Washington vs. Houston: Redskins Week 1 Preview
In their bid to put a disastrous 2013 campaign behind them, the Washington Redskins will look to open the 2014 NFL season with a road victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday.
After combining to win just five games last season, both these teams ushered in new regimes in the offseason. Accompanying the arrival of head coach Bill O'Brien, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney are two new faces at the forefront in Houston.
In Washington, head coach Jay Gruden and receiver DeSean Jackson have been brought in to get franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III back on track after a tumultuous sophomore season.
Chic picks to go from worst to first in their respective divisions, the outcome of this Week 1 bout will play a pivotal role in shaping both Houston and Washington's seasons.
With that said, here is Washington's Week 1 preview.
Washington Redskins Week 4 Preseason Recap
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In a contest that exclusively featured backups, the Redskins prevailed 24-10 over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their preseason finale.
In the final audition for a litany of players who were vying to make the 53-man roster, a pair of late-round draft picks saw their time with the Redskins come to an abrupt end. Sixth-round pick Lache Seastrunk and seventh-round pick Zach Hocker saw their bids for roster spots come up short.
In their farewell performances, Seastrunk tallied 111 total yards and a touchdown, while Hocker missed his lone field-goal attempt.
Continuing a trend, the Redskins defense again dominated. In the first half, Washington held Tampa Bay to a grand total of 15 yards. For the game, the defense held the Bucs to 157 yards and registered four sacks.
With the victory, the Redskins finish their preseason with a 3-1 record. While this record means little going forward, the depth Washington displayed throughout is an indicator that the team can survive injury, unlike last season.
News and Notes
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Can Bacarri Rambo fill in for the suspended Brandon Meriweather?
Unprepared and overmatched during his rookie season, Bacarri Rambo, a free safety by trade, is again being thrown into the fire by the Redskins.
In place of the suspended Brandon Meriweather, Rambo is expected to start at strong safety against the Texans:
"Bacarri Rambo expects to start in Houston, says he's eager to show he's improved: http://t.co/XOB8ogOEpP #RedskinsTalk
— Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikCSN) September 3, 2014"
Speaking to ESPN.com's John Keim, Rambo discussed his progress on learning the position:
"Small things about where to line up, what might be coming, staying at a certain leverage over a receiver or running back. I’m growing every day. I’m learning every day. I’m reading my keys better, keeping my eyes on my man and just doing all the small things that will allow me to play faster and be in the right position to make plays.
"
With recently acquired strong safety Duke Ihenacho looming in the background, any struggles from Rambo could put his roster spot in danger upon Meriweather's return.
Jay Gruden's Coaching Debut
In a battle of first-year head coaches, Gruden has the task of winning his first game on the road. The former offensive coordinator will have his every move and misstep under the microscope. Not all coaches are suited for pressure.
How will Gruden handle it?
Talking to ESPN.com's John Keim, Gruden touched on his transition to head coach:
"I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders a little bit. I've been eating it all. It's rough. It's been exciting and I'm excited about the first game. Very nervous. But I know that the staff I hired and the players we have in the building. I know it's not going to be about me and it's going to be about them and their success. We feel we have got the players and the coaches in place to put together a successful team. As a coach, that's all you want.
"
The Redskins open the season with matchups against two of the worst teams from 2013, so an underwhelming start could intensify the attention on Gruden's job performance, in light of the retooling the team underwent this offseason.
Regardless of how unlikely it is that Gruden's job security comes into question this season, with Daniel Snyder as the owner, a coach never truly has long-term security, as ESPN's Dan Graziano notes:
"No such thing w/Snyder. RT @BMOREBrian: @DanGrazianoESPN will Jay Gruden be the long term answer at coach in Wash?
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) August 27, 2014"
Washington's First-Team Offense
You heard the groaning during the preseason. In three games, Washington's first-team offense scored zero touchdowns and only netted six points. The team was off-kilter in running and passing the ball.
While a vanilla scheme was one root cause, the Redskins' preseason performance has created a level of mystery over what to expect from Gruden's newly implemented offense.
