Tag: Terry McLaurin

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.

[vertical-gallery id=25399]

Terry McLaurin remains one of NFL’s highest-graded rookies at PFF

The Redskins rookie is one of the NFL’s best.

Things might be grim for the Washington Redskins right now but there doesn’t seem to be any stopping the Terry McLaurin train.

McLaurin has predictably been unimpacted by the full-time switch to rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. And as a result, besides ranking first overall in a key stat among wideouts, he ranks fourth among all rookies graded at Pro Football Focus, per Anthony Treash:

In his 11 weeks in Washington, McLaurin has put together an 83.6 receiving grade, ranking ninth among all wide receivers. Washington has always struggled in their deep passing game, and the fault falls on both parties (quarterback and receiver). While the quarterback half is still up in the air, the receiver one has been filled with McLaurin, who is PFF’s highest-graded wide receiver on targets of 10-plus yards.

Last time out, McLaurin only got four targets but caught three of them for 69 yards, averaging a smooth 23 yards per catch. One of those went for 41.

That extended a pretty solid streak for the rookie, as he now has at least three catches in all but one game he’s suited up for so far this season.

McLaurin probably won’t end up outshining guys like Nick Bosa largely because of the team he plays for and his limiting quarterback situation, but Redskins fans know they have something truly special on their hands with the first-year wideout.

[vertical-gallery id=25464]

Terry McLaurin is the best WR in the NFL when it comes to this stat

When being targeted more than 10-yards downfield, McLaurin is the most sure-handed WR in the NFL.

Tired of reading bleak coverage of the Washington Redskins and all of their recent struggles that seem to have no end in sight?

Looking for a positive spin on things, or a stat that proves that the future may have some upside to it? We’ve got just what you need.

According to Pro Football Focus, among all receivers in the league, there is a young player in Washington that ranks as the best pass-catcher when it comes to an important stat. His name is Terry McLaurin, he’s a rookie, and he’s very good.

On passes that travel more than 10-yards downfield, there is no WR in the league that holds a higher catch percentage than McLaurin, who has been able to turn those into 13 explosive plays and make six of them with a hand in his face.

Things are pretty grim in Washington at the moment, but with the right moves made, the future definitely has a chance to be bright.

[vertical-gallery id=25399]

WATCH: Terry McLaurin makes remarkable, contested catch for Redskins

Terry McLaurin put on a cape and caught a pass from Dwayne Haskins against the Jets Sunday. Watch it in all its glory.

Raise your hand if you knew former Ohio State wide-receiver Terry McLaurin was going to be THIS good in the NFL. Now, if you have your hand raised, go wash your mouth out with soap for lying.

Look, I don’t think anyone’s surprised that McLaurin has burst onto the scene with the work ethic and demeanor he possesses. But who saw him being literally the best wide-receiver on the Redskins’ roster as a rookie?

The kid currently leads Washington in targets, catches, touchdowns, and yards per game. At this point, he is in front and center in the team picture for the steal of the 2019 NFL Draft.

On that note, if you haven’t seen it, you’re life won’t be complete without watching McLaurin’s catch against the Jets on Sunday. He had a familiar face (Dwayne Haskins) launch a pass down the left sideline, but he was blanketed pretty well by the Jets’ DB.

No matter. All the former Ohio State wide-receiver did was go up and over the DB, wrestle it away from him while coming down and complete the catch for a long gain. In case you haven’t seen it, click on the below and be ready to catch your breath.

We’ll no doubt see more of this from McLaurin as he continues to develop and acclimate himself to the NFL. Especially if Haskins can improve and bring back the Columbus connection.

WATCH: Terry McLaurin makes ridiculous circus catch in 4th quarter

Terry McLaurin can make some jaw-dropping plays when given the chance.

Are you kidding me Terry McLaurin?

Once again, the rookie wide receiver for the Redskins defied physics and made an incredible leaping grab down the left sideline where he snatched the ball from the defenders’ grasp and came down with it for a big gain.

The Redskins went on to score their second touchdown of the game — and second in the last 16-quarters — to put the highest point total since October 13th. It may not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but the catch and throw from Haskins and McLaurin were impressive, and they nod to a hopefully bright future that the two can have down the road.

 

 

Pressuring Dwayne Haskins among Jets’ keys to defense vs. Washington

The Jets face another rookie quarterback in the Redskins’ Dwayne Haskins and need to make him beat the defense.

The Jets get their second chance to build a winning streak this week when they head to Washington to take on the Redskins. On the heels of their second win of the year over the Giants, the Jets will now take on one of the worst offensive teams in the league. Washington averages a league-low 12 points per game and ranks 30th in yards.

It looks like an easy matchup on paper, but the Jets are seriously thin at important positions on defense, including linebacker and cornerback. Just this past week, the Jets gave up 281 total yards and four passing touchdowns to the Giants, so they of all teams cannot overlook the lowly Redskins. 

