5 players to watch in Redskins vs. Colts in NFL Week 2

GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 09: Defensive tackle Matthew Ioannidis #98 of the Washington Redskins celebrates with linebacker Mason Foster #54 after a turnover during the final moments of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Redskins defeated the Cardinals 24-6. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 09: Defensive tackle Matthew Ioannidis #98 of the Washington Redskins celebrates with linebacker Mason Foster #54 after a turnover during the final moments of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Redskins defeated the Cardinals 24-6. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 09: Quarterback Alex Smith #11 of the Washington Redskins drops back to pass during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Redskins defeated the Cardinals 24-6. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 09: Quarterback Alex Smith #11 of the Washington Redskins drops back to pass during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Redskins defeated the Cardinals 24-6. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Smith’s first game as a member of the Washington Redskins was impressive. He was efficient, made few mistakes, and showcased solid mobility throughout the contest. In short, he was exactly as advertised.

As mentioned in the previous slide, the Colts don’t have a very strong defense. They can be susceptible to big passing plays in the secondary, and they are equally weak against the run. The Redskins will have a good chance to rack up yards on them, but that chance all starts with Smith.

Smith is going to have to keep spreading the ball around to different players to find success. Last week, he got the ball to Chris Thompson, Adrian Peterson, and Jordan Reed at a high rate. And that worked. This week, he should look to get the receivers a bit more involved, as they all were mostly non-factors against the Cardinals.

More from Commanders News

The role that Smith will play in the offense as a facilitator will be important. He has a lot of weapons around him, and if the ‘Skins can keep their opponents guessing, they will have a much better chance to win each week. The key to being able to achieve this is Smith, as the offense will live and die by what he’s able to do.

It will be interesting to see what Jay Gruden’s game plan calls for on Sunday. No matter what, expect him to let Alex Smith make plays with his legs and expect the team to call offensive plays that will allow Smith to read the field and pick out the open player. His savvy, veteran presence this week will play a major role in the team’s quest to start 2-0, so keep an eye on him to see if he looks steady.