Tonight the Washington Redskins will play their first game of the season at FedEx Field, as they take on the New York Jets in game two of the preseason. Here are some key thing to look for tonight.
–How much do the starters play? I asked this question to Coach Jay Gruden earlier this week and he didn’t give a straight answer. However Coach Gruden did state that the team couldn’t be afraid of injuries and eventually you have to play. So look for the starters to get one or tow series. Don’t expect Trent Williams, Morgan Moses, or Matt Ioaniddis to play. Chris Thompson and Josh Doctson could see limited action as well. Quarterback Alex Smith has performed well so expect him to play two series, maybe one if the first one is a nice sustained drive.
–Running back competition. With the season ending injury to Derrius Guice, the running back competition has become tighter. The coaching staff will be looking for more than just running ability, they must pass protect, catch the ball out of the backfield, and perform on special teams. The rotation will be interesting to watch as Rob Kelley, Kapri Bibbs, and Byron Marshall have all seen first team reps.
–Defensive Secondary-Â With the release of Orlando Scandrick, the Redskins have gone with a youth movement at cornerback. Josh Norman and Quinton Dunbar will be the starters with Fabian Moreau in the nickel with Greg Stroman and Danny Johnson behind. Adonnis Alexander is still injured so he will not play tonight, but this will be the time for this young secondary so show their hard work.
–Wide Receiver Depth- The top four spots are taken by Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Jamison Crowder, and Maurice Harris. Trey Quinn, Brian Quick, Cam Sims, and Simmie Cobbs are battling for the last two roster spots. Let’s see who can separate themselves tonight. Special teams will be key in this battle as well.
–Feistiness continues? The Redskins had three days of joint practices with the New York Jets and there were numerous dust ups and pushing and shoving. There was a pretty big scuffle on Sunday that I’m sure the teams have not forgotten. This will interesting to watch to make sure the team keeps a level head. The Redskins dominated those three days of practice and that should continue to be the case.
