Pittsburgh vs. Washington on Monday Night Football: 3 Redskins to Keep an Eye on

The Washington Redskins were victorious in their first preseason game last week and look to get on a bit of a roll as we approach the regular season. They will be taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the very first Monday Night Football game of the year, a task not many would envy. 

Regardless of how their record looked like at the end of last season, the Steelers are one of the toughest teams in the league. 

The Redskins had a few guys unexpectedly step up last week, and they hope to see even more bring their A-game this week. 

Heading into Monday night’s matchup, there are a few names to note if you’re a Redskins fan. These are guys that have either been playing well already, or are in a prime position for a big game. Here are the names that you should be watching for in tonight’s game.

Bacarri Rambo, Safety

The rookie defender’s promising performance last week was unfairly out-shined by Chris Johnson when he turned on the jets and ran 58 yards past him for a score. 

Despite this one play (which wasn’t entirely his fault), Bacarri Rambo did pretty well against the Tennessee Titans last week. He looked comfortable in run support and competent on passing downs. It’s early, and no one expects him to be perfect so he’s on schedule. 

This week, he will be facing the well-rounded Pittsburgh offense, and will need a strong performance to solidify his spot as a starter. Look for Rambo to pull the reigns in a bit, but still take some calculated risks in order to make a splash.

Pat White, Quarterback

Pat White made an impressive return to the NFL last week, leading the Redskins downfield for a touchdown in the final minutes, thus winning the game for his new team. 

White’s throws were crisp and he was effective when tucking the ball and running it himself. There were shades of Robert Griffin III when White was in command of the offense, and he will likely end up beating out Rex Grossman for the third quarterback spot. 

He will be playing the majority of this week’s game, so look for him to put up solid numbers again, maybe even another comeback. 

Leonard Hankerson, Wide Receiver

The third-year pro from Miami finally looks like he’s breaking out of his shell. After two pretty uninspiring years, 2013 will be Leonard Hankerson’s coming out party. He looks more comfortable than he’s ever been in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and it’s evident he’s hungry. 

If there’s any questions about that, just watch his touchdown catch last week. He caught the ball on the Titans’ 12-yard line, then proceeded to speed past the opposing defenders and topped it off with a leap over two teammates and a Titan. 

He has seemingly gotten his stuff together and is ready for a break-out year. At 6’2”, 211 pounds, Hankerson is a good-sized receiver and should have a chance to make some plays against Pittsburgh’s smaller secondary.

For Washington, this could be the beginning of a very beautiful thing.