Tennessee Titans vs. Washington Redskins: Complete Week 7 Preview for Washington
Looking to end a four-game losing streak, the Washington Redskins will square off against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7.
Marred by turnovers yet again, the Redskins extended their year-long drought on the road with a 30-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Registering their first win since the season opener, the Titans escaped with a 16-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars without the services of starting quarterback Jake Locker.
Treading water until the return of Robert Griffin III, the Skins are entering a stretch in which three of their next four opponents boast sub-.500 records. Will they take advantage of this?
Let's find out. Here is the Week 7 preview for Washington.
Washington Redskins Week 6 Recap
1 of 5
It was much of the same for the Washington Redskins in their Week 6 loss to the Cardinals.
Despite the fact they out-gained their opponent, the Redskins registered their 10th consecutive loss on the road. Garnering 401 total yards to Arizona's 317, the Redskins were undone by four turnovers, all of which occurred in the fourth quarter.
The centerpiece of the team's collapse, Kirk Cousins, once again had a three-interception quarter. While he did throw for 354 yards on the game, Cousins was never at ease with Arizona sending countless blitzes in his direction. Rushing for just 72 yards as a team, Washington didn't provide him with a running game to lean on either.
Feasting on big plays, DeSean Jackson tallied 105 yards on three receptions for the game, with the highlight being a 64-yard score on All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson. Returning from a hamstring injury, Jordan Reed had eight receptions and 92 yards in his first action since the season opener.
With the exception being their 41-point outburst against the hapless Jaguars, the Redskins now haven't surpassed 20 points in four of six games.
On defense, the weak spot was once again the secondary. Already down Tracy Porter and DeAngelo Hall, the Redskins lost David Amerson to a concussion early in this one. Forced to trot out the likes of E.J. Biggers, rookie Bashaud Breeland and Chase Minnifield, Washington surrendered 250 passing yards and two touchdowns to Carson Palmer.
Sporting a 1-5 record, the return of Griffin is now the lone thing Redskins fans have to look forward to in this lost season.
News and Notes
2 of 5
The Return of Leonard Hankerson and Stephen Bowen?
Put on the team's physically unable to perform list at the onset of the season, Leonard Hankerson and Stephen Bowen are now eligible for game action.
With both set to begin practicing this week, according to ESPN.com's John Keim, the Redskins will soon have a decision to make in regards to their 53-man roster. If activated, who will Hankerson and Bowen replace on the active roster?
In Hankerson's case, you have to look at Aldrick Robinson and Santana Moss as potential casualties. Due to each player's sporadic playing time, though, it's not like this decision will have much of an impact on the team's receiving hierarchy. With Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Andre Roberts atop the depth chart, Washington's other receivers won't see too many snaps.
Bowen's situation is a bit different, though. Washington is starved for bodies along its defensive line. The likes of Barry Cofield, Kedric Golston and Jason Hatcher have all been hampered by injury at some point this season. As a result, the withering defensive line has been more inviting to opposing rushers as the year has progressed, and the pass rush has been inconsistent.
With the team having just three weeks to decide on the futures of Hankerson and Bowen, the play of the Redskins' defensive line and receiving corps is something to monitor going forward.
Back to the Bench for Kirk Cousins?
With the barrage of turnovers Cousins has had of late, there's little doubt RG3 will reclaim the starting job upon his return from injury. With what the Washington Times' Tom Schad is reporting, Griffin's return to practice could be coming next week:
"RG3 will start individual drills this week. Gruden hopes he'll return to #Redskins practice next week.
— Tom Schad (@Tom_Schad) October 13, 2014"
While this news would seemingly put Cousins in line to start against the Titans, Comcast SportsNet's Brian Mitchell believes it's time for the Redskins to turn to Colt McCoy.
Speaking on CSN's post-game show, Mitchell, via The Washington Post's Dan Steinberg, cited why Cousins should be benched:
"When Robert went down, everyone said Kirk was the guy. And Kirk hasn’t gotten the job done, just like Robert wasn’t getting the job done. Well, why not move on to somebody else?
If you can’t get it done in the fourth quarter — when that’s when you make your name — then it’s time for them to start trying to see if the rest of the guys on this team can play. Colt McCoy is the next guy out there. I don’t see what the problem would be.
"
Although Steinberg reiterated that head coach Jay Gruden hasn't thought about benching Cousins, you have to wonder how many more mistakes Gruden is willing to tolerate from his quarterback. After watching Cousins collapse for the third time in four starts in Week 6, his patience has to be wearing thin.
