Redskins vs. Ravens: 7 Things to Watch for in Tonight's Game

Tonight, the Baltimore Ravens take on the Washington Redskins in a Battle for the Beltway.

Both teams have a lot to prove in 2011, and this Week 3 matchup will be the closest the squads have had to a game with a regular-season feel.

The Ravens are 1-1 in preseason, and have looked a little inconsistent in their first two contests against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

In contrast, the Washington Redskins have looked impressive in the preseason, winning their first two preseason games, and having a top-5 rating in every important preseason stats category.

However, it is unknown how this preseason success will translate to the regular season, and their game against the Ravens should provide the Redskins with a clearer picture of what 2011 may hold.

In the following slides, we will detail seven things to watch for in tonight's game.

Washington Redskins QB John Beck

The Washington Redskins' starting quarterback situation, while still unsettled, is starting to get a little clearer based on their game last week against the Indianapolis Colts.

John Beck emerged as the frontrunner for the regular season starting position, completing 14 of 17 passes for 140 yards against the Colts, and though he had no touchdowns he also threw zero interceptions.

Tonight, will be a significantly more difficult test for Beck, with the Baltimore Ravens being a far more defensively accomplished team than Indianapolis.

This will be the game for the Redskins to determine if the starting position is truly Beck's to lose.

Washington Redskins QB Rex Grossman

While the starting quarterback job may indeed be John Beck's to lose, do not expect Rex Grossman to be playing as though this is a foregone conclusion.

Grossman, who started for the Redskins in the preseason debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers, had an impressive game, going 19-of-26 for 207 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions.

However, as Beck's backup last week against the Indianapolis Colts, Grossman struggled, completing seven of 12 passes for 88 yards, with one touchdown and a sack, which lost the team five yards.

Grossman faces a similar test as Beck does, against the Ravens vaunted defense. How he reacts to their pressure will be a major factor determining the starter come the regular season.

His advantage is that he has played in high-profile regular season games against difficult defenses as a starter for the Chicago Bears.

However, how this so-called advantage plays itself out will ultimately determine if Grossman can clinch the starting job, or if he will be a backup for yet another season.

Baltimore Ravens Cornerbacks

One wrinkle the Baltimore Ravens can put in the Washington Redskins' quarterback plans comes courtesy of their cornerbacks.

The Ravens corner situation has vastly improved from last season, with a slew of younger guys comprising the majority of the roster depth.

This allows veteran Domonique Foxworth to completely recover from the 2010 knee surgery that made him miss all of last season.

First-round 2011 draft pick Jimmy Smith was impressive last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, handily defending starting wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.

Third-year veteran Cary Williams is also having a solid preseason showing, and is the probable regular season starter at the right corner.

Rookie Chykie Brown, a 5th-round pick in the 2011 draft, may also get some time in the starting corner rotation this evening.

This much depth at corner is a major advantage for the Ravens and it could prove frustrating for the Washington Redskins offense.

Baltimore Ravens TEs Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson

The battle for the vacant starting spot left by departed Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap seems to be headed to a close in tonight's game against the Washington Redskins.

Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson, both in their second year in the league, are slated to be the final two vying for the starting role.

Dickson began training camp working with the first team offense, but pulled his hamstring. This kept him from working on the field, and he did not play in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.

This opened the door for Pitta, and he took that advantage and ran with it.

Pitta had four receptions for 47 yards against the Eagles. His production declined in his Week 2 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, logging just four yards from one reception. Dickson also had one reception for four yards in that game.

It is clear that the Ravens are not looking for their new starting tight end to mimic the career of Heap, but they still are looking for a high-impact player with good hands and blocking skills to fill the starting position.

Look for either Pitta or Dickson to emerge as the Ravens' starter based upon tonight's performance.

Washington Redskins Running Backs Roy Helu and Tim Hightower

The Washington Redskins running attack has managed to impress this preseason.

The newly-added veteran, Tim Hightower, has rushed for 114 yards and one touchdown in his first two preseason games. Rookie Roy Helu is quickly showing off his skills, with 129 rushing yards and 33 receiving yards so far in the preseason.

Look for the two to have a significantly more difficult time in this week's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in a preseason game that feels much more like a regular season contest than their previous two.

The Ravens have one of the best front sevens in the league and are notoriously difficult to run the ball against. The Redskins will have a better idea of how truly effective their running game is after facing such a hard-hitting defense.

The Baltimore Ravens Front 7

The Baltimore Ravens defense will be looking to bring the pressure tonight, and that starts and ends with their front seven.

The Ravens linebacker corps, anchored by the already-legendary veteran Ray Lewis, is consistently one of the best in the league, and tonight they will be looking to display that dominance against the Washington Redskins.

The Redskins should be prepared for their offense to look significantly more contained than in their previous two preseason games against an unprepared Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 and a nearly-pathetic Indianapolis Colts defense last week.

The Ravens linebackers will be bringing their A-game pass rush and run defense; it will be a major test for the Washington offensive line, which is looking for major improvement after a terrible showing in 2010.

Washington Redskins RB Evan Royster

One potential casualty of the Baltimore Ravens defense is Redskins rookie running back Evan Royster.

Royster, who had an impressive training camp, had 14 rushes for only 66 yards in the preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and did not play in the Week 2 game against the Indianapolis Colts.

With Tim Hightower, Roy Helu, Ryan Torain, Mike Sellers and Keiland Williams all assured spots on the Redskins' eventual 53-man roster, Royster appears to be the odd man out.

If he wants to remain on the team and have a chance to play with the starters in the regular season, he needs to get carries, and significant yardage, in tonight's game against the Ravens.