Washington Football Team: Five positives and negatives from Week 7 win

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 25: Antonio Gibson #24 of the Washington Football Team runs with the ball in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at FedExField on October 25, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 25: Antonio Gibson #24 of the Washington Football Team runs with the ball in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at FedExField on October 25, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 25: Landon Collins #26 of the Washington Football Team strips the ball from Andy Dalton #14 of the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at FedExField on October 25, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 25: Landon Collins #26 of the Washington Football Team strips the ball from Andy Dalton #14 of the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at FedExField on October 25, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

Positive No. 1

Let’s get to Landon Collins right away.  We have been singling him out week after week as a negative, but he was nothing but a positive on Sunday.  A first quarter strip-sack produced a safety and the Washington never trailed in the game.  Collins would go on to have a good first half before a devastating injury ended his season.

Collins is obviously heading to the injured reserve list and he could have a lengthy recovery.  No, that is not a positive, but his aggressiveness in the first half was on display and it created an atmosphere of persistence and determination.  He set the tone on Sunday and the team responded with a total annihilation of the Cowboys.  Landon Collins was a definite positive on Sunday and we wish him well in his recovery.

Negative No. 1

Dustin Hopkins has become the model of inconsistency in recent weeks and he missed on a 44-yard field goal attempt with just under five minutes remaining in the game.  Yes, the game was comfortably in hand at that juncture, but the miss is still alarming.  The snap was perfect.  The hold was perfect.  The miss was wide right.  If the game was still in doubt, Hopkins could’ve been the reason why the game was lost.  Luckily for him, Washington had a substantial lead and his miss was inconsequential.

These inconsistencies from just inside 50 yards have been plaguing Hopkins for several weeks.  If this trend continues, it will have an effect on the outcome of a game or many games.  Perhaps it would be wise to bring in some competition during the bye.  Hopkins needs to improve in a quick way.  He was a negative on Sunday.