The Washington Redskins are taking on the Philadelphia Eagles to kick off the 2019 NFL season. Here are some bold predictions for the contest.
The first game of the 2019 Redskins season is almost here. After a long offseason of change, the team will debut their 53-man roster. And for the first time since Week 17 of the 2018 season, the team will have a chance to play in an actual NFL game that counts.
Of course, that isn’t going to be easy. They have a tough schedule to start off the season. And in their first contest, they will travel to Lincoln Financial Field to take on their divisional rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles are coming off two consecutive postseason appearances (including a Super Bowl title two seasons ago) and have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL. They also have a great coach in Doug Pederson, so he should have them ready to play.
The Redskins are going to need a superlative effort to take down the Eagles. But in a divisional clash, anything is possible. And some crazy things could happen. A win may not be in the cards for Washington, but here’s a look at five bold predictions for what could happen in the Redskins vs. Eagles game in Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season.
5. Landon Collins records 10-plus tackles to lead the team
The Redskins shelled out quite a bit of money to get Landon Collins on their roster. And early indications are that the returns will be good.
It was always known that Collins was a smart, instinctive player with the Giants. It was also well-known that he wanted to play with the Redskins when he was first drafted. He is now getting a chance to do that and he has settled into his role in the secondary very nicely.
Collins was a heat-seeking missile during the preseason and did a great job of impacting plays. He reacts extraordinarily quickly to running plays and that’s one of the reasons that he has averaged over 100 tackles per season from the safety position in his four years in the NFL.
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The Redskins needed a do-it-all safety in the defensive backfield, especially after having to part with D.J. Swearinger after he repeatedly clashed with the coaching staff. Collins gives them that and he could really transform their defense and turn them into a top-10 unit.
Additionally, Collins should have a chance to be their top tackler. The Redskins figure to rotate quite a few different guys in and out at the linebacker position, so unless one of them (Jon Bostic or Shaun Dion Hamilton would be the top bets) gets extra playing time, Collins could really be the stand-up player in the box that stops a lot of run plays. And against the Eagles, he should have a chance to make quite a few tackles, especially if the Redskins defense is on the field as much as people are expecting.
Overall, seeing Collins notch double-digit tackles and really impress in his first game in the burgundy and gold would be nice. He should be the leading tackler on Sunday afternoon and get his Redskins tenure started off properly.
4. Derrius Guice averages fewer than 3.5 yards per carry
Derrius Guice looked really good in his first NFL preseason action since tearing his ACL in the 2018 preseason opener. He averaged 4.0 yards on 11 carries against the Atlanta Falcons and showed off the shifty running, elusive running ability that could allow him to be a big-time playmaker at the NFL level.
However, the Eagles are a different animal than the Falcons. Yes, their mascots are both birds, but their defensive fronts are quite different as well.
The Eagles have Fletcher Cox, Malik Jackson, Tim Jernigan, and countless other quality players set to be on their defensive line. These players excel in all facets of the game, and they should make it difficult for Guice to find much running room. He could find some lanes, but if the Redskins can’t pass much and the Eagles stack the box, Guice could also have a number of carries where he doesn’t really go anywhere.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that the uncertainty on the left side of the offensive line could limit Guice. While Donald Penn and Ereck Flowers were better against the run than the pass in the preseason, they still weren’t perfect. And if Flowers, in particular, has issues, that could capsize any shot that Guice has at success fairly quickly.
The first game of Guice’s NFL career doesn’t figure to be a great one. He should average fewer than 3.5 yards per carry and though he could still make some big plays and will factor into the receiving game, this doesn’t figure to be one of his better outings.
3. Ereck Flowers allows two sacks, commits two penalties
What we know about the Redskins offensive line is that the right side of the line should be fine. The left side, however, is a different story.
With Trent Williams holding out, the left tackle position will be manned by veteran Donald Penn. He should manage, but the 36-year-old may be the worst opening day starter the team has had at left tackle in the last 20 years. And at guard, things aren’t much better.
