nominees and winners
Mobile & Apps - Games (Tablet & All Other Devices)


2015 Webby Awards, Nominees and winners
Online Film & Video - News & Politics: Individual Episode


2015 Weber State Wildcats football team
The 2015 Weber State Wildcats football team represented Weber State University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Wildcats were led by second year head coach Jay Hill, played their games at Stewart Stadium and were members of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 6–5, 5–3 in Big Sky play to finish in a four way tie for fourth place.


2015 Weber State Wildcats football team, Schedule
Despite also being a member of the Big Sky Conference, the game with Sacramento State on September 19 is considered a non conference game.


2015 Wellingborough Borough Council election
The 2015 Borough Council of Wellingborough election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Borough Council of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, UK. This was on the same day as other local elections.


2015 Wellington Sevens
The 2015 Wellington Sevens is the 16th edition of the tournament as part of the 2014–15 Sevens World Series. It is hosted in Wellington, New Zealand, at the Westpac Stadium.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Format
The teams are divided into pools of four teams, who play a round-robin within the pool. Points are awarded in each pool on a different schedule from most rugby tournaments—3 for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 for a loss. The top two teams in each pool advance to the Cup competition. The four quarterfinal losers drop into the bracket for the Plate. The Bowl is contested by the third- and fourth-place finishers in each pool, with the losers in the Bowl quarterfinals dropping into the bracket for the Shield.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Match officials
The match officials for the 2015 Wellington Sevens are as follows:


2015 Wellington Sevens, Knockout stage
[ Cup/Plate] The top two teams in each pool advance to the Cup/Plate competition.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Knockout stage
The four Cup/Plate quarterfinal losers drop into the bracket for the Plate.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Knockout stage
[ Bowl/Shield] The bottom two teams in each pool move on to the Bowl/Shield competition.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Knockout stage
The four Bowl/Shield quarterfinal losers drop into the bracket for the Shield.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Knockout stage, Shield
The Bowl/Shield Quarter-finals losers (shown in italics below) play in the Semi-finals of the Shield. The winners play in the Bowl.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Knockout stage, Bowl
The Bowl/Shield Quarter-finals winners (shown in bold) contest the Bowl.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Knockout stage, Plate
The Cup/Plate Quarter-finals losers (shown in italics) play in the Semi-finals of the Plate.


2015 Wellington Sevens, Knockout stage, Cup
The Cup/Plate Quarter-finals winners (shown in bold) contest the Cup.


2015 Welsh Open (snooker)
The 2015 BetVictor Welsh Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament held at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff from 16 to 22 February 2015. The tournament was staged in Cardiff for the first time since 2004, having moved from  Newport.


2015 Welsh Open (snooker)
Ronnie O'Sullivan was the defending champion, but he lost 3–4 against Matthew Stevens in the last 32.


2015 Welsh Open (snooker)
The best-performing Welsh player was Mark Williams, who reached the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time in 12 years. He lost 5–6 to Ben Woollaston, who reached the first ranking final of his professional career.


2015 Welsh Open (snooker)
John Higgins defeated Woollaston 9–3 in the final to win the Welsh Open for a record fourth time and claim his first ranking title in two and a half years.


2015 Welsh Open (snooker), Prize fund
The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:


2015 Welsh Open (snooker), Main draw
128 players started the tournament, with the first four rounds played over the best of 7 frames. The quarter finals were played over 9 frames with the semi finals over the best of 11. The final was over 17 frames.


2015 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election
The 2015 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.


2015 West African offensive
Starting in late January 2015, a coalition of West African troops launched an offensive against the Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria.


2015 West African offensive, Background
The insurgent group Boko Haram was founded by the Muslim cleric Mohammed Yusuf in 2002. Initially, Yusuf rejected Western-style education in Nigeria. Professor Paul Lubeck who studies on African Muslim societies claims Yusuf viewed Western-style education should be "mediated through Islamic scholarship". Boko Haram reamend peacefully before 2009; Yusuf criticised the northern Muslims since they participate in what he thinks a non-Islamic and illegitimate state. Due police brutality and the years-ongoing inter-religious violence between Christians and Muslims. the group radicalises itself with ideas to overthrew the Nigerian government and establish an Islamic state with the sharia as law.


2015 West African offensive, Background
On 26 July 2009 Boko Haram launched an armed uprising in the Bauchi state under leading Yusuf's command. It later spread into the Yobe, Kano and Borno states. They attacked a police station in Maiduguri. After a five-day uprising, the police and the Nigerian Army crushed and suppressed the group. The incident killed between at least 700 and 800 people; Soon after the uprising, a crackdown by the Nigerian Army followed; Yusuf and some of his men were arrested on the 30th after soldiers stormed into their school and mosque. They were later executed on television. This was criticised by human rights' organisations and described as an extra-judicial execution.


2015 West African offensive, Background
One of his men was his subsequent successor and deputy Abubakar Shekau was believed to be dead after Shekau was shot in the 2009 uprising. In a July 2010 interview made by videotape he confirmed to be alive and claimed to be the leader of Boko Haram. Boko Haram has steadily gained influence and launched increasingly deadly campaigns. The group began to seize territory aggressively in late 2014, declaring northeast Nigeria to be a caliphate under their control. By the end of 2014, Boko Haram controlled an area roughly the size of Belgium.


