Washington Football Team: Three keys to victory in Week 15 vs. Seattle

No. 1 – Get Dwayne Haskins into a rhythm early

The Washington Football Team has been historically bad at starting games this year. The Washington Football Team is still the only team in the NFL to not score on its opening offensive drive. Despite that stat, the team is in the midst of a four-game winning streak.

Why? They are a great second-half team. Their defense has allowed only 14 total points in the second half over the four-game winning streak. Combine that with the offense being led by Alex Smith, who performs relatively well in the second half, and you have a four-game heater on your hands.

Unfortunately for Washington, there is a problem with that formula against the Seahawks. Alex Smith won’t be starting, and against the Seattle Seahawks and Russell Wilson, shutting out that offense in the second half is unlikely.

The offense will need to score points early. To do so, getting Dwayne Haskins into a rhythm early and giving him early confidence will be crucial. A couple early three-and-outs or short drives ending in no points, and Dwayne Haskins could quickly flounder. Then the offense will have no chance.

Get Haskins in rhythm early. How do you do that? Go up-tempo and hurry-up early. That will keep the same personnel for Seattle on the field throughout the drive. This will allow Haskins to easily read the defense and make the game slow down for him.

You combine that with short, easy throws to start out, and you may have a formula for early success for Haskins. Early success for Haskins could give him the confidence for later in the game when you open the playbook up.

Getting Haskins into a rhythm early will be crucial. The coaching staff has said this week that they will have a plan made to tailor to Haskins’ strengths. That game plan needs to get Haskins in rhythm.