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The Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles square off on Sunday for a Week 1 matchup between divisional rivals.
While the Eagles could be Super Bowl contenders, the Redskins are expected to be one of the lower-tier teams in the NFL.
Is Washington really that bad? Does Philadelphia have the depth to make a deep playoff run?
One thing's for certain: When two division rivals are playing, don't expect a blowout by the Eagles.
Here are four bold predictions for the season opener: the Washington Redskins versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
Eagles Allow Under 150 Total Passing Yards
You could argue that this isn't the craziest thing in the world because the Washington Redskins have one of the most inexperienced wide receiver corps in the NFL. They also have an offensive line with holes in it and a quarterback that no one's considering a superstar.
That being said, 150 total passing yards is still really low. Especially considering the Philadelphia Eagles don't exactly have an elite cornerbacks corps. However, they do have a fantastic defensive line.
That line will create a lot of issues for Case Keenum. He'll need to rely on his unproven receivers to get open quickly, and that's a tall task.
If the Redskins want to get anything going in the passing game it will need to be quick passes and screens. They will likely try a big play a few times and that might help get their yards up a little bit, but expecting a lot of those is simply a pipe dream.
Due to that, the Eagles should have their way when it comes to the passing game. However …
Derrius Guice Eclipses 100 Rushing Yards
This one's a little tough. As mentioned before, the Washington Redskins don't exactly have an elite offensive line. Due to that, they'll have some issues in the passing game.
That might not translate as much into the running game though. For one thing, Brandon Scherff is one of the best run blockers in the NFL. Not many get to the second level like he can and throw his body around to create lanes for his running back.
Meanwhile, Guice is ultra talented but faces a few hurdles himself. He still hasn't played a regular season NFL game and the Redskins were extra cautious with him in the preseason.
The plan seems to be the same for the start of the regular season. You'd imagine with Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson, Washington won't want to overrun Guice early on.
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That being said, the Philadelphia Eagles defense is going to stifle the pass. Guice has big play potential and should make some things happen. Meanwhile, the Redskins defense will keep them in this game.
At some point, Washington's going to turn to Guice to get their offense moving. He'll get a solid amount of carries and break off a few runs, showing that potential was real. In doing so, Derrius Guice will eclipse 100 rushing yards in his first career game.
Carson Wentz Stays Healthy
The Washington Redskins have one of the most threatening front sevens in the entire NFL. Carson Wentz has had injury problems throughout his career. That could be a recipe for disaster.
With Da'Ron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Matthew Ioannidis and Tim Settle on the defensive line, Washington is already scary. Add Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat at linebacker and that's just nightmare fuel for opposing quarterbacks and running backs.
However, the Eagles have a solid offensive line – a great one in fact. Will Wentz go through the entire game untouched? No. He will have great protection though and is extremely tough. He's played through injuries and only misses time when it's something serious.
Wentz has had some bad luck with major injuries but nothing too serious will happen in week 1. For sure he'll be sore after – but so will anyone that laces up. Wentz will get through the game and give Eagles fans something to be excited about to start the year.
Redskins win 13-10
Hey, bold predictions, right? The Washington Redskins have a fantastic defense, but the offense isn't frightening anyone. They'll surprise the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL with a win, thanks to that elite-level defense.
Expect a lot of physical play from both teams and a frustratingly slow game to watch. If you're a Redskins fan you'll be happy to suffer through it if it means they win though.
