Washington Redskins vs. St. Louis Rams: 4 Matchup Problems for Washington

The Washington Redskins will look to rebound from their painful Monday night defeat when they take on a struggling St. Louis Rams team on Sunday.

The Redskins have plenty of motivation after last season's 30-16 horror show defeat on the road against the Rams.

St. Louis have found it difficult to overcome a tough beginning to their schedule and have been crippled by poor offensive play, particularly in the red zone.

But the Rams are still capable of posing the improving Redskins some serious problems.  Steve Spagnuolo's team have the weapons on both sides of the ball to exploit some glaring Redskins weaknesses.

Here are four matchup problems which the Rams present to the Redskins.

4. Steven Jackson vs. Washington Run Defense

Brilliant all-purpose back Steven Jackson is nearing full health and should be ready to carry the workload for the Rams offense.

That's bad news for a suspect Redskins run defense that was frequently found wanting against the Dallas Cowboys.

Jackson possesses the balance, power and change of direction speed to torment Jim Haslett's unit all game long.

The Cowboys routinely attacked the soft edges of Washington's 3-4 front with some very effective counter plays.

The Redskins need to be stronger and quicker at the point of attack.  The defensive line must do a better job of taking on and holding double teams.

Big free agent acquisition Barry Cofield needs to start taking more snaps in the base defense.  The stout run defender must gain quick penetration and become a force in the St. Louis backfield.

3. Trent Williams and Jammal Brown vs. James Hall and Chris Long

Redskins tackles Trent Williams and Jammal Brown have struggled mightily against accomplished edge rushers so far this season.

Their task won't be any easier in St. Louis up against fast developing youngster Chris Long and the ageing but still highly effective James Hall.

Hall and Long are a fearsome and disruptive duo and the Redskins must first corral these two bookends before they can begin to deal with Spagnuolo's multiple fire zone schemes.

Hall is a vastly underrated pro who relies on aggression, smart technique and an extensive repertoire of pass rush moves to get to the quarterback.

Williams will need to have his footwork right and be as tenacious and decisive as Hall when coming out of his stance.

Long uses good first step quickness and tremendous strength to collapse the edge.  After struggling against speed last week, Brown must get his timing right and make sure he beats Long to the corner.

The Redskins should use a tight end or a running back to help out and chip one or both of these dangerous pass rushers.

2. Danario Alexander vs. Josh Wilson and DeAngelo Hall

Despite the addition of Mike Sims-Walker, little known second-year man Danario Alexander has been the Rams most dangerous wideout so far this season.

Alexander is emerging as a potent deep threat, averaging 30 yards per reception.  His ability to stretch the field will test Washington corners Josh Wilson and DeAngelo Hall.

Hall in particular needs to rebound after a dismal performance against Dallas.  In addition to his role in the Cowboys late 3rd-and-long conversion, Hall was terrible all night.

In what might have been karmic retribution following his extremely distasteful comments about targeting Tony Romo's ribs, Hall was victimised in coverage thanks to a woeful combination of blown assignments and feeble tackling.

The brash cover ace can certainly play better and his off-coverage techniques and ball-hawking instincts could be the key to subduing the big play potential offered by Alexander.

The Redskins should also tailor their blitzes to pressure Sam Bradford up the middle and make it difficult for the sophomore passer to step into any deep throws.

1. Fred Robbins vs. Will Montgomery and Chris Chester

For the Redskins running game to get back on track and lead the offense, center Will Montgomery and right guard Chris Chester will need to get the better of hulking veteran Fred Robbins.

The interior standout is an expert at splitting double teams and crushing the pocket.  If he is allowed to gain regular penetration, Robbins can disrupt the Redskins stretch plays before they have a chance to get to the edges of the Rams defense.

This will be an interesting matchup between the Redskins finesse-style, zone blocking techniques and the relentless power of Robbins.

Washington will need the running game to create manageable down and distance situations for Rex Grossman and reduce the number of times the Rams are able to utilise their sophisticated blitz packages.

Defeating the Rams on the road is a tough task for the Redskins, as Steve Spagnuolo's team is better than their record indicates.

The Rams present problems in both scheme and personnel.  But if the Redskins are going to prove that they really have taken positive steps forward from last season, this is the kind of game they must win.