The 1-6 Washington Redskins are quickly moving on to greener, drier pastures as they take on the 5-2 Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium tonight in Minneapolis. It will be the 22nd regular-season meeting between these two teams with the all-time season series record deadlocked at 13 all. The Redskins are 2-3 in their last five meetings against the Vikings.
The Burgundy and Gold’s defense has finally begun to play the first three quarters of a football game but the offense has yet to put together a full 60 minutes. Whether it’s physical fatigue (from being on the field so much) or mental miscues within the scheme, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky must find a way to get his defense to dominate to the finish.
Offensively, Washington has improved in the run game but has regressed in its ability to move the ball through the air consistently. That said, the Redskins must find a way to play a complete game in a hostile environment. Below are two keys that, if executed, could lead to the second Redskins victory of the 2019 season:
1). Stop the Vikings Rushing Attack
Stopping Vikings RB Dalvin Cook must be a priority for Washington. Cook has been the Vikings’ workhorse. Over the past three games, Cook has rushed the ball 62 times for 315 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 5.08 yards per attempt.
Minnesota’s success on the ground has given quarterback Kirk Cousins the ability to do many different things in the passing game. Fortunately, Washington has begun to see a small improvement here, allowing 4.68 yards per carry through the first four games of the season but only four yards per attempt in their past three games.
It will be imperative for Manusky’s unit to be fundamentally sound and play close attention to the details if they want to slow down the Vikings ground game.
2). Convert on Third down
The Redskins are second-to-last in the NFL in converting on third down (24.66 percent), converting only 22 of 77 offensive third downs. Inconsistencies keep Washington’s offense from moving the chains resulting in minimal time coming off the clock and producing few-to-no points.
These constant short drives create a trickle-down effect. They leave the defense on the field for extended periods, often wearing them down. In tonight’s hostile environment, it will be important for the Redskins to sustain long drives that result in points. Doing so will give the defense adequate rest and keep Cousins and the Vikings’ hot offense off the field. If Washington wants any shot at winning this game, the ballclub must improve in this area.