Washington Football Team Reality Checks – Week 5 vs. Rams

1. The Reality Is, Kyle Allen is not a world-beater.

If you fall in the category of Washington Football Team fans who felt Dwayne Haskins should never have been drafted in the first round, you might be eagerly anticipating the Kyle Allen era. And if you’re opposed to the benching, you may still be optimistic that Allen will give the Washington offense a boost, at least in the short-term.

Allen can be expected to know more about the ins and outs of Scott Turner’s offense. He can also be expected to have more “extend the play” in him, which he’ll need with Chase Roullier and Wes Schweitzer banged up and facing Aaron Donald.

But make no mistake: Allen’s ceiling is not nearly as high as Dwayne Haskins’. In fact, many of the beat writers who got to watch a portion of training camp said Allen was less sharp than both Haskins and Alex Smith during those practices.

Based on Allen’s play last year, it’s reasonable to expect more highs and lows from the quarterback position in the coming weeks. But I expect a solid performance from Allen this week.

My Prediction: Allen takes a couple sacks, seeking to extend plays, but otherwise operates with timing and rhythm, with a bit more accuracy than we’re used to seeing. Expect a 22-35 day for Allen with 246 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 fumble lost.