2015 West African offensive, Background
In 2014, the group killed an estimated 10,000 people, mostly in northeast Nigeria. Through April, Boko Haram forces killed around 2,000 people in 2015. More than 1.5 million people were displaced by Boko Haram activities. In addition to killing raids, the group has regularly organized mass kidnappings. In April 2014, the group drew international attention by kidnapping 276 schoolgirls in Chibok. In total, the group seized around 2,000 women and girls in 2014. Boko Haram has been called one of the world's deadliest terrorist groups.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive
On 23 January 2015, it was disclosed that Nigerian troops were in final preparations for a major offensive against Boko Haram insurgents in North Eastern Nigeria. According to leaked security information, the final straw that prompted action was a Boko Haram video claiming that it had stockpiled "enough weapons to take on Nigeria and its neighbours". The video also prompted Cameroon, Chad, and Niger to acknowledge the threat of growing Boko Haram power and pledge military support for the operation. The goal of the campaign was to eliminate "safe havens and escape routes of terrorists in or out of Nigeria" and provide "once and for all comprehensive operations" to eliminate the Boko Haram threat. Originally, the operation was expected to be complete before the planned February 14 elections.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive
A few days later, operations commenced. On 4 February after days of airstrikes, Chadian forces entered Boko Haram held Gamboru, Nigeria. An estimated 200 Boko Haram insurgents were killed in the offensive. Chadian losses were 9 killed and 21 wounded. Commander Ahmat Dari remarked "We have routed this band of terrorists" and vowed to "hunt them down everywhere." Boko Haram responded the next day by raiding nearby Fotokol, Cameroon. The fighting left 81 civilians, 13 Chadian soldiers, and 6 Cameroonian soldiers dead. However, eyewitness also reported Boko Haram took heavy casualties leaving dead insurgents "everywhere". Boko Haram reportedly burned the town's mosque and indiscriminately slit civilians' throats.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive
By 6 February, Chadian and Nigerian warplanes and ground troops had forced Boko Haram forces to abandon about a dozen towns and villages. The French military also aided in the offensive by providing reconnaissance flights. In response, Boko Haram attacked two villages in Nigeria and another in Cameroon, killing more than 100 civilians. In a battle on 6 February, an estimated 100 insurgents, several military personnel, and one civilian were killed. On 7 February, Nigeria announced that the elections would be postponed for six weeks, citing unsafe voting conditions in the northeast. A small protest was held in response to the announcement with police preventing protesters from entering the electoral commission headquarters.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive
An agreement to provide 7,500 African Union Troops from Chad, Cameroon, Benin and Niger for the operation was tentatively reached on 7 February. On 17 February, the Nigerian military retook Monguno in a coordinated air and ground assault. Also on 17 February, Chadian forces began an attack on the Kala/Balge district of Nigeria aimed at capturing the strategic town of Dikwa. Boko Haram suffered heavy casualties and Dikwa fell by February 24. As troops approached the Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram launched a series of retaliatory raids. Gunmen shot and stabbed civilians and burned homes, apparently targeting Shuwa tribesmen – the same ethnicity of most Chadian soldiers.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive
During the week of 15 February, more than 300 Boko Haram fighters were killed by Nigerian forces as eleven more towns were recaptured. Various weapon stockpiles were seized or destroyed, and additional insurgents were arrested. Two Nigerian soldiers were killed in the fighting and ten others injured. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau promised to disrupt the elections, then scheduled for March 28, in retaliation. Separately, an apparently errant bombing mission killed 37 mourners attending a funeral in Abadam, Niger. On 28 February, a large rally was held in the Cameroonian capital of Yaounde in support of the Central African forces fighting Boko Haram. An estimated 5,000 people marched through the street of the capital.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive
On 6 March, the African Union officially endorsed sending 8,000 troops to help secure the Nigerian border, but declined to allow the troops to enter Nigeria. As Boko Haram continued to lose territory, the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on 7 March. Nigerian army spokesperson Sami Usman Kukasheka said the pledge was a sign of weakness and that Shekau was like a "drowning man". That same day, Boko Haram launched an attack against Maiduguri, a former stronghold of the group. The attack, which including suicide bombings, left more than 50 people dead. A fresh offensive against Boko Haram by a coalition of Chadian, Cameroonian, and Nigerian forces began on March 8 after a series of air strikes the previous two days. On March 16, the Nigerian army recaptured Bama.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive
On 24 March 2015, residents of Damasak, Nigeria said that Boko Haram had taken more than 400 women and children from the town as they fled from coalition forces earlier in the month. On 27 March, the Nigerian army captured Gwoza, which was believed to be the location of Boko Haram headquarters. According to the army, the victory meant that "virtually all" of Boko Haram's territory had been recaptured a day before the elections. Ahead of the attack, Boko Haram reportedly executed all of the town's citizens unable or unwilling to help defend it against the military's advance. BBC analyst Tomi Oladipo called the victory a major milestone for Nigeria. Boko Haram had held the town since August 2014 when Nigerian troops abandoned the city. The victory came days after Chad President Idriss Deby criticized Nigerian forces for not pulling their weight in the fight against Boko Haram.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive
On election day, Boko Haram militants killed 41 people, including a legislator, in an effort to disrupt voting. After Muhammadu Buhari defeated incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan in the election, the fight against Boko Haram continued. (Jonathan remained in power until 29 May.) On 8 April, a summit of Central and West African leaders was held with the aim of fine tuning strategy in order to "eradicate" the insurgency group. Ahead of the summit, a Chadian army spokesperson called Boko Haram's capacity to cause problems severely reduced. However, Nigeria said the group continued to wage an "asymmetric war" through the use of suicide bombers and guerilla tactics. The United Nation's Human Rights Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling for greater international support of the counter-insurgency campaign.


2015 West African offensive, The offensive, Hostage rescues
On 22 April, the Nigerian military began to push into the Sambisa Forest, a dense forest covering 23,000 square miles. The area is considered very difficult to navigate by people unfamiliar with the terrain and had long been considered the launching point of many Boko Haram attacks and likely hiding point of villagers taken hostage. It was considered the last stronghold of Boko Haram. A government spokesman said a top Boko Haram commander was killed in the initial push.