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Redskins vs. Texans: Week 11 offense and defense matchups, score prediction

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 21: Ryan Kerrigan #91 and Jonathan Allen #93 of the Washington Redskins react after a missed field goal by the Dallas Cowboys as time expired in the game at FedExField on October 21, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins won 20-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 21: Ryan Kerrigan #91 and Jonathan Allen #93 of the Washington Redskins react after a missed field goal by the Dallas Cowboys as time expired in the game at FedExField on October 21, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins won 20-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 21: Ryan Kerrigan #91 and Jonathan Allen #93 of the Washington Redskins react after a missed field goal by the Dallas Cowboys as time expired in the game at FedExField on October 21, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins won 20-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 21: Ryan Kerrigan #91 and Jonathan Allen #93 of the Washington Redskins react after a missed field goal by the Dallas Cowboys as time expired in the game at FedExField on October 21, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins won 20-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Redskins defense vs. Texans offense

There is one major area that the Redskins have to take advantage of on Sunday afternoon. The Texans’ biggest weakness is their offensive line. If the Redskins can get some pressure on Deshaun Watson, that will do a lot to help them win the contest.

Frankly speaking, the Texans don’t have much talent on the offensive line. Nick Martin, their center and Zack Martin‘s brother, is probably their best lineman. And even still, he is merely a solid starter. The edge players, Julie’n Davenport and Kendall Lamm, will struggle greatly to contain Redskins edge rushers Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith, so that is an area of opportunity for the team.

If Kerrigan and Smith can get going, that will open up more room for the team’s playmakers on the defensive line like Matt Ioannidis, Daron Payne, and Jonathan Allen to attack gaps and try to break through and get pressures of their own on the Texans’ second-year quarterback. If Watson is uncomfortable, he’s more likely to make mistakes. Plus, a solid pass rush would help to mask the weakness of the Redskins defense, which has been the secondary in the absence of Quinton Dunbar.

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Speaking of Dunbar, it will be important to see if he can get on the field this week. Dunbar has been a key cog in shutting down opposing receivers, and the Texans have a solid group at the position. DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best receivers in the league while Keke Coutee has emerged as a slot contributor. The recently acquired Demaryius Thomas may be on the decline, but he can still catch some passes.

If Dunbar plays, he will be key in helping to limit the outside receivers. But for now, it seems that Josh Norman would take on Hopkins while Fabian Moreau would be tasked with shutting down Coutee. That’s possible to accomplish, but Hopkins is borderline matchup-proof. Thus, getting some help from the pass rush and forcing more throws that could be jump balls or best would be in the best interest of the ‘Skins.

If Dunbar doesn’t suit up, Greg Stroman would likely get a chance to start. He’s coming off the best game of his young career, but he may not be ready to handle the receiving talent that the Texans have. If he starts, that will certainly be a matchup to watch.

Finally, the Redskins should have a chance to shut down the Texans run game. Again, they have a weak offensive line and Lamar Miller is a streaky player. He will be well-rested coming off a bye, but the Washington run defense is solid, so they should find success and at least slow the Texans down.

This is a neck-and-neck battle, but if the Redskins can get pressure on the Texans, they will have a great chance to win on this side of the ball. If they can’t, their secondary could continue to get picked apart. This truly is a coin-flip, so let’s hope that Greg Manusky has a solid plan in place for Sunday.

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