Five Keys to a Week 1 Washington Win against Philadelphia
Hey, look ma, we made it!
Week 1 is here and the expectations from all the pundits are tepid at best. Most have Washington winning all of 3 games in 2020. You must start somewhere on your journey, and it is against the Philadelphia Eagles for the third time in four years.Head coach Ron Rivera brings a new sense of life and dignity to the franchise that has been left crippled by the remnants of the Bruce Allen era.
Dwayne Haskins will get the earned opportunity to show that he can be the franchise quarterback that a lot of fans and media think he can be. The defensive line has such great expectations put on them by fans they might not live up to them. And we have no idea who outside of McLaurin will step up and produce on offense.The offseason has been one of limited practice and putting film together. One thing to watch for going into Week 1 is how both teams are tackling.
We just saw Navy get blown out by BYU where Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo took the blame for the loss stating, "Obviously, we weren't prepared. One team was playing football. There's nobody to blame but myself. I erred on the side of trying to keep our guys safe…”The first few games of the NFL season could look like slop mixed in with track meets. Hopefully, that will not be the case for Washington on Sunday as they have had as physical of a training camp as possible. It will take more then just tackling for the good guys to put one in the win column. Here are my 5 keys to a Washington victory on Sunday.
Communicating Corners: The cornerback situation in 2019 was dismal at best. Josh Norman seemed to be playing just for a paycheck and discipline was lacking. Defensive coordinator Jack del Rio and defensive back coach Chris Harris are dead set to make that change. Lack of communication and discipline is what did Washington in last year in Week 1 against the Eagles. Washington saw their lead dissipate because wide receiver DeSean Jackson easily took the top off for two touchdowns. Being able to identify and pass of coverage responsibilities will be key to keep Jackson and others at bay and the score down.
Check out Alan's Latest: A Game by Game WFT Season Prediction/Analysis.
All Around Antonio: Adrian Peterson getting released sent a signal to the roster, fan base, and the league. Antonio Gibson is Ron and Scott’s guy. Both men have been as mum as possible with how they want to use Gibson in the offense. What we do know is that Gibson has learned plays as a running back and wide receiver and they think he could become Christian McCaffrey. Antonio will need to be consistent in both aspects of his game so the Eagles pass rush does not get comfortable enough that they can just pin their ears back and attack. Gibson putting it together early will also free up other opportunities.
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High Rolling Haskins: Dwayne has shown he can chuck the ball down field and trust his receivers. Especially Terry McLaurin. Haskins will need to take some calculated risks for Washington to keep up with any scoring pace Philadelphia might set. Working the middle of the field and building a trust with tight end Logan Thomas should be where this starts to open more of the field for Steven Sim and McLaurin. Haskins has an awareness of when he should tuck the ball and run. A well-timed scramble will keep the defense honest and force a change in scheme that will open up more RPO and free both J.D. McKissic and Gibson into space. Being willing to take risks and let it ride could be Haskins best friend on Sunday.
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Offensive Line Obstruction: The offensive line is one of the biggest question marks entering the season. No preseason games means no opportunity to build a relationship among each other. Knowing how each other works. Especially on the left side. This will likely be a recurring theme. Keep Haskins upright and they will be competitive in every game. The Eagles rotate their defensive line to keep them fresh throughout each game. Their pass rush can be relentless and overwhelm any offensive line. Morgan Moses and company will need to be disciplined and protect their leader if they want to have a fighting chance.
Linebackers vs. Zach Ertz: Rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor will likely miss Week 1 while veteran Alshon Jeffery is expected to be list as questionable too play this Sunday. This will require quarterback Carson Wentz will be relying on tight end Zach Ertz to do Zach Ertz things. In 14 career games against Washington, Ertz has 81 receptions, 833 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns on 107 targets. Slowing Ertz down and forcing Wentz to rely on wide receivers Greg Ward and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to be consistent producers will slow the game down and make it more of a low scoring defensive struggle.
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Score Prediction: COVID has put most teams on a level playing field. Having a new head coach, offensive scheme, and lack of preseason games does not make Washington one of them. Washington will keep it close. Haskins will continue to show progression, the defensive line will have their day with Ryan Kerrigan tying Dexter Manley’s franchise sack record, and Darby will prove that he is on his way back to CB1 status. But it will be the consistency in coaching staff and scheme for the Eagles that will be what ultimately leads to a loss for the burgundy and gold.
Philadelphia 27 Washington 25
Game Info: Time: 1:00 PM EST - FedExField Landover, Maryland
TV: Fox, Radio: The Team 980 AM; ESPN 630 AM
Line: PHI -6; O/U: 42.5
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Alan Lepore joins "Washington Football" on SI.com, while still doing outstanding work as an editor/writer at FullPressCoverage.com or @FPC_Redskins. You can follow him on Twitter @AlanLepore or on instagram @leporealan. Alan is a Villanova University MPA Nonprofit Management candidate and is a fundraising/development professional.
