The Washington Redskins lost their Week 1 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles by a small margin.
You could argue that was better than they were expected to do, but they blew a big lead — it was very disappointing.
Now they have a chance at redemption. Their Week 2 matchup is another NFC East rival, the Dallas Cowboys.
In Week 1, Dallas blew out the other NFC East team, the New York Giants.
With that in mind, Washington needs a big win to keep pace in the division. Can the Redskins pull it off?
Here are four bold predictions for the Redskins' Week 2 matchup vs. the Cowboys.
Terry McLaurin and Trey Quinn Keep Trending Up
Rookie wide receiver Terry McLaurin looked absolutely awesome in Week 1. Meanwhile, second-year wide receiver Trey Quinn looked like a true slot star.
There are a few questions surrounding them. The first is in their hands: Can they keep it up? Do they have the talent to thrive in the NFL?
The answer to that is simply yes. Both have immense talent and should be able to put together strong seasons in 2019, even with a receiving corps many don't think highly of.
However, the second question is out of their hands. Can Case Keenum keep it up?
The quarterback was awesome in his debut with the Redskins. He's not going to throw for nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns (no interceptions) every week. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if that ends up being his best game all year.
However, can he at least keep up some solid throws. He'll struggle at times, but will connect with his two best targets available to him in Week 2: McLaurin and Quinn.
They'll both have strong games and keep their positive trend going.
Defense Corrects Itself
The Washington defense was spotty in Week 1. It looked really good in the first half but lost in the second half.
You could argue this was because of fatigue or bad halftime adjustments. Whatever the reason, the outcome is the problem. Overall, the Redskins' defense didn't look good in Week 1; that's supposed to be their specialty.
The defensive line didn't bring much pressure on Carson Wentz, and although it looked great against the run in the first half, it was dreadful in the second. Meanwhile, the secondary made few plays.
Credit where it's due: Rookie linebacker Cole Holcomb looked awesome in his debut.
They've got a tough task in Week 2. Dallas has a very strong offense led by Ezekiel Elliott. Washington won't be perfect, but it will be better. Look for the Redskins to bring more pressure on the quarterback and to contain Elliott.
Offensive Line Continues to Look Solid
Was the offensive line of the Redskins perfect in Week 1? Nope, far from it. It was solid though. The Redskins were better than many expected.
Ereck Flowers was good. That's a far cry from what people thought would happen. Donald Penn showed little rust and Brandon Scherff is a star.
Yes, there were some issues, but every line will have that. In Week 2, the Redskins will continue that trend. They won't be perfect, but for the second week in a row, they'll hold their own against a very good defensive line.
This will continue to prove that this line isn't nearly as bad as many expected, and maybe Flowers can turn his career around at guard.
Redskins Lose By Multiple Scores
The Redskins surprised a lot of people by losing to the Eagles by only five despite being the away team (and many thinking a bigger loss was in the cards).
Yes, blowing the lead at halftime was painful. However, it's still a game you could look back on and see a lot of positives.
With that in mind, maybe Washington won't have too much of a problem with the Cowboys, especially considering it's in Landover.
That being said, the Redskins have some issues. Jordan Reed is out again. Jonathan Allen's out as well and Derrius Guice was placed on the IR. Caleb Brantley is also out.
Wait, there's more. Monte Nicholson and Quinton Dunbar appear to be out too, and Trent Williams isn't back.
Washington is already fighting to stay afloat. Things could go south quickly.
They'll put up a fight against the Cowboys, but it will be a futile effort. Dallas wins by multiple scores and the Redskins start the year 0-2.
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