Category: 2019 NFL Regular Season

Redskins to test Chris Thompson’s injury ahead of Sunday’s game

Chris Thompson will further evaluate his toe injury on Sunday before the Redskins’ game against the Lions, with hopes of playing.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Washington Redskins expect Adrian Peterson to play on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, though he has been listed as questionable with a toe injury all week, and he missed a couple of days of practice.

While AP will likely play, the same can’t be said for RB Chris Thompson, who has missed several weeks with a lingering turf toe injury. Shefter says that the team will allow him to warm up and see how his injury feels, but it would be rather shocking to hear that he’ll play after staying in a limited role in practice all week.

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Are the Redskins or the Lions a more historically tortured NFL fanbase?

Fans of both the Redskins and Lions have been dragged through the mud for years now, but which fanbase truly has it the worst?

When the Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions meet on Sunday afternoon, not only will it be a clash of mediocre teams with losing records, but also of tortured fanbases who spend the better part of the sports calendar wallowing in self-pity, watching each and every Sunday with emotionless expressions, and telling themselves that there’s always next season.

I didn’t grow up a fan of the Washington Redskins; in fact, before I started covering the team for USA Today, I didn’t pay them much mind. I knew that they had a successful run back before I was born, but as of late, the franchise had been run-down by a controversial owner, a general manager who struggled to get out of his own way, and a litany of injuries that consistently derailed the team.

I did, however, know a thing or two about the Detroit Lions. One of my good friends growing up was born a Lions fan, and his long history of delusion and disappointment was often a joke to us, as it wasn’t a classic NFL Sunday without his hopes being shattered as Detroit found new ways to lose in devastating ways.

With this matchup on tap, it got me to thinking…between the Lions and the Redskins, who really has a more tortured fanbase? I reached out to my friend, Eli Moon, to see what he thought. Here’s our conversation.

Zachary Neel: When I first reached out to you about doing this interview, I premised it by saying that it would be nice for Washington fans to realize they aren’t alone in this utter disdain for their team. You scoffed at the idea that fans in Washington are even half as miserable as those in Detroit. Explain your reasoning.

Eli Moon:  I believe my initial response was to quote the Batman villain Bane: “You merely adopted the dark; I was born in it, molded by it.” I understand the inclination to commiserate, but the only solace I have as a Lions fan is that our ineptitude is unequaled by any other franchise. Washington fans at least have the comfort of memories of a better time and the benefit of three Super Bowl championships. There is some comfort in pining for the days of Theismann and Riggins. The Lions have not won a playoff game in over 10,000 days. That means that they have never won a playoff game in my lifetime and they have won a total of one playoff game in the lifetime of my father, who unfortunately infected me with this fandom.

ZN: In the past two seasons, both teams have felt a semblance of hope early on; Washington started out 6-3 last season before the high hopes went down in flaming glory after Alex Smith’s injury; the Lions were 2-0-1 this year before losing two close games to the Chiefs and Packers, and completely falling off in the ensuing weeks. What’s your view on these fleeting glimmers of hope that can at times be felt from season to season? Is it a good thing for a fan, or do you just ignore it now, knowing that it will hurt even more if you buy into the hype?

EM: There is an all-too-familiar cycle of being a fan of a franchise trapped in a perpetual cycle of mediocrity: the preseason offers some semblance of hope, the first few weeks build that hope up a little bit more just so all of your dreams and aspirations can be mercilessly crushed by midseason. I am a sucker because almost every year I have hopes that the Lions will turn the corner. Inevitably though, by midseason, I am actively hoping they lose every game so they can improve their draft position.

ZN: As a fan of the team, you obviously have some advice for the ownership group, and think that you have some of the answers — that’s not a slight, it just comes with the territory of any NFL fan base. For example, the fan’s advice in Washington is cut-and-dried; Dan Snyder needs to #FireBruceAllen and sell the team. So, say that Martha Ford and Bob Quinn come to you asking for help. What do you tell them to do first?

