Week 11 Reality Checks: Washington at Carolina

By Tim Payne | Nov 19, 2021

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 26: Antonio Gibson #24 of the Washington Football Team celebrates with Terry McLaurin #17, Chase Roullier #73 and Morgan Moses #76 after rushing for a 23-yard touchdown during the fourth 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) /

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Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports /

4. The Reality Is, you can’t let Christian McCaffrey beat you.

The best receiver on the Panthers is Christian McCaffrey. The most dangerous ball-carrier in the game is Christian McCaffrey. If Washington expects to come out of Charlotte with a victory, they must find ways to contain McCaffrey.

Unfortunately, McCaffrey versus Washington’s trio of linebackers (Holcomb, Davis, and Collins) is a matchup from hell. Jack Del Rio is going to need a creative approach to defending McCaffrey or he will eat these linebackers for lunch. Look for a rotation of players guarding McCaffrey whenever he lines up in the slot or is utilized as a check-down. Expect some use of a spy in man defense and a heavy shade his direction in any zone looks. No single player on this defense can guard him all game. But if Washington can’t stop him, they’ll suffer the same fate Arizona did last week.

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