The Washington Football Team is preparing for its first matchup of the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. If they're successful in their efforts, Washington can advance out of the NFC Wild Card scenario and look forward towards some additional heavy competition.
While that is the main plan going into Saturday, the status of starting quarterback Alex Smith could dictate exactly how the contest goes for Washington. It appears that Smith could be ready to face off against Tampa when the time comes, but according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Smith still has some lingering soreness that could make him probable:
From NFL Now: Washington is likely to have QB Alex Smith as the starter tomorrow, but he's still dealing with some soreness. pic.twitter.com/OWjXo6RLvb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2021
“He showed up a little sore yesterday,” stated Rapoport. “Ron Rivera joked at he wished the game was Sunday. Unfortunately for them, it's not. Whatever soreness Alex Smith is dealing with, he's gonna have to find a way to battle through it. My understanding right now of where it is, still expected to start.”
If Washington plans on having even the slightest shot at besting the Buccaneers on Saturday, Smith will have to show up in full effect. Obviously, if the calf strain becomes unbearable, the medical staff won't hesitate to pull Smith from the game. However, in the immediate aspect of the scenario, expect Smith to bring his A-game to FedEx Field.
Smith won over the starting job early on the season from Dwayne Haskins and has proven himself capable of carrying the Washington Football Team into the playoffs. At the season's end, Smith had completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,582 yards along with six touchdowns.
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