EM: This is a tough question because I was actually quite pleased with the moves that Bob Quinn made in the offseason. The usually inactive Lions made some serious efforts to fill gaps in their roster, most notably acquiring Trey Flowers to bolster the pass rush, Justin Coleman to provide depth in the secondary at the extremely difficult nickel corner, and Jesse James and TJ Hockenson to provide stability at tight end. The reality is that a lot of the defensive issues come from a non-existent pass rush and certain high-ceiling draft picks not panning out. My advice to Quinn would be to replicate the activity of the last offseason and give Matt Patricia everyone he wants for next year. If the Lions are not in the playoffs next year, Matt Patricia has to go. Simple as that.

ZN: Alright, we get it…though Washington is deeper in the dumps at the moment, the fans at least have memories of what it was like to be good at one time, though that time is growing further away, along with the young generation of fans. The Lions have never experienced that joy of winning it all, and their last playoff victory was all the way back in 1992. You officially win the worst-franchise award, congratulations. 

So now it’s time to pay it forward. What is your advice to all Washington fans who are sick and tired of watching their team fail while being uncertain about a chance at success in the future?

EM:  I have a certain sick and depraved pride in being a Lions fan. It is easy to jump on a bandwagon or be a good fan when your team is successful, but when your team is in the gutter is when there is the greatest opportunity to prove to yourself how much your franchise truly means to you.

I know that if I could still love and actively follow this team after they caused Barry Sanders and Megatron to walk away from football, lost every single game of the 2008 season, and perpetually revel in mediocrity, then I will be a devoted fan for life. To me, life isn’t about being a Patriots fan and winning all the time — that turns you into an arrogant prick, in my opinion. Rather, life is about failing, and getting beat and embarrassed over and over and over again, but still maintaining hope. Keeping the faith that someday you will witness your team hoist the Lombardi Trophy. That’s what has kept me rooting for the Lions all of these years, and it’s the same thing that will keep me a part of the Lion Pride for life. 

This may not have been the typical article that you’re used to seeing from us, and if you’ve made it this far, I want to thank you for reading along. My time spent covering Washington so far has been eye-opening, and I’ve been impressed by many of the fans’ dedication to the team as they’ve been dragged through the muck all of these years.

I’m sure it’s not always fun to be a fan of the Lions for Redskins, and I’m sure those who root for either team will be the first to tell you that they’ve questioned why they do it all of these years. In the end, though, it’s a deeply rooted love for the team and a never-ending supply of hope that urges them to tune in each and every Sunday, each and every week, each and every year, always maintaining that a run at success is right around the corner. While the teams will face off this weekend and look for a few days of fleeting joy that comes after victory, know that both fanbases are more alike than you might care to think. They’ll always be bonded in misery.

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Redskins vs. Lions in Week 12: Odds, how to watch, stream on Sunday

The Redskins take on the Lions this Sunday, and it might be their last best chance at getting another check in the win column this season.

The Washington Redskins will play host to the Detroit Lions on Sunday at FedEx Field, and if they want to try and win another game before the end of the 2019 season, this might be their best chance.

The Lions will be without starting QB Matthew Stafford, who is dealing with a back injury, and they will face QB Jeff Driskel instead. Though he is a backup, Driskel proved last weekend against the Dallas Cowboys that he is still supremely capable of picking apart an opposing defense, let alone the Redskins’ unit.

As for Washington, the return of Derrius Guice was extremely welcomed last week as he scored his first career touchdown, and rookie QB Dwayne Haskins’ ability to find some success late — though it was in garbage time — gave the young play-caller some confidence to build on at the very least.

How to watch, stream

Line (Via Bet MGM)

  • Redskins: +3.5
  • Over/Under: 40.5

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Report: Redskins to move TE Vernon Davis to the Injured Reserve

The Redskins are reportedly sending veteran tight end Vernon Davis to the injured reserve after missing several weeks with a concussion.

According to JP Finlay at NBC Sports Washington, the Redskins are putting veteran tight end Vernon Davis on the Injured Reserve, ending his season.

