Week 1 report - Washington Defense Dominates

It has been a revolutionary off-season in Washington.

The team started this revolution with the long overdue departure of Bruce Allen and the hiring of a new Head Coach in Ron Rivera.

Under sponsor pressure, the team name changed, and at least temporarily, the burgundy and gold in 2020 are Washington Football Team.

One of Adrian Peterson or Derrius Guice were the prime candidates to take that first hand-off of the season. Neither of those two are here anymore, albeit for wildly different reasons.

This team had an owner, who despite a double decade of failure, was viewed as infallible. Revelations of historical misconduct make even that position one of vulnerability.

Of course, football goes on. On Sunday, the Washington Football Team put further pride back into the fanbase with a stirring comeback against Philadelphia to register an opening day win 27-17.

Let us go 3 and out on the victory at FedEx:

Fearsome Defensive Line

There are two types of potential. The first might be that guy you take a gamble on: the football player who has the skill set, or is oft injured, but has not yet turned this into production or consistent health.

And then there is the far more exciting potential, when the pieces are all in place and you feel genuinely good about what is to come. On Sunday, the Washington Football Team defensive line rotation of Ryan Kerrigan, Montez Sweat, Matt Ioannidis, rookie Chase Young, Daron Payne and Jon Allen were magnificent.

Kerrigan became the franchise all-time sack leader (92) in burgundy & gold and Chase Young looked every bit the superstar in the making.

The hands in the ground mentality of DC Jack Del Rio is music to the ears of these fearsome six. I mean, how long has it been in D.C whereby as a fan you are genuinely excited about defensive play.

Potential will be solidified as reality and the QBs of the NFL will be deep searching into their souls when faced with this power and aggression.

Belief in the Quarterback

The start of the 2019 season was a mess under Jay Gruden. He seemed overly critical of the first round QB Dwayne Haskins, and Case Keenum was installed as the Week One starter for a franchise that was still in a ridiculous win now mentality.

Rivera landed the Panthers Head Coach job in 2011 and Carolina drafted Cam Newton with the first pick of that draft. There is a familiarity here: young Quarterback, new Head Coach, and a less than appetising franchise owner. The outcome of that belief in Newton are well documented with divisional and championship wins and a Superbowl appearance.

On Sunday, it was Haskins leadership that was elevated more than on-field play. Dwayne seemed shaky as Washington got absolutely nothing going on offense until the talented CB Fabian Moreau picked off Wentz to hand Washington a chance to score late in the first half.

A suddenly assured Haskins found his rhythm and subsequently found his TE target Logan Thomas wide open in the RedZone for six after a nice little scheme drawn up by Scott Turner.

Can I be 100% sure that Dwayne is the franchise QB that this team has needed for two decades? No, perhaps not yet, but it must be remembered this is a second-year guy protected by an average O-Line and lack of receiving weapons in 2020.

What I can be certain of is that Haskins is clearly maturing when playing the hardest position in sports and that his fire & leadership are real.

Washington Football TEAM

This win was joyful for us fans sat around the TV across the USA, UK and elsewhere. But for Head Coach Rivera this would have been even more sweet.

Handicapped by no pre-season games, Rivera had preached the importance of the Team over the individual and this victory could not be more aligned to that group mentality.

There is the reality and humility that Washington does not yet have the required skill set in all phases of play. At Left Tackle, the gap left by Trent Williams is an obvious weakness and at Tight End, Logan Thomas, if being generous, remains very much a work in progress despite the first TD in the new WFT era.

Troy Apke was a revelation on the training field, but on Sunday again looked more the athlete than an instinctive free safety. It remains obvious that the WR group are light at the big bodied WR2 position. however, baring a meltdown, Haskins will be given plenty of time to develop and you would expect Washington to take care of the offensive side of the ball in free agency 2021 and the draft.

Extra Point and Game Ball

The absence of excessive bravado after this win was welcomed. We beat a divisional rival and that is a time for celebration, but I feel the team in Washington are buying into the Rivera mindset and conduct. The likes of Josh Norman seem an already distant memory.

Game Ball is easy – veteran OLB Ryan Kerrigan was inspirational all game and overtook the great Dexter Manley to become the all-time franchise sack leader.