What Cowboys team will the Redskins get on Sunday? And which Redskins team will show up to play?
The presence of trend shows us that the Cowboys will lose. It also shows us that the Washington Redskins will lose. Both teams have alternated wins and losses thus far in 2018. Both are coming off wins in Week 6.
On Sunday, somebody breaks form. No matter what.
The Redskins have a prime opportunity to use their home field advantage and enter next week with a divisional win, as well as a maintained lead in the divisional race. It won’t be easy; Dallas’ offense caught fire last week, and their defense has the makings of a sneakily dominant unit.
If the Redskins are to best the Cowboys, they’ll need every player on their roster to step up, but none more than these five.
No. 5 – OL Chase Roullier
Chase Roullier is more than deserving of the Redskins confidence as a starting offensive lineman in the NFL, but his temporary transition to offensive guard has not come without its hiccups.
When veteran offensive lineman and long-term starter Shawn Lauvao was injured a few weeks ago, Roullier took his place at offensive guard, since the team’s primary interior backup, Tony Bergstrom, was better at center.
Several games into that move, it appears as if Roullier is better at center as well. Roullier hasn’t been terrible at offensive guard, but there are a number of key functions at the guard slot that he’s failed to execute with consistency. The combined weakness of the front two interior spots has paved the way for a streaky performance thus far by the offensive line.
The Redskins could be getting Lauvao back in Week 7, and while Lauvao doesn’t sound like much of an upgrade, it means a lot for Roullier, who would get to go back to his natural position. Against the Cowboys, who can control the clock with a strong running game, Washington needs to flip the script, and give them a taste of their own medicine. But Adrian Peterson can only do so much. It starts with Roullier and the men up front.
No. 4 – WR Josh Doctson
A subpar NFL career has gotten worse for former first-round wide receiver Josh Doctson in 2018. Through four games, Doctson has eight catches for 68 yards, on pace for 24 catches, and just over 200 yards.
It’s safe to say Doctson hasn’t lived up to his draft billing. And with Alex Smith at the helm, it’ll be tough for Doctson, a wide receiver who doesn’t often win on route running alone, to make a resurgence more than a quarter through his second healthy season.
Still, with Jamison Crowder and Paul Richardson presumably out for Sunday’s matchup against the Cowboys, Doctson can take advantage of the opportunity and mount a confidence-boosting campaign on the Dallas Cowboys.
Doctson doesn’t match up particularly well against a Cowboys secondary stocked with rising stars, but Doctson has plenty of high-flying talent on his own. Smith has to give him chances, and he may be forced to on Sunday. Will the TCU product do his best when he’s the final option? Time will tell.
No. 3 – DL Daron Payne
It’s been said countless times, and the week is still young. Daron Payne was drafted for games like this.
Until Dak Prescott strings together two games in which he’s the main factor, the Cowboys’ offense runs through 2016 top five pick Ezekiel Elliott. The offensive line may have Joe Looney and Connor Williams in place of previous starters, but the group has performed well this season.
A big deal was made out of the Cowboys’ loss of Travis Frederick, but Sunday’s matchup will not be a guarantee for either team. The Redskins’ front, while talented, is ranked sixth in the league in run defense, while the Cowboys’ line has helped bring along a top five rushing attack.
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Put on your physics goggles, because we’ll find out later this weekend.
No. 2 – LB Zach Brown
Zach Brown is one of Pro Football Focus‘ top graded linebackers entering Sunday’s game. He’ll need to give the Redskins more of that solid, consistent play if they are to win their first division matchup of the season.
Last week, Brown’s speed was needed to defend against Cam Newton, specifically the running threat that Newton posed. Prescott doesn’t come to mind ahead of Newton when one thinks of rushing threats at quarterback, but Prescott ran for 82 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries last week, against Jacksonville’s defense. He’s dangerous.
For the Redskins defense, Prescott, right now, appears more dynamic than he’s been in a long time. But there’s just one question: Was Prescott’s resurgent performance against the Jaguars the new norm, or an outlier among less promising regular season games?
The Redskins game will show us that. Zach Brown needs to make him feel uncomfortable, both inside and outside the pocket.
No. 1 – QB Alex Smith
Alex Smith, the Redskins newly-anointed starting quarterback, has been everything he was expected to be this season. That’s both good and bad.
Smith hasn’t necessarily lost games for the Redskins. But he hasn’t won them, either. He only does what he needs to do. If the team has a large lead, he stalls out along with the rest of the offense. If the team is down by more than two scores, he can’t catch up.
Granted, Smith hasn’t had the best supporting cast. The Redskins offensive line has been weak on the interior, especially in passing downs, and the team’s receiving core this week will be without Jamison Crowder and Paul Richardson, two of Smith’s favorite receivers (in theory). But Smith was brought in to be a solid starter. Someone who would keep Washington in every game. So far, they’ve been in three games, and too far out of two others.
In Week 7, Smith needs to show that he can will his team to a win, just as Dak Prescott did for the Cowboys against Jacksonville last week. Smith has a chance to once again strive for a first under Jay Gruden. The first Cowboys’ win at home during Gruden’s tenure.
Gruden couldn’t get that season-opening win with Cousins. He couldn’t get that Panthers win with Cousins. And he couldn’t get that home Cowboys’ win with Cousins. In five games, Alex Smith has achieved two of those feats. A win this weekend would not only get the monkey off the back, but it would send the Redskins to 4-2, while sinking the Cowboys deeper into the divisional race. It’s a prime opportunity for a quarterback who still has plenty to prove.