Five bold predictions for Redskins vs. Bills in NFL Week 9

1. Dwayne Haskins has as many touchdowns as turnovers

This would actually be a big positive for Haskins. The rookie is making his first start after largely struggling through two tours of mop-up duty earlier in the season. That said, it’s unfair to judge him based on those two games, as he has yet to have a true start at the NFL level. This will be his first chance to do so, but it’s not an easy one by any means.

The Bills sport a tough defense, and they will surely test Haskins early and often in this one. If they can get home with some pressure, Haskins will need to make quick decisions and avoid holding onto the ball too long. That hasn’t been a strength of his so far, but perhaps with better preparation he’ll be in better shape.

During the preseason, Haskins showed notable improvement from game to game. It’s hard to say if he improved between his two outings at the NFL level, as he was playing as a reserve and faced a very weak defense to start and then a much tougher one. But if he mimicks his production from the preseason, he should at least be better.

All told, if Haskins can avoid mistakes and at least match the amount of turnovers he produces with touchdowns, the game will be viewed as a solid one for him and it could be the first stepping stone for him becoming a solid starter at the NFL level.

We’ll soon know if Haskins actually is ready, but this will be his biggest, most important test to date as he looks to stake his claim as the starter moving forward.