Rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins has seen minimal live-action in the NFL this season, as he’s now played in three games, two of which came in relief efforts for an injured Case Keenum.
He’s taken the field with his team usually trailing, and he’s done what he could to try and will the Washington Redskins back to a victory. So far, he’s come up empty every time.
This Sunday, however, things will likely be a bit different.
When Haskins trots onto the field in a couple of days’ time, he will be doing so in front of his home fans for the first time in his career, and he will be doing so against a team that he has a legitimate chance of beating; the New York Jets.
For those two reasons, Haskins has a chance to instill the Redskins’ fanbase with some much-needed hope.
There’s no need to sugarcoat it, it has been a rough start to Haskins’ career this season. He is yet to throw a touchdown outside of the preseason, and he’s accounted for 4 interceptions in the three games he’s played.
With all three performances coming on the road, Redskins’ fans have been forced to sit back and watch in misery while the shortcomings have been streamed through their cable boxes. Now, with three straight weeks of taking first-team reps in practice, Haskins has a chance to build on the minimal improvements we saw two weeks ago when he made his first career start against the Buffalo Bills, and he will be doing so against a very beatable Jets team, who sit near the bottom of the league at 2-7.
Though the Jets have a very good run defense, ranking second in the NFL, they struggle in a key area where Haskins can build a lot of confidence and momentum — on third down. The Jets have allowed their opponent to convert on third down 45 percent of the time, which has kept drives alive and allowed teams to get into scoring position. Of course, the Redskins have been one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to converting on that down and distance, but it only takes a couple successful tries to get a rhythm building.
They may not leave Sunday’s game with a victory — and you could argue that they would be much better off in the long-term with another loss — but that doesn’t mean that a nice serving of hope can’t be injected into the veins of the Washington franchise. For the first time, Redskins’ fans will be able to see the production of their franchise QB with their own eyes, and they’ll get a good feel for the type of progress he will make going forward. With no chance at the playoffs, and little incentive to win, it’s tough to call this a statement game, but Haskins can make a giant statement to his home fans on Sunday afternoon.
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