On Sunday, the Los Angeles Chargers will host the Washington Redskins. As it’s not a matchup we see that often, we’ve collaborated with our friends at Full Press Coverage – Redskins. Contributor JW Gravely has answered the following questions to give us an idea about this Redskins team.
The Redskins have had some injury issues surrounding the offensive line of late, including left tackle Trent Williams. It’s fair to say Los Angeles has one of the best, if not the best pass rush in the country. Does this group hold the key for victory on Sunday?
I think the key to the game for the Redskins will be their offensive line. If they can play up to par and hold off the pass rush from the Chargers, the Redskins win this game. Let’s be honest here, the Redskins must run the ball to succeed this week. The Chargers are 31st in run defense according to ESPN.com, so if Perine and company can get yards, I think it makes Kirk Cousins’ day a little easier to throw the ball.
WR Keenan Allen’s past three games have been engraved in the history books. Do you think there any way Josh Norman or any other Skins DB can stop him?
That will be a test this week, for sure. Norman is graded as one of the top corners in the league according to Pro Football Focus, but, can he slow down Allen alone? I think so, but he will need help from his back-end guys like Swearinger, Fuller, and Everett as well. It will be a team effort to slow him down.
Carrying on the secondary theme, you’ve got a couple of ballhawks in Kendall Fuller and D.J. Swearinger with 7 picks between them. What impact do you expect them to have against Philip Rivers?
It all depends really on if the ball gets thrown in the area they are covering on Sunday. I believe they can make an impact on the game, yes. But, how much of an impact will remain to be seen on Sunday. Let’s face it, Rivers is a top QB and is one of the most underrated QBs in the league, just because of the team he’s been on in his career. He is always a threat to lead a team from behind to get the win, and after what happened in New Orleans for Washington earlier in the season, it is not over until the clock strikes all zeros.
There’s been a lot made of opposition fans coming to StubHub Center this year and it will be the second trip to L.A. for Washington this year. Will your team be well represented on Sunday?
It all depends on the fans, to be honest. A lot of die-hards follow me on Twitter (@jwgravleyfpc), so I know they will be there. But the average fan I don’t think shows up for this game. However, it is the time of year where the Redskins can play spoiler so don’t be shocked to see some there.
The last three games of the season (Cardinals, Broncos, Giants) have fallen kindly for Washington. If they can get past the Bolts, is there any hope of a late dash for the playoffs, or was the loss in Dallas the end of the road?
You know, good question. The team knows they are on the outside looking in, but, they also know that if they win out and the other chips fall in the right place, they could make it to the postseason. As Jay Gruden stated, the team doesn’t give up and they will go out to win every game. However, a loss this Sunday will all but mathematically put them out of the playoffs.
What do you think the future holds for Kirk Cousins?
If I am Kirk, I see no reason to negotiate with the Redskins. I try the open market this offseason and know several teams will be looking for a good QB to lead their franchise. His expected market value is 5 years, $137.7 million with an annual salary of $27.5 million. Someone will pay that, I just don’t know if Bruce Allen and the Redskins will eat that contract when there are good QBs in the upcoming draft like Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Rosen. Also, the Redskins have holes on defense they need to fill so I think the main concern right now is trying to extend Zach Brown who leads the league in tackles currently.
Final prediction for the game?
Chargers 24, Redskins 14
Thank you very much to JW for answering our questions, you can find him on twitter @jwgravleyfpc. Here’s hoping for a good game on Sunday!
–Thomas Herd is a Deputy Editor and Staff Writer for Full Press Coverage Sports Media. He covers the Los Angeles Chargers. Follow him on Twitter @chargers_uk