It’s time to get bold, as the Washington Redskins gear up to take on the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.
I’m something like one for ten on the year with my cumulative week-by-week bold predictions. Folks, we’re entering scattershot territory. But that doesn’t mean we’re gonna stop.
That said, with the Washington Redskins bottom-tier offense and defense set to take on Chicago’s league-worst offensive attack, it seems as though getting bold might not be an authorized plan of action in this case. But there’s always room for a little imagination.
So, when getting bold seems impossible, what bold predictions can we derive from the circumstances? Turn the page, and take a look at our bold predictions for the Redskins Week 3 matchup against the Bears!
No. 5 – Redskins and Bears combine for less than 35 points combined
In my game preview for the Redskins matchup with the Bears, I gave a score prediction of 19-15, with the Bears coming out on top. For now, I stand by that score prediction, as well a combined points total of under 35.
It stands to reason that when two suspect offenses face off against one another, there isn’t going to be a fire sale on fireworks. But the Bears have been particularly anemic over the past two weeks with Mitchell Trubisky at the helm, and the Redskins, still trying to find their rhythm in the midst of flashes, can’t afford to have their momentum halted by a stout Bears front.
All that said, something’s got to give, and the Redskins underachieving defense could be what the Bears offense needs to get going. But until Trubisky starts making the right reads and executing properly, it could be a long game for both offensive units.
No. 4 – Redskins QB Case Keenum throws two interceptions
Case Keenum has done a decent job playing it safe with the football this season, and he’s been the quality bridge many expected him to be. He certainly hasn’t been an unequivocal negative, but to say he’s been an absolute positive might be grasping at straws.
With the Redskins sitting at 0-2, it’s easy to look for silver linings, and Keenum’s touchdown-to-interception ratio of 5-0 qualifies. But Keenum’s stats inflate the positive production he’s had thus far. In his best moments, he’s made timely plays, and he’s been the cog to complete an underrated passing attack. In his worst moments, he’s been inconsistent and replaceable, limiting the offense’s potential and tossing would-be-interceptions at a startling clip, particularly against Dallas.
It’s hard to know what to expect from Keenum in Week 3, but optimists should be weary. The Bears defense is still the menacing unit it was last season, and the team as a whole is tied for No. 7 in the NFL in sacks, with 7.0 through two weeks. Khalil Mack, Leonard Floyd, Akiem Hicks, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Eddie Goldman have all been getting consistent pressure, and they’ll bring the heat against Washington’s offensive line.
We’ve already seen flashes of volatility from Keenum this season, and that volatility could be brought to the forefront by Chicago’s front seven. Keenum traditionally doesn’t perform well against pressure, with his 2017 season being an outlier, and he doesn’t historically perform well on Monday nights, either. Note that the sample size is low, but Keenum has played in four Monday night games in his career. In those games, he’s 1-3, 78 for 126 passing, for 717 yards, three touchdowns, and five picks.
If the competition wasn’t what it is on this coming Monday, perhaps Keenum could break the trend. But the Bears will bring pressure, and get pressure, and they’ll make Keenum uncomfortable, forcing him to make mistakes.
No. 3 – Redskins CB Josh Norman logs an interception, rebounds after Week 2
Matt Nagy is a good offensive mind, and he’ll no doubt attempt to exploit the matchup between Josh Norman and Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson. Robinson will get his opportunities against Norman. And Norman will get opportunities to rebound after a down Week 2.
At this point, Norman isn’t going to mount a career rejuvenation. He is what he is; a decent starting cornerback who’s at his best in a specific role, a role which he doesn’t always get to play in Greg Manusky’s scheme. Norman is slowly getting fazed out of the league by faster receivers, and in a game where separation is key, he’s getting exposed.
That said, Monday night will be a chance for Norman to rebound under the lights, and show the nation he still has something left in the tank. Allen Robinson isn’t much faster than Norman (he ran a 4.60 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine), and his quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky, has been anything but consistent this year.
With Robinson being Trubisky’s No. 1 target (he’s been targeted 20 times in two games), look for Trubisky to continue to fire shots in Robinson’s direction. And in a more favorable separation matchup, where speed doesn’t render Norman’s physicality inert, look for Norman to impose himself, snag an interception off of an ill-advised Trubisky pass, and get a much-needed confidence booster.
No. 2 – No one gets injured
For the Redskins, in any game, this is about as bold as it gets.
There’s no specific reasoning behind this prediction, other than the notion that the Redskins have to be due for a clean game, health-wise, after they’ve had well over 50 players go on injured reserve over the past 34 games. They have to be due for one. Right?
Whatever the case, the Redskins can’t afford a bad game in this area. They’re already down several starters, including Jordan Reed and Quinton Dunbar (most likely), and more injuries would simply compound the blow of their absences.
If it only gets worse, don’t blame the jinx. It was going to happen anyway. But if there’s one thing the Redskins could use, almost more than a win itself, it’s a game with clean health.
No. 1 – Redskins WR Terry McLaurin scores for a third straight week
Terry McLaurin showed that his Week 1 breakout wasn’t a fluke against the Cowboys, when he held his own against Byron Jones, one of the best, most athletic up-and-coming young cornerbacks in the NFL.
Through two weeks, McLaurin has ten receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Fun fact: He’s the only rookie since Calvin Johnson to log over 60 yards and a score in his first two NFL games. It’s safe to say he’s on a torrid pace for a rookie. And he’s only getting started.
Call it a bold prediction; I call it business as usual. McLaurin will score for a third straight week against the Bears. It could be a long touchdown to open up the game and help Washington jump out to an unsustainable lead. It could be a touchdown late to bring the Redskins close, but not close enough. Either way, the Redskins offense will need to convert. And they’ll turn to their No. 1 receiver to do so.
What do you think about this week’s bold predictions? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below, and fire off any premonitions you have for Monday night’s bout with the Bears!