Washington Football Team Week 17 Reality Checks vs. Eagles
By Tim Payne
5. The Reality Is, Washington is facing a true win-win on Sunday.
Last year, Washington lost in the season finale and ended up in position to draft Chase Young, the youngest team captain and Pro Bowler in team history. As much as fans don’t want to hear it, losing on Sunday wouldn’t be the worst possible thing for this organization. It would put them in position to draft superior talent across the entire draft and build into next season.
They will be out there playing to win. They will be motivated and led by Ron Rivera’s experience and resilience, Terry McLaurin’s professionalism and consistency, Alex Smith’s stability and perseverance, and Chase Young’s energy and example. If they win, they get to notch a major stepping stone toward a hoped-for future of consistent contention. If they lose, they get to add better players via the draft.
In either case, this team is ascending. Sunday will either be yet another launching point, or a minor setback with benefits. Will they make it 3-0 this season in nationally televised games, or will they gain valuable knowledge about how far they have to go?
Next. Grading the Washington Football Team's Week 16 performance. dark
My Prediction: Smith and Heinicke each operate a hobbled offense part-time. Led mostly by Antonio Gibson and a dominant offensive line, they manage just enough points to hold up their end of the bargain, while the defense bottles up Hurts and company just enough to hold on for a 23-21 victory.