National Football League

Washington Redskins: 5 Bold Predictions For NFL Week 3

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:36 p.m. ET

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Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden on the field before the game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Redskins need to do a lot to notch their first win of the season on Sunday. Could some of these bold predictions help make that happen?

The Washington Redskins are going to be taking on the New York Giants just two days from now. This divisional matchup will be crucial for the Redskins as they look to turn around their season after an 0-2 start. The task of winning will not be easy. The Giants are 2-0 to start the year and they have a defense that matches up very well with the Redskins offense.

Because of this, the game is definitely going to be an exciting battle. The two teams are going to be at each other’s throats, and it could turn into one of the better Week 3 games. With that in mind, here is a look at some bold predictions for what could happen in the contest.

Nov 15, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins guard Spencer Long (61) at the line of scrimmage against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

5. Spencer Long Starts Over Kory Lichtensteiger

Kory Lichtensteiger appeared on the injury report for the first time this week. This may be blessing in disguise for the Redskins. The veteran center is suffering from back spasms, and perhaps he could use a day off against the Giants. Even if he does not, the Redskins should consider starting Spencer Long over Lichtensteiger.

Lichtensteiger has played very poorly to start the season. In just two games, the center has been responsible for three false starts and has failed to adequately block for Cousins and the run game. At this point, Long has more potential than Lichtensteiger and he should be given a chance to prove that he can be a starter.

At the very least, starting Long for one game is not going to hurt the Redskins much. He is not a downgrade from Lichtensteiger, and with the veteran hurt this is an opportunity for the Redskins to move on. It should be interesting to see if the Redskins do choose to go a different route on Sunday.

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brice Butler (19) attempts to catch a pass from Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) as Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman (24) defends in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

4. Odell Beckham Gets Best Of Josh Norman

The Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Josh Norman rivalry will come to a head once again on Sunday. It will be their first matchup as divisional rivals, and the results could be explosive. The two are going to be going at each other for a majority of the game, as Norman is expected to shadow Beckham, and one will end up winning the battle.

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This time around, I think that Beckham will be able to beat Norman. The last time these two matched up, Beckham was unable to get going early in the game. Towards the end, he figured out how to beat Norman and racked up some yardage against him. Now, Beckham has another offseason of experience under his belt and probably spent a good amount of time watching film on Norman.

Meanwhile, Norman does not seem to think much of Beckham. He keeps trash talking the third year pro and seems to think that he definitely has the edge in the battle. Norman had to avoid getting too cocky, and I do not think that he did that. Instead, he has baited Beckham into another tough battle that Norman may not be ready to win.

Also, Norman will have less help against Beckham. Joe Barry does not like to make adjustments on the fly, so if Norman has issues, Barry will not make a change until it is too late. Overall, this game could be a problem for Norman and it would not be a surprise to see him have a disappointing day.

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the ball against the Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

3. Kirk Cousins Manages Game, Throws For 250 Yards, 1 TD, No Picks

I do not think that Kirk Cousins is going to have a great game against the Giants by any means. The Giants have a terrific defensive unit that is going to limit the team’s running game. As a result, Cousins will have to do a lot of work by himself, which could further hurt the quarterback’s confidence.

However, I think that Cousins has a chance to bounce back during Sunday’s game. While the Giants have a strong defense, they are weak in the linebacker corps and not the best at safety. As a result, Cousins can use the intermediate passing game to gradually pick away at the Giants’ defense. He is not going to be able to do a lot, but throwing passes to Jordan Reed and Jamison Crowder will definitely pay off after a while.

Overall, if Cousins can avoid making mistakes, that is the most important thing. I think he will be able to rack up some yardage throughout the game and avoid making any costly interceptions. He also will add a touchdown to his stat line and have an overall solid day for the team.

Aug 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Washington Redskins defensive back Duke Ihenacho (24) in a preseason NFL football game at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

2. Duke Ihenacho Works As Starting Safety

One of the reasons that the Redskins pass defense has struggled to start the 2016 season has been the performance of David Bruton. Bruton has not performed very well at the strong safety position, and he has been exposed in coverage too many times. As a result, the Redskins may decide to move him into a bench role and start a veteran in his place.

That said, Duke Ihenacho would be the best fit to take over for Bruton. Ihenacho had a good preseason for the Redskins and has had experience as a starter. With the Broncos in 2013, he started 14 contests and racked up 89 total tackles on the season. Unfortunately, he was unable to stay healthy in his first couple of years in Washington, and made only four appearances.

Now, it appears as though Ihenacho is healthy and ready to contribute. He should be able to step into a starting role and at least be a slight upgrade over Bruton. The Redskins do not have much to lose by throwing him into the fire, so they should definitely consider doing that to improve the overall quality of their secondary.

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) catches a touchdown pass as Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick (32) defends in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Cowboys won 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

1. Jamison Crowder Catches 10 Passes For Over 100 Yards

Jamison Crowder needs to have a big day for the Redskins to have a chance in this one. He is going to be working out of the slot for the Redskins, and he really needs to beat some of the Giants’ coverage over the middle of the field. He has shown the ability to be explosive in the past, and I have a feeling that he will be explosive during this game.

Cousins has already targeted Crowder 18 times over the span of two games to start the season. Crowder has reeled in 12 of those passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. On Sunday, Cousins will target Crowder frequently again, but he may be even better in this game.

As mentioned earlier, the Giants do not have the strongest linebacker group in the league. The Redskins can take advantage of that by having Crowder work over the middle. If Cousins can repeatedly hit him for 8-15 yards over the middle, then that could open things up on the edge.

At the end of the day, I would expect Crowder to have a huge day. He could catch 10 passes during the contest and will almost certainly post over 100 yards if he converts on all his targets. It could be the best game of the second year player’s career to date.

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