5 Bold Predictions for Tennessee Titans' Week 7 Matchup Against Redskins

Wins don't get much uglier than the Tennessee Titans' Week 6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, one of the NFL's worst teams. But it still goes down as a win within the division, and now the Titans have the opportunity to take advantage of the softer portion of their schedule.

The Titans get a struggling Washington Redskins team next, but winning on the road will still be no easy task.

A win over the lowly Jaguars has done little to restore confidence in Ken Whisenhunt during his first season as the Titans head coach. However, winning streaks always seem to change the mood quickly. 

The Titans have to string together a few wins before the bye week to get people excited again. After all, the Titans are still just two games behind the Indianapolis Colts and one game behind the Houston Texans.

Here are five bold predictions for the matchup with the Redskins.

Jake Locker Will Start, Play Well

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It's unfortunate that predicting Jake Locker to actually start a game has become a bold prediction, but that's what it has come down to.

There is no denying Locker's toughness, and I believe he'll do enough in practice this week to persuade coaches to give him the start.

Sure, Charlie Whitehurst has managed games effectively enough to give the Titans a chance the last two weeks. He still doesn't give the team a better chance to win than a banged up Locker.

Locker's status for the Redskins game won't be announced until later in the week, per Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean, via The Daily News Journal.

The Redskins defense is nothing to overlook despite the team's 1-5 record. They will bring a lot of pressure to whoever plays quarterback for the Titans. It suits the offense better if it has more mobility with Locker under center.

Locker has been solid when healthy, and he'll play well enough in this game to give the Titans another win. Somewhere in the ballpark of 200 yards, a touchdown and no turnovers.

The Pass Rush Will Continue to Show Improvement

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Tennessee's pass rush is quietly coming into its own as the season progresses. After getting six sacks against the Jaguars, the Titans are now tied for seventh in the NFL with 15 sacks.

Continuing that upward trend will be critical against Kirk Cousins and the Redskins. They can't let Cousins pick the secondary apart, which he is very capable of doing once he gets into his comfort zone.

I expect a couple more sacks from this unit, including another one from Jurrell Casey. This guy continues to wreak havoc in the backfield and will be an X-factor for this game.

The Redskins gave up two sacks and four hits on the quarterback in Week 5 against the Cardinals, according to ESPN.com.

To get a win, the Titans will have to probably do it in ugly fashion yet again.

Bishop Sankey Will Get His First 100-Yard Game

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Sankey had 61 yards on 18 carries against Jacksonville

Bishop Sankey's workload continues to increase, and it will finally pay off against a stingy Redskins defense that gives up 107 rushing yards per game. That ranks in the top half of the NFL.

As for Sankey, he saw 18 carries against the Jaguars and looks to be the lead back heading forward. Shonn Greene is slowly fading out of the picture.

Greene missed last week's game with a hamstring injury, giving Sankey the most playing time of his rookie season at 50 percent, per Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.

The Titans offense hinges on Sankey continuing to improve. His versatility will open up more opportunities for the rest of the offense, but opposing defenses have no reason to worry about him just yet. He has to give defenses a reason to key in on him, and he took a small step forward against the Jaguars.

Sankey gets his first 100-yard performance against the Redskins, and it may not come all on the ground. He needs more looks as a receiver out of the backfield as well. He'll play a big role in the offense getting just enough points to claw its way to a narrow victory.

Marqueston Huff Will See Increased Responsibility

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We knew rookies would play key roles this season for the Titans, and Marqueston Huff is finally getting his chance to prove himself.

Huff saw his most action by far on defense, per John Glennon of The Tennessean:

"

#Titans rookie CB M. Huff got 54 defensive snaps Sun. Had never before been on field for more than 10. Earned positive grade, per @PFF.

— John Glennon (@glennonsports) October 13, 2014"

I've been very impressed with Huff in his limited action, and he deserves strong consideration to start in the upcoming weeks if Blidi Wreh-Wilson continues to struggle.

Even though Wreh-Wilson managed his first career interception in the win over the Jaguars, he still hasn't played very well overall. 

Ken Whisenhunt has to find ways to keep getting Huff opportunities to make plays, and not just on special teams. I'm expecting Huff to see just as much defensive action against the Redskins as he did against the Jaguars. Maybe even more if Wreh-Wilson struggles again.

A few more outings like the one against the Jaguars, and it won't be too long before Huff is starting.

Titans Will Stop Alfred Morris on Defense to Key the Win

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It's no secret the Titans have gotten gashed when trying to stop the run this season, and the key to stopping the Redskins offense will be keeping Alfred Morris in check.

The Redskins have a dangerous passing attack that ranks fifth in the NFL in passing yards per game. It will be a stiffer challenge if the Redskins control the line of scrimmage with Morris.

I expect a Titans win, and the key will be making the Redskins one-dimensional. It doesn't mean the Titans secondary won't get beat, but the defense will do enough to keep Morris from putting up big numbers. 

ESPN 980 out of Washington, D.C. had an interesting stat when Morris is held under 100 yards rushing: 

"

Reminder : Alfred Morris hasn't had a 100-yard rushing day since last November 7 in Minnesota. 12 games. #Redskins (1-11) in that span.

— ESPN 980 (@ESPNRadio980) October 12, 2014"

The record is now 1-12 after the loss to the Cardinals, with Morris only managing 41 yards on the ground.

That has to be the key for the Titans here, and I believe this improving defense will succeed in this area. Let's not forget the Titans have held some pretty good running backs in check this season, most notably Jamaal Charles and Giovani Bernard. They can do the same against Morris.