Washington Redskins: 5 Must-watch games on 2019 schedule
By Hunter Noll
3. New England Patriots, Week 5 (Oct. 6)
We’ve been talking about “winnable” games a lot so far. Yes, technically any game is “winnable” and any game is “losable”. Obviously, some lean a lot more to one side than the other, though. So when I say winnable, I’m talking about the Washington Redskins having a very solid chance of winning, not just that it might be possible.
With all that being said, this is the first game on the list that definitely isn’t leaning towards the “winnable” side at the moment. The New England Patriots are the defending Super Bowl champions. They’re the measuring stick for the NFL right now.
This game also falls early enough in the season that teams will still be molding their identity for 2019. Can the Redskins make a major statement against the Patriots? The great thing about that is it doesn’t even necessarily mean they have to win. Washington could prove themselves in a number of ways against New England.
Can that young defense prove it’s elite and stop Tom Brady? Can Jay Gruden and company go blow-for-blow with Bill Belichick? Will the offense be able to respond to whatever’s thrown at them?
Most importantly, perhaps, this is the end of an absolutely grueling stretch to start the season. The Redskins start with games against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and New York Giants. That’s three divisional rivals (two of which made the playoffs last year) and a Bears team that went 12-4 last season. They’re rewarded with getting through that stretch with facing the Super Bowl defending Patriots.
A lot will be said about how this team makes it through the start of the year. Even if the record isn’t great, they could still bring a lot of positivity to the fanbase if they manage to look strong throughout.
Hey, if it helps at all, at least this game is at home.