The Washington Redskins are taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in a critical Week 10 battle. Here are our bold predictions for the contest.
The 10th week of the 2018 NFL season might be the most important one to date for the Redskins. So far this season, they have mostly done well to face challenges this year, and have knocked off tough opponents like the Packers, Panthers, and Cowboys in key games. That has gotten them to the 5-3 record they currently sit at.
Of course, the team has had their share of let downs and they have won ugly in a few of their bigger wins. At the end of the day, the scoreboard is all that matters, but savvy fans know that the team has been sloppy at times, and their loss to Atlanta last week was an example of that.
In Week 10, the Redskins are traveling to Tampa Bay to take on the Bucs. The Bucs (3-5) have turmoil at QB and one of the weakest defenses in the league. They’re not necessarily an easy opponent, because of the weapons they have on offense, but they are one of the weaker squads remaining on the ‘Skins schedule. And for that reason, it will be key for the Redskins to do everything they can to win.
In order to win, Washington may have to engage in a shootout, so there could be some lopsided stat-lines in this contest. Without further ado, here’s a look at our five bold predictions for this Sunday’s Redskins vs. Bucs affair.
5. Jonathan Cooper succeeds in first start with Redskins, allows no sacks
This is a tough prediction to make since offensive linemen don’t have a lot of stats that get attached to them. To spare us from having to go down the rabbit hole that is run block and pass block grades, I’m going to keep this simple. Cooper will find success in his first start with the Redskins.
Cooper has bounced around the league since being a top-10 pick of the Arizona Cardinals, but he does have some talent. He’ll never live up to the lofty billing he received in 2013, but that was one of the worst draft classes in NFL history. That doesn’t mean that he can’t be a serviceable starter.
Simply put, the Redskins need Cooper to be able to provide some stability on the line, and particularly, at left guard. Thankfully, Cooper was the starter for most of the year at that position for the Dallas Cowboys. Cooper fared relatively well in that role and though he may well have been the weakest link on that offensive line, it wasn’t for lack of effort. It was just that he was surrounded by other talented players.
All the Redskins need from Cooper is for him to help Chase Roullier and Ty Nsekhe keep the left side of the line relatively clean. He doesn’t need to be perfect, but if he can avoid allowing a sack and blast open a hole or two for Adrian Peterson to run through, the ‘Skins would be absolutely thrilled.
If any of the new recruits for Washington are going to find early success, Cooper is probably the best bet. While he may not end up having a perfect game, he should do well enough to help the team try to win. And at this point, that’s all you can ask. After all, he’s only been with the team for a few days, so a solid start would certainly exceed expectations. And that’s why this qualifies as a bold prediction.
4. Matt Ioannidis logs 1.5 sacks despite tougher matchup
The Buccaneers are fairly strong on their interior offensive line. Ali Marpet is one of the better guards in the league, so the Redskins may not be able to get as much from their interior rush as they’re used to.
That said, the team’s defensive line is still good enough that they should be able to pressure Ryan Fitzpatrick. The team struggled to do the same last week against Matt Ryan, so rest assured that they are going to be looking to change that this time around.
One of the most consistent pass rushers on this team has been Matt Ioannidis. The third-year man has already put up 6.5 sacks on the season, and he has logged 3.5 sacks in his last two games combined. He should have a chance to stay hot, and if other defensive linemen can occupy gaps, that should give Ioannidis a chance to break through.
If Ioannidis can get 1.5 sacks in this game — raising his season total to 8.0 with 5.0 in the past three weeks — that would be a solid feat for him. It would give him a legitimate chance to get to 12 or so sacks on the year. Definitely keep an eye on him this Sunday for that reason.
3. Alex Smith throws for 350-plus yards, two TDs
Last week was one of Alex Smith’s best performances of the year. And despite that, Redskins fans couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.
While Smith put up his first 300-plus yard game as a Redskin, he simply wasn’t able to do much in terms of moving the offense. The team only scored 14 points, and Smith accounted for just one touchdown. Against the porous Atlanta defense, that seemed like a let-down, as many expected him to have a better game.
