After celebrating a strong win against Dallas, then losing a heartbreaker in overtime to Houston, the Redskins should feel that their upcoming season has some serious potential.
Despite the tough loss against the Texans, in which quarterback Matt Schaub threw for an astounding 497 yards, the Redskins showed something which they have lacked for the past decade: a passing game. Former Eagle Donavan McNabb threw for 426 yards and a touchdown to tight end Chris Cooley. Although McNabb received criticism in the pre-season for being too old and out of his prime, his touch is still greatly effective and he will play a key part in getting the team into the playoffs.
When looking at their upcoming game against the Rams, however, the Skins will need to bring their best game in order to be victorious. The first overall pick of the 2010 NFL draft, quarterback Sam Bradford, runs the offense and Steven Jackson poses as a serious rushing threat.
Additionally, history tells us that the Redskins don’t do so well against rookie quarterbacks. Last season, the team lost to the winless Lions, captained by then rookie Matt Stafford. Also, in 2008, the team fell to the Ravens in Joe Flacco’s first season in the league. The Redskins have a tendency to underestimate rookie quarterbacks, and they will need to kick the habit if they want to win this season.
The Redskins also bring along a new defense run by Jim Haslett, who will make his first return to St. Louis since his head-coaching stint in 2008. Injured safety Kareem Moore, who can play a big role in the team’s secondary, is expected to start and make his season debut. Albert Haynesworth, who was inactive against the Texans, is also expected to get some playing time.
Looking forward to the rest of the season, the Redskins have a somewhat tough schedule as they will be facing teams such as the Colts, Vikings and Packers.
With a whole new offense and a newly controlled defense, the Redskins will have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs, which they haven’t done since 2007.