Davis, who suffered a concussion in Week 4 of this season, will be turning 36 in a couple of months, so the subsequent move to the IR puts his future in doubt, as he has struggled to return from the concussion protocol for weeks now.

The move is not a surprising one, but it leaves the Redskins with major questions going forward, and it further underlines the poor luck that the franchise has suffered over the past couple of years. Earlier this spring, linebacker Reuben Foster went down with a season-ending leg injury; tight end Jordan Reed was lost for the year in the preseason with a concussion, and second-year running back Derrius Guice tore his meniscus in the first game of the season. Now there is this injury to Davis, which could see his days as a Redskin come to an end.

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Former player says Greg Manusky is not to blame for Redskins struggles

One of Manusky’s former players has come out and said that he is a great coach and not the reason for Washington’s defensive struggles.

The Washington Redskins’ defense has been one of the biggest holes for the team this season. After high expectations coming out of the offseason, the unit fell on its face coming out of the gates, giving up more than 30 points in four of their first five games.

Through 10 games, the defense is allowing on average 25 points per game, and they rank worst in the league when it comes to third down, as they allow opponents to convert on 49 percent of plays.

All of this has led major questions and doubts to be thrown at defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, but one former player is standing by the DC.

“I was fortunate I played for Greg Manusky out in San Diego my first couple years. He’s a damn good coach,” said Shawne Merriman, according to NBC Sports Washington. “I was fortunate. To see some of the things said about him, well, I had no problem playing in that scheme. It’s the same scheme and operation that they’re running [in Washington]. Guys have to go out there and make plays.”

If you asked Merriman — who played under Manusky in his first two years with the Chargers, where he was named to two Pro Bowls — it’s the players in Washington who are more to blame than the coach. That applies to offensive players as well.

“If you don’t have the right opportunities from your offense putting points on the board, where you can go after the quarterback and make those big plays, then what is there to do?” Merriman said. “Some of the teams I played on, we had a quarterback and offense where we knew it was good for at least 28 points a game.”

Merriman has a point. With the offense in Washington routinely unable to put points on the board, there is little that the defense can do to win games — we all can agree on that, regardless of your opinions on Greg Manusky.

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This is not the week to put Terry McLaurin into your fantasy football starting lineup

McLaurin got off to a blazing start this year, but his ensuing drop-off, plus a matchup against Darius Slay, will make him a non-factory.

After starting the season on a remarkable tear and thrusting himself into fantasy football relevance, Washington Redskins rookie wide receiver Terry McLaurin has regressed to the mean as of late.

It’s not by anything that he can control, but rather the offense that he plays in went 16-straight quarters without scoring a touchdown, and struggled to move the ball downfield. After scoring 93.8 points through the first five games of the season — an average of 18.8 ppg — McLaurin has totaled just 27.8 points in the four games since — an average of 6.9 ppg.

Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, it doesn’t look like this week’s game against the Detroit Lions is one in which he’ll prosper, either. With a head-to-head matchup against Detroit’s All-Pro cornerback, Darius Slay, there is a good chance that McLaurin is shadowed all afternoon, and he will likely be made a non-factor on offense. This is tough for both McLaurin and Dwayne Haskins, who will lose his No. 1 option on offense.

In order for the Redskins to get any offense going, they will likely need to rely on the running back duo coming out of the backfield, Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice. With his first career touchdown scored last week, Guice proved to be a great value for the few fantasy owners who were brave (or crazy) enough to start him, and if you’re feeling lucky, he might just do so again.

However, don’t start McLaurin this week and consider yourself brave. With a matchup against one of the best cover corners in the NFL, a move like that would be crazy.

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Alex Smith tells Dwayne Haskins to eliminate all outside noise going forward

It’s been some tough sledding for Haskins so far, but Smith assures him that all will be okay if he just focuses on things he can change.

“Don’t listen to what they’re saying. Focus on what you can control, and do the best you can.”

That’s basically what Washington Redskins veteran quarterback Alex Smith told rookie QB Dwayne Haskins, as he offered the time-tested advice to the young play-caller who has seen his NFL career get off to a slow start.