That said, the Buccaneers pose a second-straight opportunity for him to put up some solid numbers. The Bucs simply have an awful secondary, and they have been shredded by quarterbacks this year. Tampa Bay has allowed at least two TDs to every quarterback they’ve faced this year with the exception of Nick Foles. This really is Smith’s chance to put up a quality outing.
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In addition to the touchdown problem, the Buccaneers have allowed four different QBs to throw for over 334 yards against them. In a game that could turn into a shootout, Smith could have a chance to become the fifth. That may seem ambitious, given that he has only one 300-plus yard passing game this season, but as he showed at times last year, it definitely is possible.
This really is the last chance for the Redskins offense to get on track. If they don’t show up or at least show some signs of life in the passing game, it will be hard for them to compete as a potential division winner. It’s not out of the question to win with a strong defense and running game, but the road to the divisional crown would be a lot more difficult.
If Smith can post 350-plus yards and throw a couple of TDs, that would quell the concerns surrounding him. Hopefully, this will happen and he can help lead the team’s offense back to relevance in Week 10.
2. Josh Doctson catches two TD passes
Was last week the start of the breakout that many were hoping to see from Josh Doctson this season? No, probably not. Doctson doesn’t look like a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL, but he’s carving out a niche as a big-bodied receiver who may be able to be a red zone threat. And last week, he showed signs of what that might look like.
Doctson only caught three passes for 31 yards, but he had an impressive catch in the end zone on a fade route. That’s something we haven’t seen from him much yet, and the TD was his first of the season.
The touchdown catch is exactly what the team needs from Doctson, and frankly, it’s what they should expect from Doctson as well. He can go up and catch passes — or at least, he should be able to — and if he can become a go-to weapon in the red zone, he will find his value moving forward.
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The good news for Doctson this week is that the Buccaneers have an unbelievably difficult time containing opposing offenses. And specifically, receivers have fared well against them. Doctson should easily be in position to log another score, and he could even have a long touchdown in this contest. It’s unclear whether or not that will actually happen, but this is a matchup for him to exploit.
Doctson’s end stat-line will always be dependent on Smith, but this is a contest that Smith should look his way during. Doctson has seen at last five targets in five of his last six games, so he will probably continue to see opportunities, especially if he can prove to have steady hands. That’s something he has struggled with so far, but he should be able to separate enough to make that a non-issue against Tampa Bay.
If Doctson catches two TDs, many will assume that he is finally comfortable in the Redskins offense. Here’s hoping that he can accomplish that and really show the fans what he’s capable of doing.
1. Redskins intercept Ryan Fitzpatrick 4 times…allow 4 TDs
The Buccaneers have enough weapons to beat the Redskins defense. Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Chris Godwin, Adam Humphries, O.J. Howard, and Cameron Brate can all do damage in the right situations, and the ‘Skins are going to have a massively difficult time taking care of all of them.
That said, the team is also going up against Ryan Fitzpatrick. While Fitzpatrick has shown some “FitzMagic” this season, he has also been turnover-prone at times. He takes chances, and that will certainly give the Redskins a chance to make plays against him.
With Peyton Barber and the Bucs’ run game not doing much, Fitzpatrick may be forced to air the ball out a lot in what could turn into a shootout. It wouldn’t surprise many if he threw for four scores, and it would surprise even fewer to see him turn the ball over a lot. But doing both? That would be one of the most Fitzpatrick-esque games ever.
The Redskins are going to break at some point in this game, but they will have their chance to make plays. At the end of the day, expecting four picks and four TDs from Fitzpatrick seems ludicrous, but it’s something that well could happen in this game. It may not be likely, but if we’re getting bold, we’ll expect to see some sort of crazy line from the Bucs QB. So, it’s within the realm of possibility.
It’s hard to say that the Redskins would be happy with this outcome but if they did this in a win, it would be worth it. We’ll have to see what happens come Sunday afternoon.