Here are four keys for the Jets defense in Week 11.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

Washington will look to get Terry McLaurin more active in the offense

The Redskins desperately need to find something that works on offense, and they think that moving McLaurin around on offense might help.

It sounds like you can expect to see much more of rookie wide receiver Terry McLaurin this weekend against the New York Jets.

You can probably expect to see more of all Redskins receivers for that matter.

When talking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Washington coach Bill Callahan talked about how the team went about trying to solve their offensive woes during the bye week, and one of the top solutions they came up with was getting the receivers more open in space downfield, allowing rookie QB Dwayne Haskins more options to pass to. Obviously, that includes McLaurin, but Callahan also made sure to note that he wants to see more production from Steven Sims Jr., Cam Sims, and Darvin Kidsy as well.

While the Jets defense is one of the best in the league against the run, their secondary is nothing to gloss over either. The Redskins offense will have their work cut out for them on Sunday, but maybe this new wrinkle can help them end the touchdown-less streak at long last.

[vertical-gallery id=25105]

Jamison Crowder is better off now, and he’ll likely let the Redskins know it

Crowder will make his return to Washington after leaving in free agency last year, and he’s liable to let the Redskins know what they lost.

The Washington Redskins are likely to feel a bit of a sting this weekend when they face the New York Jets, but it will be of their own doing.

For the first time since letting him go into free agency this past year, wide receiver Jamison Crowder will be returning to FedEx Field, where he spent the first four years of his career. Now, in New York, Crowder has found a new home, a new quarterback, and new life to his game.

Through the first 10 weeks of the season, Crowder has developed into the top pass-catcher for the Jets, and he’s started to find a rhythm with QB Sam Darnold at long last after the projected franchise-quarterback missed the first part of the season with an illness. So far this year, Crowder has 42 catches for over 480 yards and two touchdowns. It’s pretty clear that he is better off in the green and white, rather than the burgundy and gold.

Though Washington has seen rookie receiver Terry McLaurin shine in his place, it’s always a tough site to watch one of your few successful draft picks walk, and find a suitable home so quickly. On Sunday when the two teams meet, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Crowder put up some big numbers out of the slot, as Washington struggles to defend that position.

Whether they admit it or not, the Redskins undervalued Crowder in his four years with the team, and he’s liable to let that be known on Sunday.

[vertical-gallery id=24357]

Terry McLaurin has NFL’s fourth-highest grade among rookies through Week 10

McLaurin is one of the NFL’s best targets beyond the sticks this season, and his reliability will help Dwayne Haskins down the road.

The Washington Redskins have shifted their focus to rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who will be making his second career start this Sunday against the New York Jets. However, don’t let that distract you from the highly-encouraging season that rookie wide receiver Terry McLaurin has had through these first nine games.

Heading into Week 11, McLaurin ranks as the fourth-highest graded rookie in the 2019 draft class by Pro Football focus, beating out names like Kyler Murray, and Marquise Brown. He trails only Dexter Lawrence, Nick Bosa, and Josh Jacobs.

Here’s what PFF had to say about the rookie:

While reports are circulating as to whether or not Washington should go the Arizona Cardinals route and draft another quarterback in the first round in back-to-back drafts — whoever ends up as Washington’s quarterback of the future will at least have one of the top premier wide receivers in the NFL in Terry McLaurin. The former Ohio State Buckeye has been one of the most reliable and dangerous downfield threats, as he is tied for fifth in PFF grade on targets past the sticks. It’s safe to say McLaurin is a certified deep threat.

Whether or not Haskins finds success during the rest of his rookie season is yet to be seen, but it helps that his old college teammate is going to be there for him out on the numbers, as reliable an option as there is in the game.

[vertical-gallery id=24771]

Terry McLaurin has accounted for nearly half of Washington’s touchdowns this year

The Redskins rookie has been outstanding this season, but his brilliance helps to magnify the turmoil all around him in Washington.

It’s a great sign to see a rookie break out in the first season of his career, no matter what position he plays. That becomes significantly less great when you consider the fact that the breakout season is virtually the only positive sign of life from the team.

That’s the situation that the Washington Redskins are in with rookie wide receiver Terry McLaurin. Through his first nine games, the 3rd-round pick out of Ohio State has almost 500 yards receiving and five touchdowns, which is the first among rookie receivers. That’s great news for Washington, but it’s troubling when you consider the fact that those five TDs have accounted for 45% of the Redskins 11 total touchdowns, none of which have come in the last three games.

It’s tough to look at a stat like that and feel sorrow, as it likely points to McLaurin being a huge piece of the future offense in Washington. The Redskins just need to make sure he’s not the only piece of the offense.

[vertical-gallery id=24890]