FREE Agency rounds 1 and 2 have passed, as has the Draft. At this point, teams have basically added all their desired starters and key depth. Now it’s just a matter of seeing who everyone loses between now (with stupid vacation injuries), and the end of Training Camp. This article assumes the Eagles operating at their peak vs rivals operating at their peak, for 17 straight weeks.
Here, is how the Eagles can sweep the NFC East in 2019. Today we’ll talk about the Redskins.
Ha-ha! Just a joke. Collins doesn’t cover WR’s. Wait. Is it doesn’t or can’t?
Defensively, the Redskins ranked in the middle of the pack last year, giving the impression that their defense is a building block. Nope. Typically teams that lean heavy on their run game and get production from it, are practically immune from falling into the lower one-third (21st to 32nd) in defensive rankings. Those teams simply hold the ball too long for opponents to rack up yards. Sort of a statistical sleight of hand.
Between two QB’s last year, the Eagles hung 52 points and 527 passing yards on this team, despite not having a balanced attack. In response to that, and the Eagles adding the NFL’s #1 deep threat, the Redskins ran out and overpaid for in the box SS Landon Collins, without benefit of a FS to balance the back-end out. Seriously, they did that. Honestly, the Redskins should give free tickets to firefighters, just so someone will be there to put their secondary out this season.
The Redskins 3-4 system has allowed the Eagles an average of 26.3 points per game since Doug Pederson became the Eagles Head Coach. The lowest number of points being 20, and the highest being 34. That isn’t a ton of deviation, which implies that the Eagles system simply has the number of the Redskins system. The Eagles simply have to run their offense and the points will be there waiting for them.
Offensively prior to the Draft, the thinking was that QB Case Keenum would get the starting nod in 2019. However, the Redskins spent their first round pick (15th overall) on QB Dwayne Haskins. Despite all the hoopla surrounding Haskins during mini-camp, there has been no clear indication that he’ll get the nod. This was muddied further by a June 20th report that QB Colt McCoy could still win the starting job, in 2019.
Starting job! Keep your eye on the starting job.
No clear starter means no offseason workouts at the QB’s hacienda before training camp. That means a lag in chemistry. That means gaps in leadership and other players NOT buying in.
If the Redskins already have chemistry and leadership issues, they will fare poorly vs an Eagles team running the same defensive system, which surrendered just 13 points to the ‘skins, in two games last year. Especially with fewer injuries during week one, as the opening day dance partner for whoever plays QB. Get some pressure and the miscues will become turnovers.
Objectively speaking, even at optimal, the Redskins may be in a worse place than they were when the Eagles swept them in 2018. Which is scary because the Eagles have since improved.
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