It’s a new season for the franchise and it’s a first under their new name. Redskins and Football Team no more, it is now the Commanders. While there is still controversy about the new name as many feel it’s not good, but regardless there’s less controversy than the old one and it’s a brand new era in Washington DC. Moving on from the old one and very historic and cherished time for the franchise, this is still the same team. Could this new era lead back to the past successes? Only time will tell, but it all starts with the players and coaches. Let’s take a look at what the 2022 season will bring.
New Quarterback….Any Problems?
Over the offseason the club traded for an old NFC East foe in Carson Wentz in hopes of better quarterbacking play. Though it was an admirable job, Taylor Heinicke is not a starting quarterback and they needed someone more seasoned. Despite some of his erratic play in the past, his talent could be tapped into. What gives many hope this happens is the type of weapons Wentz has on offense which should give him enough opportunities to succeed. If that’s the case, then it will be a very good season in Washington. If not, it will be a struggle to even get to .500. It should be very hard for Wentz to fail.
New Draft Picks And Their Impact
With this article to refresh memories, there are some new players that the team selected in the draft that could make huge impacts. Brian Robinson should make the running game more dynamic while Jahan Dotson brings more speed to the pass. It will be interesting to see what players like Phidarian Mathis and Percy Butler bring to the defense, but the hope is that they bring depth and quality.
The Defense
The defense is an area of concern ironically as it was something head coach Ron Rivera prides in and was the biggest strength for the squad in the past. The problem here isn’t the talent, but the depth. What hurts is that Chase Young will miss a good chunk of the season due to injury and losing players like Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle to free agency only weakens the depth on the defensive line. The hope is that the defensive backs can hold their own as they are led by Kendall Fuller and William Jackson. The linebacker corps is stretched thin unfortunately, but the hope is that Jamin Davis can develop into the type of player they expect him to be, however, Cole Holcomb should still be able to lead them. If the defense can gel, then this could be a lethal crew.
Offensive Line Is The Key
Rivera has managed to build a very imposing and deep offensive line and that could be the key to a very successful season. Despite losing Brandon Scherff, Andrew Norwell joins them and he could be the most important player of the entire line. Trai Turner, Chase Roullier, Charles Leno, and Sam Cosmi should play important roles, but the depth is there with players like Saadhiq Charles, Wes Schweitzer, and Cornelius Lucas.
Analyzing The Schedule
Game One: vs Jacksonville
Game Two: at Detroit
Game Three: vs Philadelphia
Game Four: at Dallas
Game Five: vs Tennessee
Game Six: at Chicago
Game Seven: vs Green Bay
Game Eight: at Indianapolis
Game Nine: vs Minnesota Vikings
Game Ten: at Philadelphia
Game Eleven: at Houston
Game Twelve: vs Atlanta
Game Thirteen: at NY Giants
Game Fourteen: vs NY Giants
Game Fifteen: at San Francisco
Game Sixteen: vs Cleveland
Game Seventeen: vs Dallas
Looking at this, it’s hard to see them being under .500 (yes, there are 17 games, but you get the point). Whether it’s enough to see them make the playoffs is a different story. The goal here should be to win the division and the Commanders have the talent to do so. However, there’s lots of question marks and that makes it difficult to pinpoint on whether they can win it or not. Teams like Jacksonville, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, NY Giants are teams Washington should be able to beat, so that’s seven games right there. However, the rest of those games are unknowns. The team has a chance in each of these contests. That being said, if the Commanders can split with Philadelphia and Dallas, then it should give them a good chance to make the playoffs, especially with it being seven teams making the postseason. The other key matchups will be against Indianapolis, San Francisco, Tennessee, and Minnesota as even if Washington can win two of four of those, then they should be able to make the playoffs. 9-8 is a safe bet, but the Commanders can do even better than that and it isn’t out of the realm of possibility. So, that being said, expect Washington to be a playoff contender in 2022.
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