Ereck Flowers is taking over as the starter there. While the former New York Giants first-round pick has the talent needed to be a quality blocker, he simply doesn’t have a lot of experience at guard. Even to begin 2019 training camp, the team was forced to use him at left tackle because Williams wasn’t there, they didn’t have Penn, and Geron Christian was dealing with an injury. That stunted his growth and while he has shown improvement over the course of the offseason, he hasn’t done enough to prove that he can be a solid starter yet.
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Still, the ‘Skins are rolling with him in the opener. And against a talented Eagles defensive front, that could be a problem.
Flowers might have trouble maintaining solid technique and has a tendency to stay high in his stance. That could allow Fletcher Cox to push him into the backfield easily if the Eagles choose to put him across from Flowers, which they should. Flowers will be no match for Cox, and he could allow a couple of sacks and commit some penalties to stop the bleeding as well. Expecting two of each is a bit bold, but it’s certainly plausible.
If Flowers can’t block the Eagles front very well, his performance could lead some Redskins fans to long for the good old days where Shawn Lauvao was the starter. That’s certainly saying something.
And, of course, if Flowers does have issues in this role, it will only make the shouts for fourth-round rookie Wes Martin to take over as the starting left guard louder.
2. Daron Payne leads the team with two sacks
Daron Payne was excellent as a rookie for the Redskins. He showed off his terrific athletic ability and showed that he could be a quality pass rusher, something that was an overblown knock on him coming out of school. All told, he finished the season with 56 tackels and 5.0 sacks.
But this year, he could have an even bigger campaign.
With Payne having another offseason to grow and improve his game, he already would’ve been in for a solid season. But the team drafted Montez Sweat in the first round to help add further pass rushing depth to their already great defensive line and edge rusher group. Sweat, Jonathan Allen, Ryan Kerrigan, and Matt Ioannidis will all help to take attention away from Payne. And that could give him a chance to break out.
Against the Eagles, Payne will have a tough-looking matchup on paper. Jason Kelce is one of the league’s better centers and Brandon Brooks has been a Pro Bowl guard in the past. That said, Brooks is coming off a torn Achilles and the team’s other guard, Isaac Seumalo, is merely decent at best. Payne could get a chance to match up against those players frequently and can bully them with his unique combination of size, speed, and strength. And if he can get pressure up the middle, he should have a chance to sack Carson Wentz a couple of times.
In this contest, I expect Payne to record multiple sacks. If he can do that, it would be the first time in his career that he ever recorded more than one sack in a game. That’s what makes this prediction bold, especially since there will be plenty of other candidates looking to start their seasons strong by notching early sacks.
1. Redskins only manage single-digit points
There aren’t a lot of Redskins fans that are going to like me for this prediction. But, I truly think it’s possible that the Washington offense could struggle out of the gate.
At the moment, they have virtually no experience in the receiving corps. The five receivers not named Paul Richardson on this squad have combined to play in four NFL games and have exactly nine catches. While they have plenty of upside and could produce some quality playmakers, they may have growing pains before they can reach a productive level. And with Jordan Reed questionable for the game, the team’s top tight end, Vernon Davis, will only be able to do so much, as the Eagles may key in on him as a top target.
Elsewhere, the left side of the offensive line is still a major work in progress. Ereck Flowers struggled mightily in pass protection during the preseason, so he could allow a lot of pressure against a great Eagles front seven. Donald Penn, while experienced at left tackle, is no Trent Williams and still needs to shake off the rust. So, if the left side of the line is only mediocre, that could really cap the passing game’s upside.
Also, it’s worth noting that the team’s first-string offense didn’t produce much in the preseason either. Case Keenum played 11 drives in the preseason and was only able to help the team generate 13 points on those drives. He was efficient, but ultimately, the lack of quality protection and solid receivers to target hamstrung his ability to move the ball when they got closer to the Redskins. And with those two problems still prevalent, the offense may struggle to move the ball once again.
I think the Redskins defense will keep them in the game early while the offense gets some field goals to keep it close. But I’m predicting that the ‘Skins are only able to notch 9 points. And that’s a number that a well-rounded Eagles team should be able to beat.