Ranking every Redskins game from least to most difficult for 2018

15. Week 1 at Arizona Cardinals

Starting the season strong is going to be very important for the Redskins. Part of that is related to the fact that the first couple of games on their schedule project to be significantly easier than most of the other matchups on their schedule.

The Cardinals are the first opponent for the Redskins in 2018, and needless to say, this is a team that Washington should beat. They were able to emerge victorious against the Cardinals in 2017, and that was with a squad that was far less than 100 percent. To be fair, the Cardinals were also beat up, but the injuries for both sides won’t matter much heading into the 2018 campaign.

To start the season, both the Redskins and the Cardinals should be healthy. But when comparing the rosters of the two teams, it seems that Washington has the advantage. On the offensive side of the ball, the Cardinals are going to have a new starting quarterback, whether that’s the injury-prone Sam Bradford or rookie first-round pick Josh Rosen. Bradford will likely be the more difficult player to face, if healthy, as Rosen may take some time to adjust to the NFL, though he is arguably the most talented quarterback from the last draft class.

Live Feed

FanSided

The Redskins should be able to get an advantage via their pass rush regardless of who the starter is. The Cardinals have a woeful offensive line and though they signed Justin Pugh to fix one of their issues at guard, they have minimal talent at the tackle position. That should allow Greg Manusky to run an aggressive defensive scheme that will have the team feast on the Cardinals quarterback.

The only true weapon that Washington should be concerned with on offense is David Johnson. The dynamic three-down back will be returning from an injury that kept him out for most of the season in 2017 and he will have a chance to cut up the Redskins defense. It will be a nice early season test for Daron Payne and the team’s revamped front seven.

Defensively, the Cardinals have some quality players, but there are also some holes. Notably, they lack a true No. 2 corner and they are shifting to a 4-3 defense under new head coach Steve Wilks. It may take them time to adjust to their new base set, so that should open some doors for Washington’s offense. Also, it will be Wilks’ first game as an NFL head coach, so that cannot be ignored.

All these factors make this a likely victory for the Redskins. It’s a road game, but they have the experience to take down the Cardinals, and recent history suggests that they do have the superior squad.