It’s that time of the week again: Time to get bold!
The Washington Redskins play the Denver Broncos on Friday in their third preseason game of the 2018 campaign. The third game is widely-regarded as the league’s dress rehearsal, so this will be our first and last true glimpse at the team’s starters before the regular season.
It’s preseason, so it’s hard to make any concrete predictions, but we did our best to give them to you here. What bold predictions do we have about the Redskins’ upcoming preseason game? Take a look!
No. 5 – Cam Sims gets reps with the starting offense
The Redskins have a good amount of depth at wide receiver. Cam Sims, a pleasant surprise this preseason, has forced his way into the equation with solid play. As a result, he’ll get some opportunities with the first team on Friday.
That’s not a knock on the players ahead of Sims. Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder, and Paul Richardson are the top three receivers on the team. Undisputed. Behind them, Maurice Harris is the primary backup, with Sims and Trey Quinn taking up the No. 5 and No. 6 spots.
The Redskins have solid options, but they won’t keep the same guys in the whole first half. Sims has done enough this preseason. He’ll get his shot with the starting offense. Whether Smith gives him the jump-ball chances he needs to make an impact is a different story. But he’ll get on the field well before the second half.
No. 4 – Daron Payne gets two sacks
Early on in the season, you always want to stay on the conservative side when projecting rookie production. They’re new to the league, and there are learning curves that must be tackled.
That said, there isn’t much of a learning curve for pure athleticism and brute strength. That’s what Redskins’ first-round rookie Daron Payne has. And he showed it off last week.
Payne managed to get a sack on rookie quarterback Sam Darnold against the New York Jets. On the play, Payne used his combination of athleticism and power beautifully, shifting and shoving the guard aside to clear the way for himself and send Darnold to the turf.
In college, Payne’s bread and butter was protecting against the run. Based on what he’s shown in limited action, he’s a more-than-capable pass rusher up the interior, and with continued tutelage from Jim Tomsula, he could truly become the best defensive lineman on the Redskins’ roster, which is saying something.
Against the Broncos’ starters, Payne should have another opportunity to make some noise. Center Matt Paradis is on the tail end of his prime, Ronald Leary is only a decent starter, and Connor McGovern isn’t a starting-caliber player at guard. Payne will eat, and because we’re making bold predictions, why can’t he have seconds? Two sacks for Daron Payne in Week 2. Book it.
No. 3 – Redskins shut out Broncos in second half
The Broncos have the opposite situation the Jets have at quarterback. Behind Case Keenum, their signal callers take a turn south.
Chad Kelly has been very good this preseason playing against backups, but he still doesn’t quite have the reputation of a quarterback who can put lesser players on his shoulders. Paxton Lynch, meanwhile, is in phase seven of bust protocol; the former first-round pick has fallen to No. 3 on the depth chart, and his future is in serious doubt.
We saw how the Patriots fared with Brian Hoyer in at quarterback. It’s hard to say that Kelly is an upgrade, and if he isn’t, then Lynch certainly isn’t.
The Broncos have adequate depth at skill positions on offense, particularly wide receiver, but the offensive line is relatively thin. The Redskins’ defensive front should be able to get plenty of penetration in the second half, and the secondary will have its way with Lynch, who needs to get late-game reps to prove himself. The Broncos are averaging 8.5 points in the second half so far this preseason. That number will go even lower against Washington.
No. 2 – Adrian Peterson doesn’t do anything notable
I hate to kill the hype train. But as great as having another legend in burgundy in gold is, Adrian Peterson is not primed to succeed in D.C.
First off, we don’t even know that Peterson will be the starter on Friday. Jay Gruden has stated that Peterson will be given an opportunity to earn it. That’s it. And with the cheap contract he was given, the Redskins won’t feel obligated to hand him anything.
I voiced the same concerns in our latest podcast episode: Peterson is 33 years old. He has excellent vision, but that vision is useless if he can’t stay healthy. And with all of the tread on his tires, and two significant surgeries in his history, I can’t imagine Peterson staying healthy with the workload that he needs to succeed. It’s a Catch 22, in some respects.
The hype around Peterson is understandable. He’s a high-profile player with undeniable experience and skill. But players don’t stay effective forever, let alone running backs. At 33 years old, Peterson isn’t much of an upgrade over Rob Kelley or Samaje Perine, and he’ll prove that on Friday.
No. 1 – Alex Smith scores his first touchdown as a Redskin
With Alex Smith came expectations of a more efficient offense for the Redskins. Smith is widely-known to be a safe quarterback. He doesn’t make as many flashy plays, but he gets the job done. His record is proof. He’s a winning quarterback, and with issues arising across the offense, the Redskins will need his efficiency to permeate.
We saw a glimpse of that efficiency on the opening drive of the Jets game. Alex Smith drove the ball down the field, moving the chains and wearing out the defense. The drive ultimately culminated in a field goal, but Smith was accurate and smart, if not a bit rusty with his movement.
One of the main goals of preseason is to shake off the rust, and in the team’s dress rehearsal on Friday, Smith will find his polish. Granted, he’ll be on the field longer than a drive alone, so he’ll have more chances, but Smith will come away with his first touchdown as a member of the Redskins.
Have a bold prediction or two you want to share with us? Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section below, and stay here with us at Riggo’s Rag for all the latest preseason updates!