Prediction Saturday: Redskins look for another win at Detroit
When the Redskins opened the season 0-2, the hand-wringing was intense. So much so, that the locker room seemed on the verge of melting down as the organization was leaking comments from any player who would make one. A season built on a ton of promise seemed DOA at the starting gate as the finger pointing began. We’d seen it before. Redskins fans had certainly seen it before.
and then they started winning.
And like those sage words from Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh of Bull Durham lore once said, “l love winning it’s like…..better than losing.”
Since losing to the Dallas Cowboys and their rookie phenom Dak Prescott, the Redskins have done just that: WIN. Tomorrow in the Motor City, the Redskins will go for their fifth win in as many weeks.
The Lions are no gimmie. In fact, they are looking for their third straight win over teams who had been sporting winning records like Philadelphia and last week against Los Angeles. Detroit also plays close games, not unlike the Redskins. If you look to either teams quarterback for an advantage, you’ll likely find none. Both, for the most part are pretty evenly matched and both can sling it around the field.
Inside the numbers show how close these offenses are. Courtesy of ESPN, the Redskins score an average of 23.7 points per game to the Lions 25. As for points allowed per game, Washington 23.7 to Detroits 25.5. When looking for a “scale tipper”, look to Matt Jones. After being much maligned in the off season and early in the regular season, he’s found some rhythm, as has the the Redskins rushing attack.
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All that said, there is something to say for a team on a streak. Having won at New York and at Baltimore, they’ve also taken care of home games against Cleveland and NFC East rival Philadelphia. Over those four games, the Redskins have found something beyond consecutive wins. They also found team growth.
They are playing better football. Washington stumbled out of the gate, but they’ve found some momentum and most importantly, confidence. If Kirk Cousins can avoid the costly turnover, something he hasn’t done, then he too can capture some of the momentum the team has found. Cousins has looked like an unfolded lawn chair much of 2016, but he’s playing better. The progress may be incremental, but it’s progress, and in a contract year, Cousins is finding a groove.
Look for a close one on the road, and for both quarterbacks to play good games and post some numbers. But personally, I like Matt Jones to have a BIG day.
The Redskins have found winning to be WAY better than losing.
Washington 38
Detroit 34
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