Suppose the New York Giants Dexter Lawrence jumps just a few inches shorter and doesn’t go offsides. In that case, Dustin Hopkins doesn’t get a second chance at a game-winning field goal, Washington is 0-2 with a game in Buffalo Sunday, and the season is in danger of spiraling out of control.
But the reality is, Washington got the breaks, won Thursday night, and is now 1-1. What’s more, some players are making some serious moves early in 2021.
BUY: Jonathan Allen, Sam Cosmi, Terry McLaurin
Allen got a contract extension before the season, and so far, it looks like an excellent investment for the Washington front office.
For the second week in a row, Allen terrorized the opposing offense. Against the Giants, his stat line read six tackles, five solos, three for a loss, two sacks, and three QB hits. Allen has easily been the biggest beneficiary of the Chase Young/Montez Sweat edge combination. The defense may have issues; Allen isn’t one of them.
Surprised by the Sam Cosmi pick? It’s long business as opposed to short business. Pass blocking has been a nightmare, but the rookie’s run blocking has been a different story.
Cosmi’s run blocking hasn’t just been good, it’s been great. Through two games, his PFF run-blocking grade is 90.3. That’s the third-best in the entire league. Cosmi got a rude welcome to the NFL from Joey Bosa in Week 1, and while his pass blocking still needs work, he has been blowing people off the ball in the run game.
From the self-explanatory category, we give you the third-year pro from Ohio State.
In week one, McLaurin wasn’t targeted until the second half. In week two, he was involved early and often. Scary Terry finished with 11 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. Just FYI, Curtis Samuel is eligible to come off the short-term IR list week 4.
HOLD: The Cornerbacks
Of the three, rookie Benjamin St-Juste fared the best, but the bar is pretty low. St-Juste wasn’t beaten for any huge plays, but William Jackson III was another story. He was beaten badly by Darius Slayton for a second-half touchdown and ranked 92nd out of 99 defensive backs. Kendall Fuller is the highest-ranked DB on the roster, but at 58, it puts him squarely in the middle of the pack. They must elevate their game as a group, especially this weekend against Josh Allen and the Bills.