Washington Football Team studs and duds from Week 16 loss vs. Panthers
By Ian Cummings
Dud No. 3 – The offense without Terry McLaurin
There needs to be a balance of recognition and accountability when it comes to judging the Washington Football Team’s offense. Players like Cam Sims, Robert Foster, and Steven Sims made good plays on offense in Week 16, but none of them should be considered long-term premier contributors for the offense.
It’s clear that, in the receiving core, there’s only one premier weapon on the roster: Terry McLaurin. Logan Thomas has proven himself to be a valuable player at tight end, but Washington needs more players who can gain consistent separation. That was apparent on Sunday.
The passing attack was hampered by bad quarterback play for most of the game, but there were also a few times where it felt like Haskins was forcing the issue when nothing was there. He could have done a better job scanning the field, of course, but consistent separation was far less common without McLaurin.
This makes McLaurin’s status crucial for Week 17, no matter who plays quarterback. The second-year receiver stresses defenses with his presence alone, and without him, the receiving core is visibly limited.