Arizona Cardinals

5 Bold Predictions For Washington Redskins vs. Arizona Cardinals In Week 13

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:30 p.m. ET

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Nov 20, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) is sacked by Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (91) in the second quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Redskins are getting ready to play the Arizona Cardinals in just over 24 hours. Here are some bold predictions for the contest.

The Washington Redskins are entering their Week 13 matchup in what could be considered a must win game. The team has the inside edge to the sixth spot in the Wild Card race as they check in at 6-4-1 for this week of action. A win here would do a lot to get them an even bigger edge and potentially give them a bit more room for error down the stretch.

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The matchup against the Cardinals is definitely a winnable one. The Cardinals check into the contest at a disappointing 4-6-1. They were expected to be a major contender this season. This type of result was not what the front office and coaching staff expected at all.

That said, the Cardinals could be hungry for a win. They may be desperate just to stay in the chase for a bit longer, and this game against the Redskins is their chance to notch an upset. Here is a look at five bold predictions for what could happen in the contest.

Nov 13, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) makes a catch over Washington Redskins cornerback Kendall Fuller (38) during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

5. Kendall Fuller Records First Career Interception

This season, the Cardinals receivers have been pretty disappointing. Some of the issues lies with the talent issues involved in the receiving corps, while other issues stem from Carson Palmer’s regression. Regardless of why they are performing poor, the Redskins are going to be able to cover them up pretty well throughout the day.

One Redskins player who could end up getting frequently targeted Kendall Fuller. The rookie has surrendered some bigger completions over the past couple of weeks, so the Cardinals will likely try to exploit him. That said, Fuller could do well in coverage given that John Brown has had some injury issues lately.

If the Cardinals target Fuller heavily, he should have a chance to make some plays. The young cornerback has some serious talent and he has performed well this year. I think that he has a chance to grab an interception if Palmer tries to do too much. Fuller is a talented corner, and the Cardinals had better realize that.

Oct 2, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson Jr. (29) is tackled by Washington Redskins linebacker Mason Foster (54) during the second half at FedEx Field. Washington Redskins wins 31 – 20. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

4. Mason Foster Leads Team In Tackles

Last week, the Cardinals only ran the ball 13 times with David Johnson. As a result, the team ended up losing by a score of 38-19. Johnson has been one of the most consistent weapons for the Cardinals all season so it would make sense for them to give him a lot of carries. That seems especially likely given how porous the Redskins run defense has been.

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The linebackers are going to have to step up in this game and really make sure they make a big impact. That will start in the middle of the field with Will Compton and Mason Foster. Though I think Compton is the better all-around player, I think that Foster could end up leading the team in tackles because of his run stuffing prowess.

Early in the season, Foster had a couple of great performances in terms of tackling. He showed strong instincts and was able to make a huge impact on the Redskins defense. Since then, he has cooled off a bit and has seen a drop in playing time, as Su’a Cravens has played more in coverage scenarios. Still, he has talent and the Redskins will need it in Sunday’s game.

When it’s all said and done, Foster seems likely to lead the team in tackles. If the Cardinals go run heavy with their game plan, Foster is going to have a lot of opportunities to be involved in plays. He will make the most of them and have a big day.

Nov 24, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) avoids the tackle of Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick (32) in the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Dallas won 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

3. Jamison Crowder Records Over 100 Yards Receiving

Yesterday, it was reported that the Cardinals would likely be without safety Tyrann Mathieu for Sunday’s game. Mathieu is a major weapon in their secondary, as he can play both the safety positions and the slot corner position. Without him, the Cardinals will lose one of their best coverage players and Jamison Crowder could stand to benefit from this.

Crowder has become one of the best slot receivers in the NFL in just his second season. The diminutive 5-foot-9 weapon has been able to post some big numbers working the middle of the field and he has become one of Kirk Cousins’ favorite targets. Without Mathieu, he will have a favorable matchup against slot corner and special teams star Justin Bethel. He should take advantage of that.

While Bethel has decent coverage skills, he is at his best on special teams. He simply does not have the technique and agility to keep pace with Crowder on Sunday afternoon. That will be a major issue for the Cardinals and they could surrender a lot of yardage as a result.

Crowder should definitely post a great stat line in this game. Of all the Redskins receivers, I would expect Crowder to be the most likely to break the century mark. In fact, I think he will accomplish that feat and do a solid job at the end of the day.

Nov 13, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins tight end Vernon Davis (85) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

2. Vernon Davis Catches 2 Touchdown Passes

Jordan Reed is scheduled to be out on Sunday afternoon. Because of this, Vernon Davis is going to see a major role in the passing game. Cousins is likely to target Davis a fair amount during the game and the tight end could end up being a bigger weapon in the red zone.

The Redskins have struggled for the most part in the red zone, so they will be looking to reverse that against the Cardinals. The team need to make sure that they create mismatches, and Davis will be their best option to do that. In the past few weeks, Reed has been the preferred option near the end zone, he caught 2 touchdowns against Dallas, so Davis should embody the same role.

At the end of the day, it would not be surprising to see Davis put up big numbers. He should be able to catch a couple of scores and he will have a major impact on the Redskins offense. If he can play well again in this game, it will give the Redskins more incentive to rest Reed until he is fully healthy, which would be beneficial to his future.

Oct 16, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (91) gestures to the fans after a sack against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ryan Kerrigan Records 3 Sacks

One of the major issues for the Cardinals is their lack of depth at the tackle position. The team lost stud left tackle Jared Veldheer for the season, and since then has rolled with an uninspiring group at the position. This week, it appears that right tackle D.J. Humphries may get a crack at the position with Ulrick John starting on the right side. That could cause some issues for the Cardinals in terms of blocking.

As a result, the Redskins strong edge rush should be able to take advantage. Of all the players that could have a big game, it seems like Ryan Kerrigan would be the most likely to have a huge game.

Kerrigan is in the process of yet another strong season, and he has already almost equaled his sack total from last season. He has posted nine sacks thus far, but he has been an even bigger impact off the edge. He has opened up lanes for the other pass rushers to get sacks but this time around he should get more of the glory.

Kerrigan is going to be able to use his strength and athleticism to get around the edge frequently. I think that he will post at least a couple of sacks and at the end of the day, he could bring down the immobile Carson Palmer three times.

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