5 players to watch in Redskins Week 8 matchup vs. the Cowboys
By Ian Cummings
No. 4 – OLB Junior Galette
There’s a fair chance that Preston Smith, who has 4.5 sacks on the year , doesn’t suit up against the Cowboys. The Redskins’ sack leader is dealing with a groin injury, and he was listed as a DNP in yesterday’s walkthrough. If they can tell, without giving him reps, that he’s not well enough to play, then that doesn’t bode well for his chances this week. Thus, Junior Galette will likely be the next man up at that spot.
Galette doesn’t offer the length that Smith does, but the savvy veteran makes up for it with experience and burst. He only has one total sack through six games, but his presence has been felt. He often generates pressure on the edge, and although he hasn’t logged many stats, he’s improved the play of the defense with his consistency.
Coming into the season, Galette hadn’t played a regular season down since 2014. But now, the script has flipped. Now, it is a healthy Galette who is filling in for an injured player. And Galette has to produce. Against the Eagles, the Redskins’ rush failed to produce, and the Eagles responded by not respecting the unit, repeatedly testing them with big plays. The Redskins will have to impose themselves early versus Dallas. Galette will play a key role in that process.
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The matchup he’ll draw will likely be right tackle La’el Collins. Collins impressed in his earliest seasons as an offensive guard, but following the retirement of starting tackle Doug Free, the Cowboys moved the 6-foot-5 LSU product to right tackle, in order to fill the void. The results haven’t been great. Collins’ play in his new spot has been suspect, but with no other options on the roster, he’s stuck there for the time being.
If Galette can exploit this mismatch by using his burst and relentless hands, then he’ll be in good shape to fill the hole left by Preston Smith’s absence. Galette is a nuanced veteran, and his presence is valuable. It’ll be even more so on Sunday, when Galette is the starting edge rusher opposite Ryan Kerrigan.