Week 8: Waiting on Washington

Go ahead, take the 16 1/2 points. We dare you.

Make no mistake, this Washington Redskins team isn’t exactly a collection of world beaters. They’ve struggled to score points throughout the season. They watched leads against the Giants and Packers evaporate into thin air in both of their losses. They boast a cool, collected quarterback whose young enough to get ID’ed in most states.

Adalius Thomas and the Pats defense may have a lot to say about just how confused Jason Taylor is on Sunday, and ergo, how close the Redskins actually get.

But despite those problems, this Redskins team is not as bad as many, likely including most fans in New England, think they are. They have a dominant defense, a pair of wideouts as good as almost any in the league and coaches who won’t be afraid to bring all out blitzes with so little expected of them.

Believe it or not, Redskins running back Clinton Portis wasn’t completely out of line when he said Washington had the most talent of any team in the league. Well, he was out of line, but maybe not by as much as most people think he is. The Redskins have compiled more speedy playmakers on defense than any team outside of Baltimore, their closest regional rival. And who captains that group? None other than London Fletcher-Baker, former extraordinary New England enemy via Buffalo. They have Portis, a back whose been kept under wraps by injuries and inefficiency early this year, but who has the power and speed to break open nearly any game. They have Antwaan Randle El, a wide receiver who poses a versatile threat for a possession grab or deep route over the middle.

Despite all of Washington’s speed and hitting prowess, the Redskins should still struggle to control Tom Brady’s trio of top notch receivers; Randy Moss, Donte’ Stallworth and Wes Welker. And there’s little doubt that budding quarterback Jason Campbell will havce a hard time reading the defenses designed by Bill Belichick and executed by Tedy Bruschi, Adalius Thomas and co.

In the end, make no mistake, this should be a New England win. It’s just possible that Campbell may find Randle El and Santana Moss for a few more deep balls than people expect, and Brady may find more opposition in front of his receivers than he’s used to.

And that just may make this game a lot more competitive than a lot of people think it’s going to be, a trend that might even be in New England’s best interest right about now.

– Cameron Smith, AP Photo