Washington Football Team: 3 keys to beating the Falcons

1. Establish the run early

The Washington Football Team cannot afford to keep getting off to slow starts. Not only have they allowed opening drive touchdowns in each game this season, but they’ve yet to score on their first possession in any game, too.

That isn’t conducive to long-term success, especially with the caliber of quarterback that awaits on the schedule. If you start of slow against Mahomes, Rodgers, Wilson and Tom Brady, they will make you pay.

That’s what makes it imperative for Washington to establish the run vs Atlanta, which ranks 19th in rushing defense (118.3 yards per game).

The fact that Antonio Gibson has just 190 yards on the ground through three games is almost criminal. The second-year RB should be a cornerstone of the offense and he’s yet to log more than 20 carries in a single game.

That should change Sunday against the Falcons. Their numbers against the run suggest they actually hold up well. On the contrary, though, Atlanta’s passing defense has been so egregious that teams haven’t needed to run against them.

The way Washington’s secondary has looked, they cannot afford to ask Taylor Heinicke to drop back to pass 35 times. That runs the risk of more three and outs, AKA the defense spending more time on the field, and nobody wants that.

If Gibson gets cooking early, the WFT should roll on Sunday.

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