There was a lot of hype surrounding the Washington Football Team entering the 2021 season. The defending NFC East champions boasted one of the top defenses in the NFL and added veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in the offseason to upgrade the game’s most important position.
In Sunday’s Week 1 loss to the Chargers, Washington lost Fitzpatrick for the next 6-8 weeks with a hip injury. And, that vaunted defense allowed Los Angeles to convert on 14 of 19 third-down attempts.
Ouch.
In the latest USA TODAY Sports power rankings, Washington drops two spots from No. 19 to No. 21.
Here’s what Nate Davis had to say about Washington.
21. Washington (19): QB Ryan Fitzpatrick set a record by making a Week 1 start for his sixth different club before sustaining a hip injury likely to cost him at least half the season. But it could be a silver lining for the WFT as it takes an extended look at Taylor Heinicke, who could have a long-term future here.
While the injury to Fitzpatrick is unfortunate on so many fronts, it does give Washington an extended chance to see if there is something to Taylor Heinicke. Heinicke can play, but is he better served in a backup role? We are going to find out.
Meanwhile, this week’s opponent, the New York Giants, are ranked No. 30 in the power rankings.
