Redskins vs. Eagles: 5 keys to victory on Monday night

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FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 9 : Colt McCoy #12 of the Washington Redskins makes a pass during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium on August 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

No. 1 – Redskins must get an efficient game out of Colt McCoy

While he did see some spot relief duty the week before, Colt McCoy started his first game since 2014 against the Cowboys and did some great things. He also showed the rust of someone who hasn’t started in a few years.

Not helping things was the fact that McCoy got no practice reps before the Dallas game because of the short week. That makes it tough to build a rapport with someone or work on timing routes when you’re not getting any reps with them. Timing is so important, especially when making anticipatory throws to where guys will be. Having a week of practice will help with this.

One area that Colt McCoy must improve upon this week is turnovers. Up until the Dallas game, the Redskins had been outstanding at winning the turnover battle. This was not the case against the Cowboys, as they turned it over three times without a takeaway. This cannot happen against the Eagles.

McCoy must do a better job this week of protecting the ball. While he did not put up big numbers, Alex Smith won a lot of games by not turning the ball over. McCoy needs to follow suit and play an efficient game by taking what the defense gives him. He must find a way to get his playmakers involved without giving the ball away. He can still try to push the ball downfield, but he has to be smart and know when to take his chances.

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