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Previewing Washington Redskins vs. New England Patriots Preseason Week 1

By Jacob Camenker

SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 05: Wide receiver Brian Quick #83 of the Washington Redskins catches a long pass in front of Justin Coleman #28 of the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on November 5, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Redskins won 17-14. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 05: Wide receiver Brian Quick #83 of the Washington Redskins catches a long pass in front of Justin Coleman #28 of the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on November 5, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Redskins won 17-14. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 05: Wide receiver Brian Quick #83 of the Washington Redskins catches a long pass in front of Justin Coleman #28 of the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on November 5, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Redskins won 17-14. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 05: Wide receiver Brian Quick #83 of the Washington Redskins catches a long pass in front of Justin Coleman #28 of the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on November 5, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Redskins won 17-14. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

The Washington Redskins are kicking off their preseason within the week. Here’s a look at their Week 1 battle with the Patriots.

The preseason got started with the Hall of Fame game on Thursday, Aug. 2. On Aug. 9, the Redskins will kick off their preseason against the New England Patriots. The game will obviously be more of a test for the depth players on the roster, but it will nice to finally see the Redskins on the field. Here’s a look at how the Patriots and Redskins match up, and what the final score of the game might be.

Redskins offense vs. Patriots defense

Since it’s going to be the first preseason game, the Redskins obviously aren’t going to play their starters much. They may give some of their guys a series, but more likely than not, the third string guys are going to see a ton of action.

Kevin Hogan will probably get his biggest chance to prove himself in the game. Hogan, the third quarterback on the depth chart, has had trouble at training camp, struggling as a passer and seeing Colt McCoy ink a one-year extension. Hogan is skating on thin ice, and he is going to need a solid showing to at least make the Redskins think about keeping him as a third quarterback.

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Meanwhile, Hogan will probably be without the team’s top three receiving weapons, but he will still have talent at his disposal. Brian Quick, Trey Quinn, Robert Davis, and Maurice Harris are locked into a big position battle at receiver, and they are likely fighting for two or three spots on the roster. They will all be motivated to show the team what they can do, so if Hogan is accurate, any of these guys could have a breakout game.

The run game will also be interesting to watch. Particularly, the usage of Samaje Perine and Rob Kelley should be interesting as they compete for a roster spot. Also, keep an eye on Byron Marshall and Kapri Bibbs as they look to establish themselves as receiving backs. If one running back has a big game early, it could give them an upper hand in the position battle. Of course, it’s also possible that a player could have a huge game and not make the final roster (much like Mack Brown in 2016).

As for how the Patriots will try to match up with the Redskins defensively, it’s hard to say. In the secondary, they will probably give Duke Dawson and Cyrus Jones, two former second-round picks, some run in the nickel. They will also probably use their other young depth pieces to try and counter the Redskins players. But, the fact is that because it’s the first preseason game, they are unlikely to play a lot of well-known talents.

That said, one area to watch will be how the backup offensive line handles the depth pass rushers on the Patriots. Derek Rivers, Geneo Grissom, Eric Lee, and Adam Butler will all get a chance to play a bit, and the Redskins O-line has to be ready to combat them. In terms of opposition depth and talent, the Patriots have a lot of competition on the defensive line, so that may be the top position to watch.

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