Week 1: Washington (0-0) @ Houston (0-0)

[Rafael122]

Injuries: Orakpo was limited in practice as of Wednesday, and Tracy Porter is looking like a questionable/doubtful situation this week.

The games begin for real. Most pundits seem to think that Washington will be better than last year, while I personally think this team can go 9-7 and be no worse than 8-8. I think they will compete for the 2nd wildcard spot. As for Houston, this looks to be a rebuilding year but they do have some key pieces, especially on defense. They just drafted Clowney, who will start and will be thrown into the fire against Trent Williams, as well as recently extended JJ Watt. This is going to be a really good test for our offensive line, two bookend defensive ends/linebackers.

This is also going to test RG 3's pocket presence. Jay wants him to become more of a pocket passer but I'll be curious to see how much time he gets in the pocket especially when you have Watt and Clowney out there.

I like to look at the season in quarters, the 1st quarter has us facing the Texans, Jaguars, Eagles, and Giants. I think Washington can take 3 out of 4 and be 3-1 heading into their showdown against Seattle, so it is absolutely crucial that they beat the teams they're suppose to beat.

Prediction: Washington beats the Texans 27-14.

[LyricalRico]

Thanks for the thread, Raf!

Unfortunately, I have to disagree. I think the Texans D-line hounds RG3 all game and pressures him into multiple picks. Gotta pick the Skins to lose this one.

[LyricalRico]

Actually, I'm gonna hedge a bit just because of Houston's question marks on offense (QB specifically). So even if their defense gives Washington problems, we could still have a shot if the Texans don't score a lot of points.

[Rafael122]

A horrendous game. I thought RG 3 played decently, all things considered but turnovers absolutely destroyed us in this game. Niles Paul fumbling the ball inside the 10, as did Alfred Morris...at the very least they could have walked away with 6 points. Not to mention the blocked punt-touchdown. I actually came out encouraged by their performance because I think Washington beat themselves, not that the Texans beat them.

Keenan Robinson is a beast. Filling in for Fletcher.

Jordan Reed has all-world talent, but the kid just can't stay on the field.

[hands11]

They won 3 games last year right ?

Team has a long ways to go.

RG doesn't look comfortable but he is trying to grow his game by trying to pocket pass more. They helped him out by giving him a lot of short passes so he could get comfortable or maybe those were just the reads he was taking because he isn't comfortable yet. For now, he is over adjusting. He doesn't now when to run and he hasn't learn to slide around the pocket yet. And the O Line didn't help.

It was interesting hearing coach after the game say, he can run if he sees that is the play. So it might be more on RG3 to figure it out. He might be over compensating. Stay in the pocket doesn't mean you can't move at all. He was waiting to long before trying to get out of there. By then it was to late.

The special team.

Come on. How do they keep sucking so badly. A blocked FG and a blocked punt for a TD in one game. Thats sad.

The return team has promise though.

Thats most the game in my book. The turnover after a great play down the middle play, that can get cleaned up. That happens. It floppy but fixable.

The RG tripping on the handoff to Afred for a turnover. Thats JV. I have seen that happen to him before.

Lets face it. Right now, RG3 just isn't very good given the style that are asking him to play. They aren't using him to his strengths because they don't want him to expose himself to injury and he hasn't learned to use his talent to be any other type of QB then that. Its could take all of this year and into next before it start to come together for him.

Reality is, this is more like year one for him then year 3.

But they were a 3 win team last year. They have a new coach. Its going to take some time and likely some more talent.

The D looked good though.

[Rafael122]

RG is fighting himself, he's trying to prove to everyone that he's a pocket passer and it's taking him out of his game. Run when he sees fit, and if he needs to step out of the pocket and throw the ball so be it. He's trying to prove his doubters wrong. It's weird to see. And frustrating at the same time, because the team HAS talent. They could legitimately be an 8 or 9 win team.

[Ruzious]

I was expecting more, but there's some good signs. After 3 lousy possessions, they moved the ball and accumulated yardage. Turnovers killed them and lack of execution on what should have been 2 huge plays (the incompletion early to Roberts and the Paul fumble) hurt. RG3 still has to get rid of the ball quicker - he could have avoided 2 of the sacks if he did - and he ran into the intentional grounding play.

Robinson looked great at inside LBer. - he needs to stay healthy. The defense was solid, but why have Rambo isolated against a receiver and nobody else on that side of the field. That was an epically bad defense on that 1 play - no pass rush and depending on Rambo.

At least we have a good kick returner - Roberts made good plays and decisions. But the ST's giving up 2 blocks... just unacceptable.

[LyricalRico]

The team looked EXACTLY the same as last year. Solid running game, okay yardage by RG3, but too many turnovers and horrible special teams. We even saw the obligatory wasted timeouts and bad clock management.

Oh and Rambo is trash. I don't care how much of the playbook Ihenacho doesn't know, he needs to start next week.

[hands11]

RG is fighting himself, he's trying to prove to everyone that he's a pocket passer and it's taking him out of his game. Run when he sees fit, and if he needs to step out of the pocket and throw the ball so be it. He's trying to prove his doubters wrong. It's weird to see. And frustrating at the same time, because the team HAS talent. They could legitimately be an 8 or 9 win team.

Yeah. He always seems to be over compensating in one direction or another.

Makes you wonder about him.