Trent Williams, the Washington Redskins’ Alexander Ovechkin

The machine never breaks.

A generational talent. You’d think he’d get a little too confident and rest on his laurels. After all, he’s got plenty. But no. That’s not his style. He’s tough as nails. No. He makes nails look soft. When the teams line up, you know that no one wants to line up against him. Towering above the competition at 6-foot-5, 320…

Wait. You thought I was talking about Ovi?

I might as well be. Ovechkin is the machine. Drafted first overall so many years ago, the Washington Capitals knew he was wired differently than the rest. And since that selection, Ovechkin has only proved them right, logging four seasons with over 100 points and seven seasons with over 50 goals. Machines are made to last. Programmed to succeed.

But enough about hockey. Let’s talk about the Washington Redskins‘ Alexander Ovechkin: Trent Williams.

Like Ovechkin, Williams was wired differently. Coming out of college, at 6-foot-5, 320, Trent Williams ran a 4.88 40-yard dash. Williams was a cut above the rest of the pack athletically, and as the years have gone on, it’s clear that, in terms of consistency, and toughness, he holds an edge as well. Williams has been a high-level starter since he came into the league, just like Ovechkin. Ovechkin shrugged off a puck to the face. Williams played more than half of last season on a jelly knee.

Machines just don’t break.

For as great as these machines are, and as dominant as they are against the competition, their prime directive has not been achieved. Alexander Ovechkin hopes to rebound after a Game 1 loss against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, striving to capitalize on the team’s first championship opportunity in over two decades. The city’s first championship chance in that time span.

The same can be said for Williams. Drafted in 2010, Williams has seen seven seasons, and his best saw the Washington Redskins lose in the wild card round of the NFC playoffs. Williams, like Ovechkin, is his team’s best. He deserves to see a shot at the title before his time is up.

His position, admittedly, isn’t as pivotal as Ovechkin’s. Football is far and away more of a team sport. That’s not to say that hockey isn’t, but when you have eleven players on offense and eleven players on defense, one player isn’t going to win the game for you.

Next: How Byron Marshall can make the Washington Redskins roster

Nevertheless, Williams’ role is growing, as is the supporting cast around him. The Washington Redskins roster, in 2018, might be Jay Gruden’s best group of players since he joined the team in 2014. Williams’ line is strong, and the machine himself should be fully recovered from surgery by the start of the season, eager to help his team to victory. Perhaps seeing another team in D.C. achieve the impossible goal of playing in a championship will light a fire. Perhaps machines, somehow, can learn from one another.