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Three keys to a Washington Football Team victory vs. Panthers

By Jacob Troutman

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 20: Defensive end Chase Young #99 of the Washington Football Team looks on against the Seattle Seahawks at FedExField on December 20, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 20: Defensive end Chase Young #99 of the Washington Football Team looks on against the Seattle Seahawks at FedExField on December 20, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 26: Alex Smith #11 of the Washington Football Team looks to pass during the second quarter of a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 26, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 26: Alex Smith #11 of the Washington Football Team looks to pass during the second quarter of a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 26, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

No. 1 – Start fast

This first key to the game is something the Washington Football Team has been fascinatingly inept at doing: Having good starts. Through 14 games this year, they have a -91 point differential in the first half and have had double digit deficits at halftime in eight of the 14 games this year. And they still are the only team in the NFL to not score a single point on an opening drive in the 2020 NFL season.

That is something that cannot happen against the Panthers. The Washington Football Team is playing a team that has nothing to lose.  A bad start could snowball into an insurmountable deficit. Ask the Steelers how starting slowly against teams you should beat goes.

The Washington Football Team needs this game and on paper, they are the better team. Washington also has every reason to come out of the gate fired up. The off-the-field parade this week and it being Rivera’s old team should fire them up to put this week behind them with a win.

It is a trend that needs to be fixed and with the way second halves go for Washington, it would be a change that could lead to heightened success. Against the Panthers, there is absolutely no excuse to come out with poor execution.

Get out to a fast start and put the Panthers away. A team with nothing to play for will play you tough, but chances are, if they get punched early, they will fade. Start fast and do not let the Panthers make this a fight.

For once, Washington Football Team, start well. Maybe even score points on your first drive for the first time all season. Okay, maybe that is asking for a tad too much. Point stands, though. Come out of the gates strong.

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