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.
Redskins defense vs. Patriots offense
The most exciting position group to watch on the Redskins defense will be corner. The team has a lot of young talent there and this will be the first test for many of them. Notably, rookies Greg Stroman, Adonis Alexander, Ranthony Texada, and Danny Johnson will have a chance to prove themselves throughout the game, and the latter two will be very intriguing given that they are fighting for spots on the practice squad.
Elsewhere at corner, it will be interesting to see how much action Quinton Dunbar and Fabian Moreau see. They are fighting for the No. 2 and nickel spots respectively and have looked good at training camp. Dunbar seems likely to win the No. 2 job, but flashing in the preseason wouldn’t hurt.
At linebacker, the battle for the final spot in the middle will come into focus. Martrell Spaight appears to be the odd man out right now, so he will need to have a strong showing when he gets on the field if he wants a chance to make the squad. Spaight needs to prove himself in coverage, and the Patriots have a lot of weapons. So, this would be a good time for him to do it.
At the rush linebacker spot, Ryan Anderson will get a chance to show that he’s improved. He’s been dealing with back spasms during camp, but if he’s healthy, he should see a lot of action. Also, sleeper candidate and hybrid edge/inside linebacker Pete Robertson should get some action. If he continues to shine, he could be a candidate to make the roster.
As for the Patriots offense, seventh-round pick Danny Etling will probably see a lot of action while their supporting cast will consist of rookies like Braxton Berrios and Ralph Webb. They should test the Redskins well enough, but it can be difficult to predict what Bill Belichick can do at any point.
Score Prediction
Preseason games are always a complete crapshoot. There’s no way of really know who is going to play and how the scrubs and bench players are going to perform.
That said, the first preseason game usually ends up being decided by who the better backup quarterback is. Personally, I would take McCoy and Hogan over Brian Hoyer and Etling over the course of a full game. Even if Hogan plays most of the game, he is more proven that Etling.
Plus, the Redskins have to capitalize on the optimism that’s coming out of camp. Jay Gruden is entering a critical season while Bill Belichick doesn’t need to care much about preseason games. So, Gruden should have the edge solely because winning is more important to him.
This game will probably close, sloppy, and won’t tell us much about the Redskins future. But if they can beat the Patriots, it will get the preseason started on a good note.