Will he use the zone read? Will he still emphasize the running game? How steadfast is he in making RG3 a pocket passer? Those questions remain unanswered, and this level of mystery could work wonders if it affects how the Texans defense prepares for this game.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Brian Orakpo | LB | Questionable |
| Akeem Jordan | LB | Questionable |
| Tracy Porter | CB | Questionable |
| Jordan Reed | TE | Probable |
*All injury statuses from CBSSports.com.
An injury that seemed minor at the time, Brian Orakpo's injured ankle has to worry the Redskins at this juncture. Suffering the injury in Week 3 of the preseason, according to ESPN.com's John Keim, Orakpo remains limited in practice. While Keim reiterated that he expects Orakpo to play, this injury is a reminder of why the Redskins and Orakpo couldn't hammer out a long-term deal in the offseason.
With Washington designing its defense around its front seven and Orakpo needing a big year to justify a new contract, neither side can afford a repeat of the 2012 season.
Shifting the focus to Tracy Porter, the nature of his injury could make the Redskins err on the side of caution. Hamstring injuries are known to linger if not fully healed, which has already been demonstrated in Porter's case.
With the team facing two passing attacks headed by Fitzpatrick in Week 1 and Chad Henne in Week 2, Porter's absence wouldn't be detrimental to the team's success. Due to face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3, the Redskins' focus should be on getting their nickelback healthy for that contest.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Tyler Polumbus vs. J.J. Watt
The recently minted $100 million man, J.J. Watt poses a huge threat to Washington's offensive attack. Whether it's as a pass-rusher or run defender, he can wreak havoc in the Redskins backfield.
Making matters worse for Washington, Watt will be opposed by one of the team's worst offensive linemen, Tyler Polumbus. In a notable matchup from last season, Polumbus was dominated by Justin Tuck, a player with a similar build and style of play to Watt's. During the Redskins' 24-17 loss to the New York Giants, Tuck tallied four sacks.
While it's unrealistic to expect Polumbus to neutralize Watt by himself—he's sure to receive aid from tight ends and running backs—Washington can't afford for Polumbus to replicate his performance from 2013.
Washington Front Seven vs. Arian Foster
Dominant in the preseason, Washington's front seven has a challenge on its hand in the season opener, and his name is Arian Foster.
Although injuries derailed his 2013 season, Foster has always been productive when he's on the field. Entering his sixth NFL season, Foster has yet to average less than 4.1 yards per carry. With Houston's quarterback position again being a weak spot, Foster will be the focal point of the team's offense. If the Redskins can stymie Foster and make the Texans one-dimensional, Washington's improved pass rush will have little trouble getting to the quarterback on obvious passing downs.
Redskins' X-Factor of the Week: David Amerson
With ESPN.com's John Keim reporting that top cornerback DeAngelo Hall won't be shadowing Andre Johnson in this contest, some of the onus will fall on David Amerson to neutralize Houston's No. 1 wideout. Additionally, stopping sophomore wideout DeAndre Hopkins will be on his to-do list.
If Amerson can hold his own on the outside, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett will be freed up to blitz. Such a scenario would increase the likelihood that journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick turns the ball over, since he is known to be loose with the football. (He had nine fumbles in 2013.)
Prediction
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The key to a Washington victory is the ability of its offensive line to limit penetration. Unfortunately for the Redskins, that happens to be a weakness of theirs and a strength of the Houston Texans.
With it only being a matter of time before the Redskins receivers break open, it's crucial that Gruden implements screen passes, play-action fakes and rollouts to slow down the pass rush of the Texans. Additionally, while it was the case in Cincinnati, Gruden can't deviate from Alfred Morris and the team's rushing attack. Predictability is the last thing Houston needs to pressure the quarterback.
Shifting the focus to the defense, Haslett has to direct his defense to make Fitzpatrick win the game. Backed by a solid running game, Fitzpatrick has had his moments where he looks like a starting-caliber quarterback. Take away his safety net, though, and his penchant for turnovers reminds you why he's on his fifth NFL team.
All told, even with the Redskins offense working out the kinks of a new system, the defense has the tools to stymie Houston's offense.
Look for the defense to set the tone and the offense to capitalize on some of Fitzpatrick's miscues.
Prediction: Redskins 23, Texans 17
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