Washington Team Schedule Breakdown

May 18, 2021

by David Earl

Schedule was released . . . and it’s intriguing

Three key points immediately stood out from Washington’s 2021 schedule, released last week.   Factoring how the season ends, along with the challenges of first half of the season, is difficult.  In my view, the week 2 matchup versus the Giants is more important than some may think. There is no doubt Jack Del Rio and his defense will be challenged but Ryan Fitzpatrick is ultimately going to be vital in this team’s success. With several upgrades to the offense and potentially the best running game he’s ever had, Fitzpatrick just needs to be efficient (at the least) and give his playmakers an opportunity while avoiding any lengthy slum he’s accustomed to.

Five Game Gauntlet

Let’s jump right in and discuss the elephant in the room, which is an unprecedented final 5 game stretch against divisional opponents. The reactions to this were mixed with the obvious, “the NFL hates us”, making its rounds, but aside from the conspiracy theory rants, two of Washington’s rivals aren’t much better off either. The Cowboys finish 4 of their final 5 games against divisional opponents, and the Eagles have 5 of the final 6 games in the NFC East. In those games, team health could play a more vital role regardless of season performance to this point in the season. When looking at this perspective, having a deep defensive line unit and loading up on the offensive line this offseason, clearly gives Washington an advantage heading down the stretch over the Cowboys and Eagles.  As John Keim points out, an additional advantage is Ron Rivera himself – his Carolina Panthers were 11 games above .500 in December and January from 2011 through 2018.

One point I saw mentioned was the possible disadvantage of playing the Cowboys and Eagles twice so late in the year. With the Cowboys having a new defensive coordinator and the Eagles’ entirely new revamped coaching staff, entering that final stretch may be a competitive edge. As I understand the concerns, my perspective here is that it’s an advantage for Washington, as Ron Rivera and his staff will have 12 games of evaluations to prepare for these games. Jack Del Rio and Scott Turner are literally being given the answers to over 90% of the test for the Cowboys and Eagles, which include trends, tendencies, and weaknesses to exploit. Rivera will also have a complete idea of the team’s strengths and weaknesses heading into these matchups and can coordinate with his staff accordingly. I understand the frustrations some share about having this stretch of games essentially rendering the previous 12 games nearly irrelevant but I just don’t agree. If this staff gets the defense led by Chase Young to play at its potential and Ryan Fitzpatrick can just simply be a competent quarterback then there is absolutely no excuse for this team entering that 5 game stretch short of a serious injury problem.

In addition, there are the potential weather implications in 4 of these 5 games in which the depth of Washington’s offensive line could prove to be invaluable. The additions of Ereck Flowers and a healthy Saahdiq Charles (provided he enters the year as a guard) bolsters an interior offensive line that played surprisingly well last season. The solid production of Cornelius Lucas at left tackle, the drafting of Sam Cosmi, and the recent signing of Charles Leno Jr have given this team the kind of depth we haven’t seen in years. With the development of the offensive line and if Antonio Gibson can take that next step, the running game could prove vital in giving Washington a potential strong advantage in this stretch of the season, particularly if the weather becomes a major factor. A potentially dominant defense and a strong running game headed into the final 5 games has to make you wonder which team truly has the disadvantage. Simply put, there are zero excuses as this team needs to simply take care of business as they head into what could be a playoff push.

Week 2 vs. Giants Must Win?

Yeah I know: it’s May and I’m already talking about a must-win matchup, but hear me out for just a minute. In weeks 3 through 9 this team will be facing the likes of Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Russell Wilson, who are considered some of the best quarterbacks in the league. Buffalo and Tampa Bay are very balanced teams that feature loaded offenses accompanied by elite-level defensive units, while the Chiefs own arguably the most explosive offense in the league led by a great young quarterback in Mahomes. Two other games will feature two players who are just simply magic on the football field in Rodgers and Wilson. While the Saints are without Brees and Matt Ryan and the Falcons are probably being overlooked, these two games cannot be dismissed as both teams can absolutely put points on the board quickly and often. When looking over this stretch of games plus considering how Washington closes out the season, week 2 on prime time in a critical divisional game, and it’s important to get off to a good start. Considering just how rough the schedule is through week 10 and how the season starts against a young upstart quarterback in Justin Herbert and a solid defensive unit in the Chargers, this divisional week 2 game vs the Giants screams the importance of a win.

Season Kicked Off By Rookies Of The Year

The Washington vs Chargers matchup may not be the high-profile game of week 1 for the NFL but, for Washington fans, the interest runs a bit deep. Heading into the 2020 NFL draft with Washington at the number 2 pick the discussion was whether they would draft Chase Young or one of the other two quarterbacks in Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert. While I won’t use a revisionist history approach here, between the two quarterbacks, Tua absolutely dominated the conversations for Washington but history now shows that Herbert appears to be a franchise quarterback. Kicking off the 2021 season will likely fuel many debates and assertions that Ron Rivera made a mistake not recognizing the talent in Herbert. Will it be fair or even a warranted conversation? I say absolutely not but it will take away from the game itself.

Many need to be very careful not to write off this game as a win because this game will feature some very interesting matchups. Rashawn Slater, Chargers’ top overall pick, has a strong history against Chase Young in their matchups. He’s done a nice job neutralizing Young, so it will be a battle in the trenches. I’m sure Young will have circled the game considering how much his name was mentioned during the draft after Slater was picked and just how effective Slater was against him. While Chargers beat writer Chris Hayre rightfully mentions Keenan Allen vs William Jackson, I see Justin Herbert against Washington’s strong front seven as the key matchup. If Washington’s defensive line cannot apply pressure early and often, Herbert has the skillset to pick apart a defense and keep plays alive with his feet. Jackson may shut down Allen, but Herbert will have Austin Ekler, Mike Williams, and Jared Cook in order to move the ball effectively downfield. Speaking of Cook, will Jamin Davis be ready to cover tight ends? As we know this team has been dreadful against tight ends and if Jamin is not ready, and the front four is not applying pressure, the Chargers offense will be effective in moving the ball. This week 1 draw is just not as cut and dry easy some may think. Considering what lies ahead of Washington in weeks 3 through 10, Ron cannot allow this team to overlook the Chargers week 1.