The Redskins have a major test coming up this week, and they’ll likely be playing from behind as a number of their players are currently banged up, and some are questionable to play.
Even if they were at full strength, it would be a tough game for Washington to win at home. With the New England Patriots coming to town as arguably the best squad in the NFL, the Redskins will have a tall task just to get into the end zone. To preview this matchup, we held a conversation with Lance Reynolds of Patriots Wire. We touched on Washington fans’ impressive ability to weather the storm, and a few ways in which the Redskins might find some success on Sunday. Check out the conversation below:
Zachary Neel: The Patriots have largely been successful off the backs of their defense so far this season, meaning that Tom Brady and the offensive players can operate with a good amount of wiggle room. Have you seen this dynamic change anything in the way that the Patriots are playing? Are they taking more chances on offense knowing that their defense can save them should they fail to convert?
Lance Reynolds: The Patriots defense has spectacular so far this season, leading the NFL in most major defensive statistical categories. The defensive unit definitely gives Tom Brady and the rest of the New England offense confidence that even if they fail to put points up on any given drive, they will be OK as long as the defense continues doing what it has done so far this season: keep opposing offenses out of the end zone.
With that said, though, head coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, along with Brady, really have not taken any more chances on offense than usual, even with knowing their defense can save them should they fail to convert. In fact, perhaps one of the most surprising facts in the NFL so far this season is that New England has yet to attempt a fourth-down conversion. I think a large reason for this is due to how highly productive rookie punter Jake Bailey has been. Belichick selected Bailey in the fifth round in this year’s NFL Draft, and the Stanford product has proven his worth.
Reynolds: The Redskins haven’t had a winning season since 2016 and they still missed the playoffs. They made the playoffs a year before but lost in the wild-card round in 2015. How have Washington fans tried to remain faithful? From the outside looking in, there seems to be a bunch of turmoil in the franchise.
Neel: If there were an award for “Most Fed-Up Franchise in All of Sports,” I think that the Redskins would win in a landslide. While they’ve put up with years of Dan Snyder, Bruce Allen and now Jay Gruden, the level of vitriol and disappointment felt after every loss is groundbreaking. Week after week, they watch the Redskins lose in some new and embarrassing fashion, they send out their #FireBruceAllen tweets, and they move on with their lives. It’s a different type of breed up in Washington.
Neel: All of the news right now is surrounding the kicker position in New England [veteran Stephen Gostkowski went on injured reserve this week]. It’s still a fresh departure, but what’s the vibe like in New England now that their Hall o -Fame kicker is no longer playing the role of Mr. Reliable?
Reynolds: Sunday will be the first time in a long time that the Patriots’ kicker will not be Stephen Gostkowski. He has played a role in each of the last three Super Bowl victories for New England, and although his season got off to a slow start, it will still be strange seeing someone else instead of SG3 lining up for kicks.
The vibe in New England is business as usual. Gostkowski was Mr. Reliable for the Patriots, but I don’t expect the drop-off in production between Gostkowski to replacement kicker Mike Nugent to be that dramatic. As long as Brady and the Patriots offense can drive the ball down the field, like they had been before a stagnant Week 4 showing, Nugent should be dependable to put up points.
Reynolds: At the time of the 2019 NFL Draft, it seemed like Washington may have gotten a steal with quarterback Dwayne Haskins from Ohio State. A lot of the talk on the draft’s aftermath was how the Giants selected Daniel Jones instead of Haskins. Jones has started his career 2-0, including a 24-3 win over the Redskins last week. Haskins appeared in last week’s loss against New York and threw three interceptions. What are vibes like amongst Washington fans regarding the quarterback situation, that apparently head coach Jay Gruden has yet to have a plan for, this week?
Neel: The Haskins situation is a complicated one at the moment. The Redskins drafted him while knowing that he would need at least a year to develop into a competitive asset, yet Gruden and the rest of the coaching staff is in a win-now situation, and they threw him into the game against the Giants last week despite saying all year that he wasn’t ready. Most fans know that Haskins can still be a franchise QB down the road, but last week’s premature performance sure didn’t inspire any confidence.
