We’re now just a few sleeps away from the Washington Football Team officially kicking off the 2020 NFL Season against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the anticipation is heating up to a boil.
It’s not the anticipation that Washington will be able to go on some major run and sneak into the playoffs, but rather that they will be a serviceable team with a dominant defense, capable of turning some heads across the league.
Recently on NFL Network’s flagship show, Good Morning Football, analyst Peter Schrager went on a tear praising the Washington defense, particularly the defensive line, calling them one of the best in the NFL, and claiming that they will be a dominant force in the NFC East.
"That front five…I think they're gonna be dominant."
Can @WashingtonNFL have the best D-Line in the NFL? 🤔
đź“ş: @gmfb pic.twitter.com/6b4EQ7KEw3
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 9, 2020
It’s not just Chase Young, it’s other first-round picks as well. It’s Jonathan Allen, it’s Daron Payne, it’s Matt Ioannidis, it’s Ryan Kerrigan, it’s Montez Sweat. These guys are all first-round picks, with the exception of Ioannidis, and they were coming on strong last year. They get Chase Young, who might be the best defensive talent to enter the NFL since Myles Garrett, and they were already really good. I look at it this way: The 49ers last year, no one thought their defensive line was going to blossom, and all of a sudden it was leading them to the Super Bowl. I don’t think Washington is going that far — they don’t have it on the offensive side of the ball — but that front-five, those guys and the rotation that they’re going to have, I think they’re going to be dominant, and they’re going to give the NFC East hell this season.
If Washington is going to win many games, it will be the offense who has to come through late and put some points on the board. But if all goes right, you can at least count on the defense to keep the score manageable for Dwayne Haskins and his fellow skill-position players on offense. If we can rely on Scot Turner’s offense to put up 17-20 points per game, then you might be able to see Washington rack up a few victories.
It all starts with the defense though, and buzz about their ability continues to grow.
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