After a long offseason, the Washington Redskins season kicks off this Sunday against a familiar division rival as they travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles.
It’s finally back! Real football starts this Sunday. It’s the chance for every die-hard Redskins fan to get their fix watching them back in action. With it being the first game of the season, fans for every team have excitement pumping through their veins while saying that this is their year.
Us Redskins fans are no different. Whether or not you believe they’ll be a Super Bowl contender should not take away from the excitement of getting to watch the burgundy and gold get back on the field. Washington has a chance right away to make a statement with a win against a division rival and a team that some have making the Super Bowl.
The Eagles beat the Redskins twice last year, including a humiliating Week 17 win in which they took over FedExField and made the playoffs. They have an MVP candidate at quarterback, quality along both lines, and a Super Bowl-winning head coach. The ‘Skins will be eager to get revenge, but they have little room for error. Here are five keys to victory on Sunday as they look to start their season strong.
1. Redskins must get Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson their touches
Trent Williams is not going to play week 1. However, things might change in the future. Without Williams, the team is going to have to stay committed to the run, and the offensive line must step up and keep grinding, even if they don’t have success early on against a very talented Eagles’ defensive line. It is important so they don’t become one-dimensional.
After missing all of last season, Derrius Guice saw his first action in the third preseason game and looked as if his ACL injury never happened. He looked decisive, explosive, and appears to be a big part of the Redskins’ offense this year. He had 11 carries for 44 yards against Atlanta in his preseason debut. Guice should look to get at least 11 carries this game, if not closer to 15.
With a healthy Guice, Adrian Peterson is not going to need to carry the team this year like last year. However, he is still going to need to get some touches to keep Guice fresh and provide a change of pace. With Guice now ahead of him on the depth chart, somewhere around eight carries is realistic for Peterson.
Staying committed to the run and getting them their carries will help wear down a stout Eagles’ front, and help take the pressure off of Case Keenum while controlling the clock.
2. Redskins must get Case Keenum some easy completions early and in rhythm
Speaking of Case Keenum, it is going to be up to Kevin O’Connell to get some easy completions for him and get him into a rhythm early and his confidence up. Keenum can be a streaky quarterback, so it is essential he starts fast. Getting the ball out quickly against the talented Eagles’ pass rush is also going to be pivotal to keeping Keenum upright throughout the game.
Keenum has some good playmakers around him so he should be looking to get the ball into their hands and let them make something happen after the catch. Keenum is a solid veteran, but he is not good enough to win a game by himself. He is much better playing within an offense than carrying one.
The Redskins’ offense did not look great during the preseason (not that the preseason matters) but, it was a little worrisome how they seemed to stagnate at times with Keenum under center. Keenum did make some nice plays and must be looking to make quick, decisive throws this week. If KOC can get Keenum dialed in and the quarterback has a productive day, he will put Washington in a position to win this game.
3. Redskins must keep the talented Eagles’ pass rush at bay
As talented as the Redskins’ defensive line is, the Philadelphia line might be just as good. Their rotation is just as deep too. Fletcher Cox is just a step below Aaron Donald and can absolutely wreck a game from the interior. Tim Jernigan is a proven veteran, and they also signed Malik Jackson during the offseason to help bolster an already solid interior.
The ‘Skins replaced the often injured Shawn Lauvao this offseason with Ereck Flowers, who has not looked good up to this point while he continues his transition to guard. Brandon Scherff had his season cut short last year, but is still among the best guards in the league while center Chase Roullier should be looking to take that next step this season. The interior must handle the rush and give Keenum a clean pocket in which to step up and throw.
On the edge, Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, and Vinny Curry can all get after the quarterback. They can all collapse the pocket fast. It will be up to Donald Penn and Morgan Moses to keep those talented edge rushers off Keenum. If the Redskins line cannot hold up against the Eagles pass rush, they probably aren’t going to win the game because the offense won’t be able to sustain drives.
4. Redskins must get pressure on Carson Wentz
Carson Wentz was in the middle of another solid season last year before he went down for the season with a back injury. When healthy, he is among the best quarterbacks in the league and is a potential MVP candidate. He has had the last couple of seasons cut short due to injury and will be looking to make a statement right away in 2019.
The Redskins have made a considerable investment along the defensive line the last couple of seasons, and it is now the strongest position group on the team. Jonathan Allen had eight sacks last season while Matt Ioannidis had 7.5. Daron Payne quietly added five. This group must get penetration against a talented Eagles’ offensive line.
Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat must have big games as well. Jason Peters and Lane Johnson are two of the best bookend tackles in the league. Kerrigan and Sweat must win these tough matchups and make Wentz uncomfortable back there. They cannot let the potential MVP candidate sit back and pick his targets, because he has the talent to make the Redskins pay.
5. Redskins must win the turnover battle
While winning the turnover battle should be a point of emphasis every week, the Redskins must win this battle this week. The Eagles are among the most talented teams in the league while the Redskins are still building a competitive roster. When playing a team with more talent, as is the case with Philly, turnovers can be the deciding factor for the game.
One thing the defense and special teams units did a great job of during the preseason was force turnovers. From Jimmy Moreland making plays at the goal line to Robert Davis recovering one of the two fumbles off of Tress Way punts, it appeared as if someone was always ready to make a play when there was one to be made. Montae Nicholson’s pick-six was arguably the best play of the preseason.
Washington’s defense figures to be among the better defensive units in 2019. One thing Wentz has done an excellent job of since coming into the league is protect the football. The defense must be opportunistic and try to force Wentz and company into at least two turnovers. Three would be outstanding. If they can force Wentz into some uncharacteristic turnovers and give the Redskins’ offense with some short fields to work with, they have an excellent chance of winning this game.
We’ll soon see if this ends up happening, as the Eagles and Redskins kick off their respective NFL seasons at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.