Winston Churchill called the ten years that his Conservative Party was out of power the ‘Wilderness Years.’ That decade seems like a walk in Hyde Park compared to what the Washington Football Team has gone through since its last Super Bowl championship, however.
There have been times when it appeared the Burgundy and Gold was emerging from that thicket. The Joe Gibbs 2.0 era, the 2012 RG III-led NFC East Championship season and the one QB Kirk Cousins playoff run come to mind in terms of better times but even they proved to be false floors en route to deeper depths of despair.
Suppose this past Monday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers proves to be the beginning of the real emergence from the wilderness. In that case, several players could go down in history as being responsible for finally navigating the path. There are too many to list all of them but to follow are the three who stood out the most Monday night:
DE Montez Sweat
As has been stated before, no one has benefitted more from the arrival of fellow defensive end Chase Young than this second-year edge rusher from Mississippi State. Sweat had another monster game with four tackles and three passes tipped. He was a one-person wrecking crew. And why is that? Teams are so scared of Young that they deploy extra blockers to keep him in check. That leads to opportunities for Sweat. Two weeks ago against the Dallas Cowboys, his interception-returned-for-a-touchdown clinched the game. Similarly, his tipped pass that was intercepted by LB Jon Bostic Monday night clinched the game. Notice a pattern?
WR Cam Sims
Washington has needed another receiver to step up and become a legit No. 2 option to Terry McLaurin. Simms has done that since Alex Smith has taken over at quarterback. But Sims’ five catches for 92 yards Monday night doesn’t tell the whole story. His first catch, a 30-yard gain on a slant route over the middle, set up a Washington field goal just before half time.
His third catch, also for 30 yards, came on a third-and-14 screen with Washington pinned deep in its own territory.
Then he had the one-handed grab on another critical third-down play to set up Washington’s second touchdown. The 2018 UDFA is averaging more than 18 yards-per-catch and making teams that roll coverage to McLaurin pay for leaving him one-on-one.
TE Logan Thomas
If Thomas keeps up the way he played Monday night, Washington may be able to take the position of tight end off its first-round pick wish list in next year’s draft. The former quarterback from Virginia Tech still isn’t flashy. He’s not George Kittle (SF 49ers) or Travis Kelcie (KC Chiefs) but he continues to get the job done. Alex Smith needed a big target against the Steelers defense Monday and Thomas responded.
He was targeted nine times and made nine catches for 98 yards. He’s not going to rip off 30-yard runs after every catch, or at least hasn’t yet. But he has become a sure-handed target and his blocking gets better every week.
All three of these movers will have to keep it going Sunday as the Arizona desert and a game with the displaced San Francisco 49ers beckons. There isn’t much riding on this game except the lead in the NFC East and a playoff berth.