Struggles on Third Down
How else can you explain an offense featuring names like Jackson, Garcon, Roberts, Reed and Alfred Morris scoring a mere 22 points per game?
The only positive about Washington converting just 32.4 percent of its third downs is the fact that its Week 7 opponent converts a league-worst 31.9 of them.
Delving into the team's woes on third down, Keim highlighted the Redskins' ineffective running game:
"For the season, running back Alfred Morris has two carries for minus-two yards on third and 1. Going deeper, Morris, Roy Helu and Darrel Young have combined for four carries and minus-1 yard on third-and-1. That’s an issue."
Because of these struggles on the ground, Washington has predictably passed, regardless of the down and distance. As a result, Cousins has a league-worst 39.8 passer rating on third down. In addition to gaining more yards on first and second down, it'll be important for the Skins to mix up their play-calling in an effort to keep opposing defenses from keying on the quarterback.
Injury Report
3 of 5
| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| David Amerson | CB | Questionable |
| Ryan Clark | S | Questionable |
| Robert Griffin III | QB | Questionable |
| Tracy Porter | CB | Questionable |
| Brian Orakpo | LB | Probable |
| Akeem Jordan | LB | Questionable |
| Darrel Young | RB | Probable |
| Trenton Robinson | S | Probable |
| Perry Riley | LB | Questionable |
*All injury statuses from CBSSports.com.
Already down Hall, the potential absences of Ryan Clark, Porter and Amerson could force Washington to field a starting secondary featuring Trenton Robinson, Brandon Meriweather, Breeland and Biggers.
Tennessee may be 21st in passing offense, but a secondary littered with backups is certainly something head coach Ken Whisenhunt can exploit on game day, regardless of who suits up at quarterback.
Shifting to the offensive side of the ball, outside of Griffin, the Redskins have their full arsenal of offensive weapons. Facing a Titans defense that surrenders 25.5 points per game, the Skins should have little trouble eclipsing the 20-point barrier for a third time this season.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
4 of 5
Washington's Offensive Line vs. Tennessee's Front Seven
Owners of 15 sacks, seventh in the NFL, the Titans pose a problem for Washington's offensive line. While the Skins have surrendered just 11 sacks on the year, the offensive line has struggled against the blitz all season. Completing over 60 percent of his passes for the year, Cousins connects on just 48.8 percent of his throws when he's blitzed.
The running game has also been an issue for this unit. A team that averaged over 135 yards per game in 2013, Washington has been held under 100 rushing yards in each of its last four games—all losses.
Facing a Tennessee defense that's 24th in run defense, allowing 127.7 yards per game, the opportunity is there for the Skins to revive their dormant rushing attack.
Redskins' Pass Rush vs. Titans' Offensive Line
Regardless of if it's Locker or Charlie Whitehurst under center for the Titans, the Skins' battered secondary doesn't stand a chance if the team can't get a better pass rush.
Sure, Washington has 15 sacks. The problem is 10 of them came against the Jaguars. Facing a Tennessee team ranked 28th in sacks allowed, there's little excuse for a defensive front featuring Hatcher, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan to come up short.
With accuracy being a weak spot for both of the Titans' starting options at quarterback, some consistent pressure from Washington's front seven could result in the defense finally forcing turnovers.
X-Factor of the Week: Kirk Cousins
The Redskins' 13 turnovers have resulted in 43 points for their opponents this season. When you're Cousins and you're responsible for nine of these, don't you have to be your team's X-factor?
It's no coincidence that in Washington's lone win—and best offensive performance of the season—Cousins didn't turn the ball over. Additionally, in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks, his lack of mistakes kept the team in the game.
As for the Titans, sporting a 2-4 record, they've forced five turnovers in their wins and just four in their losses.
It may be a tough task for a quarterback who's thrown 18 interceptions in 13 games, but a turnover-free showing from Cousins is necessary if the Skins are to win.
Prediction
5 of 5
There's no way around it—their 1-5 record says it all. Through six games, the Redskins have been a bad football team.
Even with that said, their schedule allows for them to be viewed in a different light. Every one of Washington's losses came against a team boasting a .500 record or better. In its one game against a sub-.500 opponent, it won.
Enter the Titans. At 2-4, they fall in the latter category. Whether he's opposing Locker or Whitehurst, Cousins can actually claim to be the better quarterback in this matchup. Additionally, while the Titans may have a slight edge on defense, the offensive arsenal Cousins has at his disposal easily trumps Tennessee's.
All things considered, by re-establishing their running game—and reining in Cousins in the process—the Redskins' four-game losing streak will come to an end.
Prediction: Titans 19, Redskins 27
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