Neel: The Patriots were all the rage early on this season when they signed WR Antonio Brown, then he was later released after some [allegations] concerning his personal life came to light. You’ve covered this team closely — have you noticed a change in the team’s demeanor throughout the whole ordeal surrounding AB, or have things been relatively even-keel, as they usually are with the Patriots?
Reynolds: There were rumors that Brady and Belichick would have liked to hold onto Brown until the NFL made a decision on the future for the troubled wide receiver’s playing career. Outside of those rumors, which weren’t necessarily true, things have been relatively even-keel, as they usually are with the Patriots. Of course, Brown had been one of the most talented and dangerous wide receivers in the NFL for a while, and the duo of Brady and Brown could have made the New England offense perhaps one of the most explosive of all time. But the distractions that Brown was bringing to the Patriots locker room culture outweighed the pros of on-field production.
The bigger storyline for New England is how they will survive the next couple weeks without some of their key offensive players. Fullback James Develin was put on injured reserve last week, center David Andrews was lost before the season started, Gostkowski was put on injured reserve this week, and Isaiah Wynn is also missing time due to injury. Yes, the Patriots have a relatively easy schedule these next few weeks, but it will be worth watching to see how they overcome the holes amongst its offense.
Reynolds: Running back Derrius Guice missed all of last season due to a torn ACL. He got hurt in Week 1 and is expected to miss most of this season. What do you think is the future for the young running back, who is still just 22 years old?
Neel: Guice has been hampered with injury so far in his young career, which is too bad because he has shown the ability to be a dynamic ball carrier when healthy. He should return to the field sometime around Week 9-10 this year, and hopefully, he can hit the ground running and at long last get his career on track. Unfortunately, with a player who has suffered from so many injuries already, there is always more of a risk going forward.
Neel: We’re heading for an all-time mismatch on Sunday when the 4-0 Pats take on the 0-4 Redskins. Though Washington has yet to win a game, they aren’t completely incapable of production, and there have been a few positive signs from some young players on the roster. At the same time, we know that Bill Belichick as a defensive mastermind, and he is the best there is as taking away what his opponent does well. What’s the No. 1 thing that you think Belichick will key on this week in Washington?
Reynolds: Well, you heard Belichick earlier this week call Washington a great team with lots of skilled players even though the Redskins are still winless. He even complimented all three of Washington’s quarterbacks. So whether it’s Colt McCoy, Case Keenum or Dwayne Haskins taking snaps and running the offense for Jay Gruden this Sunday, Belichick isn’t taking this matchup lightly.
Rookie Terry McLaurin has played terrific to start his career, Adrian Peterson still has talent even with the 34-year-old running back averaging barely three yards per carry. But, I expect the Redskins offense to play rather conservatively and throw a lot of checkdown passes to Chris Thompson out of the backfield. With that said, I see Belichick making sure to crowd the box and try to take Thompson out of the game. He’d rather have whoever the Washington quarterback is to try to beat the New England defense through the air with deep passes outside.
Reynolds: The Redskins haven’t won a game yet this season. What have been the biggest positives for Washington through the season’s first four weeks? Are there any?
Neel: The only real positive is that Washington’s third-round pick, McLaurin, has looked like a world-beater so far. … He is the only receiver in history to have over six receptions and a touchdown in each of his first three career games. He seems to be the pass-catcher that the Redskins hoped they’d gotten when drafting Josh Doctson back in 2015. Aside from that, I guess you could consider the Redskins sinking so close to rock bottom that the owner might be forced to cut ties with some people in power as a positive because it will force change and bring with it hope. That’s something that Washington hasn’t had in a long time.
Neel: If I were to give you $100 to bet on this game and you could divide it between the spread (Patriots -16,) the moneyline (Patriots -1100,) or the over/under (42.5 points,) where would you put your action, and why?
Reynolds: I would put my money on the under 42.5 points. I do expect the Patriots to beat the Redskins rather easily and shut down their offense completely. But I can see New England getting out to such a big lead early and Sony Michel and the rest of the Patriots running backs controlling the clock.
