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Ranking every Redskins game from least to most difficult for 2018

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 12: Free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 of the Washington Redskins celebrates after an interception during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at FedExField on November 12, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 12: Free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 of the Washington Redskins celebrates after an interception during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at FedExField on November 12, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 21: Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is tackled by Kyle Van Noy #53 of the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter during the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 21: Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is tackled by Kyle Van Noy #53 of the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter during the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

5. Week 15 at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are a tough team on paper. They have an elite defense and a top 10 head coach who knows how to get what he needs out of his team in Doug Marrone. However, they come in at No. 5 on this list because of one of their major weaknesses.

Blake Bortles is one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in the entire NFL. One week, he will look like an above-average quarterback who is capable of leading his team on a deep playoff run. Other times, he is woefully inept and commits turnovers frequently. It’s impossible to predict which Bortles you’re going to face each week, especially in a late-season matchup like Week 15.

Late in the season, the Jaguars will be in one of two places. They will either be in the thick of the playoff race or in the midst of a disappointing season in which they fail to live up to expectations. If it’s the latter, Bortles could be out as the starter this late in the season, and Cody Kessler or Tanner Lee might get a shot at starting against the Redskins. But, that’s a big if, and it’s more likely that the Jaguars will be competing for something and won’t sit Bortles.

The way that the Jaguars might be able to beat Washington will be via their run game and defense. That’s the winning formula for Jacksonville. With Leonard Fournette set to make a leap during his second season, and the addition of stud guard Andrew Norwell to the offensive line, the Jaguars could generate some push up front and overwhelm the Redskins solid defensive front. That would be a way to get yardage and open up the play action, and that would make the defense’s life significantly more difficult.

As for the Jaguars defense, well, it speaks for itself. The squad has a ferocious pass rush headlined by Yannick Ngakoue, and that’s why they were dubbed “Sacksonville” last season. There’s no reason to think they will slow down, especially after adding Taven Bryan in the 2018 draft. Furthermore, their corners are able to shut down any receivers in the league, so the Redskins will have to find a different way to beat the Jaguars.

The only potential weakness for the Jags defense is at linebacker, and even that’s a stretch. If Gruden can get Jamison Crowder and Jordan Reed, or whoever the healthy tight end is in Week 15, open in the middle, that may be the only way they can generate consistent yards. Thankfully, Alex Smith knows how to avoid mistakes and throw into tight windows. So, this could be a possibility.

The Jaguars are certainly a tough opponent, and facing them on the road may not be easy. That said, Bortles can sputter at any time and if it happens against the Redskins, they will capitalize.

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