Through his first four chances at live-action, Haskins has two garbage-time touchdowns and five interceptions, with less than 500 yards passing. He’s also yet to see a win yet, which can be extremely frustrating for a young player who has excelled at every level of football in his career. It’s not surprising to hear that wear on a player.

“It’s hard as a rookie quarterback, being a first-round pick with the expectations,” Alex Smith said, via Redskins.com. “You’re inherently thrust into a leadership position. Nobody affects the game more than the quarterback. The entire team, the entire organization is trusting you not only to make great decisions but be accurate with the football, to be on time. These are split-second things.”

So far, Haskins has struggled to uphold his end of the trust-bargain, but a lot of the blame can be spread throughout the rest of the roster and the organization as a whole. So far in his rookie season, he’s seen his head coach get fired, his two top tight ends — which is arguably the most important position for a young QB — miss significant time, and his defense allow over 25 points per game. It would be difficult for even a veteran QB to overcome those obstacles, let alone a rookie who started just one season in college.

“This has always been my message to Dwayne: ‘I think you need to focus on what is really important, and that’s playing well,’” Smith said. “Preparing himself to go play, don’t worry about the rest of the noise. In fact, eliminate it. Try to eliminate as much of the outside noise as possible. Because all your teammates really care about is going out and executing.”

Week by week, we’ve seen Haskins show small improvements, and they finally manifested themselves into some points last Sunday. As time goes on, he’s shown that he can take some steps forward. He just needs to focus on what he can do to get better, and nothing else.

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Matthew Stafford won’t play, but will it matter for the Redskins?

The Redskins will face backup-QB Jeff Driskel on Sunday, but he proved last week that he’s very capable of beating a team like Washington.

It was declared on Friday morning that Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford will not play this weekend against the Washington Redskins, as he continues to deal with an injury to his back.

The tiny fractures in his back held him out of last week’s game as well, ending his streak of 136-straight starts for the 31-year-old.

The injury is obviously a bummer for the Lions, as they are already dealing with starting RB Kerryon Johnson being sent to the IR earlier this year, but the question begs to be asked…will it matter on Sunday?

The truth is, the Lions will likely be able to find a path to victory against the Redskins, even without Stafford at the helm. Last week, with Jeff Driskel under center, Detroit lost to the Dallas Cowboys in a shootout, but they managed to put up 27 points on an elite defense. If the Lions can put up even close to that point total against the Redskins lack-luster secondary, then they should be able to cruise to a victory, especially when you consider that All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay is expected to lock-down WR Terry McLaurin, taking away Washington’s No. 1 weapon.

It’s possible that Redskins fans got their hopes up when they saw on Friday that they wouldn’t have to face Stafford, but it likely won’t matter in the end.

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Daron Payne is expected to play Sunday despite missing another practice

Payne missed another practice with his ankle injury, but Callahan isn’t overly concerned about his status for Sunday’s game.

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Injuries always put a hitch in a team’s plan as they prepare for that week’s game, but an injury to a major player takes that to a new level.

When a player like Washington’s Daron Payne is listed as questionable with an ankle injury, and he’s missed two straight practices this week. Luckily, head coach Bill Callahan said after practice on Thursday that he is expecting Payne to be able to suit up and play on Sunday, and the Redskins could definitely use him.

So far this season, Payne is second on the defensive line with 42 tackles, trailing only Matt Ioannidis. His absence on Sunday would be severely noticed.

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Montae Nicholson speaks for first time since female friend’s death

For the first time since he took his friend to the hospital after she overdosed last week, Nicholson has now spoken to the media.

It’s been a clouded situation surrounding Washington Redskins’ safety Montae Nicholson, who is currently cooperating with the police as he is connected to the death of a 21-year-old woman who overdosed last week.

Nicholson played in last Sunday’s game, and he spoke with the media on Thursday for the first time, explaining the situation and extending his deepest sympathies to the woman’s family. He said that he found her unresponsive in his bathroom, and he took her to the hospital that night.

Head coach Bill Callahan said on Wednesday that as of now, Nicholson is scheduled to play this week.

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