By Dan Ryans
WASHINGTON–Week 1 is finally here, folks. The Washington Football Team opens up at home against the Los Angeles Chargers, and it should be a great day for football at FedExField. We expect to watch a fantastic opening week battle. An up-and-down preseason for the burgundy and gold presents many issues on and off the field. Here are some good news and bad news for Washington going into today’s matchup:
Bad News- NO CURTIS SAMUEL
We will have to wait for WR Curtis Samuel to make his debut because he will not play in week one or soon. Coach Ron Rivera announced Friday that Samuel was placed on short-term IR after he re-aggravated a groin injury he suffered back in minicamp three months ago. Everybody was high on the free-agent signing during the offseason. In 2020, the Brooklyn, NY native had a career year with 77 receptions for 851 yards and three touchdowns topped off by rushing for 200 yards and two touchdowns. So for a three-year/ $34.5 million deal, it was a good signing. Unfortunately, with the groin injury and a short stint on the COVID-19 reserve list, things haven’t quite panned out yet. Hopefully, he won’t end up like receivers Terrelle Pryor and Paul Richardson as free agent signings that didn’t work out for Washington.
Good News- WR Depth
Samuel’s absence allows other wideouts to shine. In addition to the fifth-year receiver, Washington signed Adam Humphries to a deal back in March. This signing could be significant since Humphries and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick were a tandem in Tampa Bay. Of course, that was at least three seasons ago, but it’ll be interesting to see where offensive coordinator Scott Turner will fit Humphries in his offense. After all, he has other options in Terry McLaurin, DeAndre Carter, and Cam Sims.
Then there’s the option to go to rookies Dyami Brown and Dax Milne, who were drafted in the third and seventh round, respectively. Both players were impressive in training camp, with Terry McLaurin even calling them “silent assassins.” Specifically, Brown has been touted by Coach Rivera and Scott Turner as a serious threat due to his ability to go downfield. For Milne, the talent he showed at BYU to go outside and in the slot makes him very flexible for a Washington team that could use it.
Bad News- Justin Herbert
The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year has earned a lot of respect across the NFL, including everyone here in Washington. I mean, a season where he had a completion percentage of 66.6, with 31 touchdowns, at least 4,000 yards, and eight games of 300+ yards passing is not something to take lightly. That Chargers offense is lethal, and defenses around the league don’t have a match for them. If the strong Washington defense can’t contain Herbert and the likes of WR Keenan Allen (who has been a major receiving threat for LA since 2017), the team is going to be in for a long day.
Good News- WFTs Defense
While Justin Herbert is pretty darn good at quarterback, Chase Young is excellent at defensive end. Young will once again lead that defensive line that can easily beat up the Chargers offense. On top of that, Washington’s secondary is one of the best in the league as it allowed the second-lowest passing yards a season ago. With shutdown corner William Jackson III and big guy Benjamin St-Juste in the mix, the Football Team has a great chance to succeed against this strong LA offense. Who knows, it may translate to a nice week one victory.
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