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Washington Football Team vs. Ravens Week 4 preview, matchups to watch, score prediction

By Jacob Camenker

Aug 29, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins (7) and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) shake hands after the game at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 29, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins (7) and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) shake hands after the game at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 27, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) just misses a catch in the end zone during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) just misses a catch in the end zone during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

Washington offense vs. Baltimore defense

Dwayne Haskins is coming off a very bad performance against the Browns. Now, he’ll get a chance to bounce back and if he can beat the Ravens on defense, that would certainly leave a better taste in the mouth of Washington fans everywhere.

The Ravens have a solid defense. It’s not an elite one like we’ve seen them have in years past, but they have very good players at every level of the defense. Their defensive line is their biggest strength thanks to Brandon Williams, Calais Campbell, and Derek Wolfe. They have only one good pass rusher in Matt Judon, but that unit is still the defense’s best.

The back seven is good as well. Marlon Humphrey has turned into a solid starting corner. His running mate, Marcus Peters, freelances too much at times, but he also makes a lot of splash plays. And first-round pick Patrick Queen has the tools needed to be a good linebacker at the next level.

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With all that said, Haskins is going to have to find a weakness in the Ravens defense. It’s not easy to do so, but perhaps if Terry McLaurin can match up against Peters, he’ll have a chance to break some big plays. If Peters bites hard on a double move, there could be some downfield plays to be made, so look for Haskins and McLaurin to try to take advantage of that.

Meanwhile, Logan Thomas could also play a role in this game. Yes, he has fewer than 100 receiving yards through three games, but he has been targeted 24 times and could do some damage against the middle of the Ravens’ defense which is young outside of linebacker LJ Fort. If Thomas can settle into pockets of space there, Haskins may be able to get the ball to him.

Of course, that will involve his line blocking well for him. That’s easier said than done against Baltimore’s front, but if the team can at least slow the pass rush down and if Haskins can release the ball quickly, they should have a chance to mitigate the effects that pressure may otherwise have. Geron Christian and Wes Martin will bear watching in this area, as they’ll likely go up against Judon if the Ravens move him around the defense.

The run game will be tougher for Washington to get going. Antonio Gibson should get a bulk of the carries because of his versatility with JD McKissic mixing in as a change-of-pace option. They have the speed and elusiveness needed to make plays, but the Ravens’ front seven may be up to the task of stopping them.

Overall, this will be a tough test for Washington. It’s one they can win, but it’s not going to be easy for Haskins and Co. to move the ball. If they want to do that, they’ll have to come out, run some tempo, and get the Ravens defense off balance to start the game.

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