Dissecting Best Individual Matchups to Watch in Washington's Week 3 Action

Despite the loss of quarterback Robert Griffin III, the blowout win against the Jacksonville Jaguars gives the Washington Redskins a morale boost going into their Week 3 battle with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Stepping onto Lincoln Field at 0-2 would have been disastrous. Chip Kelly would likely have run the defense into the ground during the first half and secured the win with ease.

However, things are a little different now.

Yes, the Houston Texans and the Jaguars are not exactly offensive powerhouses, but Washington currently has the No.1 ranked defense in the league. The Eagles are the No. 1 offense, so it should be much more interesting than many people imagined at the start of the year. 

Like a lot of games, it could be decided on a series of individual matchups. Let’s take a look at three of the most important.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Keenan Robinson vs. Darren Sproles

Darren Sproles has been the key to the Eagles' second-half resurgences this year, with the former New Orleans Saint accounting for 178 yards of offense in Week 2 alone.

The Redskins may feature an improved defense, but it’s going to be a real test for them to contain both Darren Sproles and LeSean McCoy. The task of doing just that will fall to Keenan Robinson, who suddenly looks like a difference-maker at the inside linebacker position.

Robinson has been impressive not just with his speed, but with his understanding of offensive formations and his command of the defense. At this point in the season, he is an upgrade on London Fletcher. He might not have the experience of Fletcher, but his athleticism is making up for it.

The Eagles have had a lot of success with screen passes so far, so they will likely look to neutralize the Washington pass rush with more of the same. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett now has two weeks of film on the 2014 Chip Kelly offense, and should be able to maintain some pressure on Nick Foles with the personnel he has. The Indianapolis Colts weren’t able to generate any pass rush last week, contributing to their downfall.

Expect to see Haslett move Jason Hatcher around, as well as rookie linebacker Trent Murphy deployed in conjunction with Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan. Kerrigan’s four-sack performance will be high on Kelly’s mind, especially now that he is down to his third-string right tackle. Kelly will want to get the ball out of Foles’ hands very quickly.

The best way to do that? Screen pass to Sproles or McCoy.

Of all the battles taking place in the game, this one will have the most bearing on the outcome of the game.

Patric Schneider/Associated Press

DeSean Jackson vs. Cary Williams

DeSean Jackson will be out for revenge, but the last thing Kelly wants is to look foolish for letting him go. Jackson is recovering from a Grade 1 AC joint sprain, but doesn’t plan on letting that keep him out of the game. John Keim at ESPN reported Jackson’s comments at a press conference on Wednesday: 

“I don't think an AC joint is jeopardizing my career in the long haul. If it's all on me, I'm playing. I don't plan on missing this game.”

Jay Gruden was a little more conservative in his comments, saying that “if he's not 100 percent, he's not worth being out there,” but also followed that by saying Jackson “is a tough kid and I think he’ll be alright.”

Aiming to keep Jackson at bay will be cornerback Cary Williams, who has suffered with a hamstring injury and was limited in practice this week. Jackson is one of the fastest players in the league, so Williams will need to be at his absolute best. Any soreness from that hamstring will slow his game down, which will leave Jackson to capitalize.

The key for Gruden will be to use Jackson as a threat but keep his opposite number guessing with his targets. There’s no need to throw to Jackson all the time—just having him there could be enough to allow Kirk Cousins to keep the chains moving.

An unremarkable stat line for Jackson doesn’t mean that he has failed or that the Eagles were justified in letting him go. Freeing up space for Pierre Garcon, Andre Roberts, Ryan Grant or Niles Paul is just as important. It’s worth keeping an eye on the soft spots in coverage simply by watching how the Eagles are playing Jackson at the snap.

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Kirk Cousins vs. Billy Davis

Pitting the Redskins quarterback against the Eagles defensive coordinator may seem strange, but Billy Davis will look to pressure Cousins as much as possible and knock him out of sync.

The Washington offensive line hasn’t been good enough so far this year, with Tyler Polumbus and Chris Chester shouldering most of the blame. Too much pressure has been surrendered both on the right side and through the interior, leaving Griffin (and now Cousins) with an ever-collapsing pocket.

The good news is that Cousins’ pocket presence is better than Griffin’s right now, and his ability to feel pressure and step up will serve him well. His tendency to throw interceptions is another matter, but he seems to understand his role well. Mike Jones at The Washington Post reported his comments from the press conference on Wednesday:

"

You know, I’m not 6-5, I don’t run a 4.3 [40-yard dash] and I don’t have an arm that can throw at 90 yards. So, if you don’t have good command, and if I’m not making good decisions, and if I’m not doing a great job of managing the game, then I’m not going to be playing in this league very long.

"

Cousins is a mature player who makes up for any athletic deficiencies with dedication, practice and leadership. His approach makes people believe in him, which is exactly what the Redskins need.

The quarterback controversy needs to stop—for the next few weeks, at least. Cousins is the starter. That’s how the Redskins will be preparing, and that’s how the Eagles will be preparing.

Cousins has the ability to make plays at the highest level. The difference this season is that he has the weapons to execute those plays. This should lead to fewer forced throws and a better touchdown-to-interception ratio than we saw last year.