Washington Football Team reality checks, predictions for Week 9 vs. Giants
By Tim Payne
1. The Reality Is, Kyle Allen has a unique opportunity in the next four weeks.
Allen had his best game of the season in Week 7 against Dallas. Over the next four weeks, if he is able to build on that performance, he could take a massive step toward earning himself at least a legitimate chance of being Washington’s starter in 2021.
Four solid performances from Allen in the next four weeks will, most likely, lead to at least three wins. If Washington is 5-6 or better heading into December, it’s hard to imaging them not finding a way to win the division.
In the history of the NFL, there are only a handful of young, cheap quarterbacks who won their division and didn’t get the opportunity to defend that title the following year. Am I saying Allen should be the long-term starter in Washington? Not yet.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
If Allen manages to lead this Washington Football Team to three or four wins in November, while keeping the third-down conversion percentage up and the turnovers down, then you better believe the discussion about his potential to be more than a career backup will be hot and heavy.
I don’t see elite upside, but there’s enough talent and skill there to make Allen a quality starter for a long time if he’s able to keep building. The first step is to put together two good games in a row. He played very well against Dallas. Can he do so against New York this week? We’ll see.
My Prediction: I am not going to predict beyond this week, as there are just way too many factors. But I do believe Allen will have a strong performance against New York this Sunday. I expect the Washington offense to move the ball efficiently. Allen’s line will look something like 22-of-34 for 238 yards, one TD and one INT.