Like every other team in the NFL, the Washington Redskins are 0-0 with their most challenging game yet coming up. Having traveled west to be hosted by the Arizona Cardinals, they are fighting jet lag as well as a dangerous running back in Arizona’s David Johnson and lethal defensive back in NFL Top 100 cornerback Patrick Peterson (seven Pro Bowls). Washington is starting a new signal-caller in Alex Smith and the team is under pressure to come out swinging what with coach Jay Gruden’s history of losing openers. So the challenges are real.
The Cardinals have their own challenges with a new head coach in Steve Wilks and new QB in Sam Bradford. But they have an impressive defense and an 11-time Pro Bowl wideout, Larry Fitzgerald, on the roster.
Die-hard Washington fans pretty much know what folks around here are saying about the Cardinals but it’s always good to know thine enemy. What is the opposition saying?
Cardinals OLB Chandler Jones pushing the Redskins pocket around is going to make things even easier for Arizona’s premier cornerback. We don’t know yet where the Cards will put Peterson but he a savvy veteran and, while Alex Smith hasn’t played yet in Gruden’s system, there is a lot of film out there on him.
“The great thing about playing against the Redskins is that, obviously the plays are going to come out different. The quarterback is different [from last season], but we pretty much have the mannerisms of the quarterback, Alex Smith,” Peterson said this week. “We know what he likes to do and, obviously, when you get a new player, you’re going try to do what he does best.
“We have a good feel of what Alex likes to do,” he continued. “Now we just have to kind of go out there and mash the two together [with] as far as how Jay calls plays and what they did to us over the years… how they’ve tried to attack [the] Carolina [Panthers’] defense or any other 4-3 defense.”
Al Holcomb is the Cardinals defensive coordinator and is the man who must prepare for Gruden’s offense being run by his own savvy veteran. Arizona must balance knowing Smith is in a new system but that he’s seen a lot of football over the years.
“You watch a lot of the Redskin tape from 2017 and you see a different quarterback,” Holcomb said about preparing for Alex Smith. “So, you’ve got to keep everything in perspective and understand that that’s their system, that’s their scheme. And, obviously, with Alex being in a different system in previous years, you may just go back and watch some of his tendencies, some of the things that he likes to do.”
From 2012 to 2016, Arizona Cardinals new lead-man, Steve Wilks, coached the Panthers defensive backs so he knows Redskins CB Josh Norman well. During the week, he has been asked about his former player a couple of times and it’s clear that he has much respect for him.
“I just think it’s his drive and his determination to be great,” Wilks said in a conference call about Norman’s success. “I think he perfects his craft. He works on it daily. He’s out there early. I’m sure you guys have seen him out there after practice. That probably hasn’t changed with him. You know working on the little things. Having his coach throwing balls, having someone just go through the drills with him and where he turned the corner was when we were able to sit down and start watching film together, one-on-one, and start understanding the concepts of what the offense was trying to do. He has great ball skills, tremendous eyes, understands his own concepts, reading 2-to-1 and, you know, his game started to flourish.”
The Redskins own Peterson, Adrian, ran the ball for the Cardinals last season and has a bit of a chip on his shoulder because they released him. While some pundits wonder if he is still a home-run threat, defensive players will never underestimate another NFL player.
Being a part of the secondary, Arizona’s Peterson, Patrick, might not have to contend with AP much… unless he does break into the open. He apparently has a plan if this happens.
“Tie his shoes for him,” he said with a wry smile. “Hopefully he trips up along the way.”
Redskins fan poll: which player will earn MVP vs the Cardinals?