Washington Football Team: 3 Can’t-miss games on the 2021 schedule
By Tadhg Flynn
Looking at the Washington Football Team schedule, there are several games that stand out as the can’t-miss action of the 2021 season.
The Washington Football Team will be gunning for the NFC East in 2021 after capturing the crown last season. The division was the most statistically even in the league last year as three teams finished within a game of one another. It looks set to be just as tightly contested in 2021.
After reaching the playoffs last year with a record below .500, fans will be hoping Washington can build on their momentum and push further than the Wild Card Round this season. Fans may be lamenting the fact that franchise sack leader Ryan Kerrigan will leave Washington after 10 years to join division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. However, losing the franchise leader in sacks demonstrates just how impressive the defensive unit for the Football Team currently is.
Good personnel additions in the offseason and another year of development for this defense suggest that the Football Team can progress even further in 2021. And now that Washington’s schedule has been released, let’s dive into the three can’t-miss games on the slate.
3. Washington Football Team vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Week 1
Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers is the first chance for Washington fans to see how their new team balance will work out. After a long offseason, the Chargers present a very real challenge to open the season.
Led by 2020 Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert, they finished with an identical record to the Football Team last year at 7-9 and will have similar expectations for the year ahead. Herbert will be looking to improve on his 4000+ yard year and has an upgraded offensive line to perform behind.
He suffered 32 sacks to opposing pass rushes in 2020 and the Chargers’ front office made it a priority to update the entire offensive line through the draft and offseason. That will be put to the test in this game as they face a Washington Football Team defense that had the lowest first downs allowed total and the second-fewest yards and yards per attempt allowed in the league.
Herbert has talent and athleticism with the arm strength to make any throw. And he consistently seems to read defenses for the best option. Ryan Fitzpatrick, in contrast, is a gung-ho, all-out type of quarterback, always pushing for big plays, which can create turnover chances.
Washington will be hoping the big-time offensive weapons Fitzpatrick has can help reduce 50/50 opportunities. Antonio Gibson at running back along with Terry McLaurin and newcomer Curtis Samuel offer that opportunity. This has everything any Football Team fan could be looking for to start the season.