Five bold predictions for Washington Football Team vs. Ravens in Week 4

2. Montez Sweat logs two sacks, forced fumble against Lamar Jackson

There’s no easy way to slow down Lamar Jackson. But as the Chiefs demonstrated last week, it is possible.

It Washington is going to have any chance at slowing down the quarterback, they’re going to have to rely on a 6-foot-6 edge defender with insane length and sub-4.4 speed. That would be Montez Sweat.

As I outlined in a recent article, Sweat will be key in helping to set the edge, contain Jackson, and ultimately get pressure on the quarterback. Here’s what I said in that piece.

"Lamar Jackson has elite mobility and one of the ways that Washington would’ve been able to slow him down would’ve been by getting pressure on him up the middle from Ioannidis and on the edge from Young. The team can still pressure him a bit, but it won’t be quite as strong. And if even one D-Lineman loses up front, that will create lanes for Jackson to escape from. Jack Del Rio has to have his defensive line ready for this contest and in particular, Washington will be relying on Montez Sweat and Daron Payne up front. Sweat is coming off an excellent game against the Browns and he has rare athletic ability for a defensive end. He’ll be tasked with helping contain Jackson on one edge and if he can do that, it will limit the damage that Jackson can do. That’s much easier said than done, but at least Sweat has the athleticism and length needed to make some plays."

Sweat should respond to the challenge of chasing down Jackson well and build off the breakout game he had against the Browns. We’ll call for two sacks and a forced fumble from Sweat as he chases down Jackson. That won’t be easy to do, but if anyone can accomplish it, it’s the insane athlete from Mississippi State.