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NFL Wild Card Round Preview: Seattle Seahawks at Washington Redskins

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Matchup: Seattle Seahawks at Washington Redskins

The Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins meet in a battle of teams led by standout rookie quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL postseason.

3 Keys to Victory for the Redskins

—Get the ball to Alfred Morris

Alfred Morris, the unsung 6th-round draft pick out of Florida Atlantic University, has been a key cog in the Redskin offense this year. Morris ran all over the Cowboys in Week 17, collecting 200 yards and 3 touchdowns on 33 carries, and the Redskins need similar output to defeat Seattle on Sunday.

—Stop the read option

The zone read-option has become a staple for the Seahawks offense, as quarterback Russell Wilson uses his athleticism to create running lanes and outrun over-pursuing defenders. If the Redskins are to win this game, they need to consistently stop Seattle on this play; otherwise the Seahawks can open up play-action and take advantage of Washington’s weak secondary.

—Hope “RGIII” is fully healthy

Robert Griffin III suffered a sprained LCL in Washington’s Week 14 clash with the Ravens, and frankly, he hasn’t looked the same since. He completed just 9 of 18 passes for 100 yards in Week 17, running for 63 yards on six carries, still laboring from his injury. If Griffin is not fully healthy, the Redskins have no chance against Seattle’s 4th ranked defense.

3 Keys to Victory for the Seahawks

—Teach Russell Wilson to play away from Qwest Field

Russell Wilson, the 3rd round draft choice from Wisconsin, has been a revelation at the quarterback position for the Seahawks. However, Wilson has been noticeably better within the friendly confines of Seattle’s Qwest Field, compiling a 123.6 passer rating at home and just an 83.1 passer rating on the road. For the Seahawks to win this game, Wilson must figure out how to make plays out of his comfort zone at what is sure to be a loud FedEx Field.

—Get “Beast Mode” rolling early

Marshawn Lynch, well known for his 67-yard run against the Saints in the 2011 postseason, has been among the best running backs in the league this year. Seattle needs him to be a workhorse in this game to win. The Redskins are 5th in the league against the run, so Lynch needs to truly perform well against this stout defensive stop unit in order to set up play-action for Wilson.

—Use tall corners to limit RG3’s options

The Seattle defense is known for their tall and rangy corners, Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, who measure out at 6’3” and 6’4”, respectively. Browner and Sherman will need to use their height and range to take away Redskin wideouts Pierre Garcon, Santana Moss, and Josh Morgan.

Nachmany Football’s Prediction: Seattle Seahawks 21-17

On paper, these are two extremely similar teams, led by impressive, athletic rookie quarterbacks, both backed by strong rushing attacks. However, Griffin still did not look totally healthy last week, and the Redskins will be hard-pressed to score on Sunday without a fully healthy RG3. Look for Sherman and Browner to smother the Redskin wide receivers and Wilson to figure out his road problems, leading Seattle to the divisional round.

Check out our other game previews here for other Wild Card round game previews and predictions.

Washington Redskins: 3 Keys to Victory Against New York Giants in Week 7

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Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins look to upset the hot New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday and a few factors will determine whether or not this team gets a key victory.

The Redskins have been marred by injuries on both sides of the ball, with Pierre Garcon likely out for this game and Brian Orakpo lost for the season.

There will be a number of things that Washington can do to slow down their divisional rivals on Sunday and three keys stand out as potential ways that Mike Shanahan’s squad can win this ballgame.

1. Neutralize the Giants run game

New York is at its best when Ahmad Bradshaw or Andre Brown can break off big chunks on the ground, setting up an Eli Manning-led passing attack. Big wins against Carolina, Cleveland and San Francisco came thanks to 125, 243, and 149 yards on the ground respectively.

The Redskins aren’t fantastic up front, but selling out against the run early will be key for the team. Against a strong Giants ground game, Stephen Bowen, who’s been very good at stopping the run thus far this season, will have to carry a unit that includes underachievers like Barry Cofield and Kedric Golston.

2. Establish a short, quick passing game on offense

Pro-Bowl caliber members of the Giants defensive line like Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul have spoken out about how New York isn’t going to let anything come easy for Redskin quarterback Robert Griffin III on Sunday. The Giants are one of the only teams in the NFL that can generate a scary amount of pressure with just a four-man rush and Griffin won’t have a lot of time in the pocket on Sunday.

Of all the coaches who how to counter this, Mike Shanahan is certainly near the top of the list. If Griffin can get players like Santana Moss the ball in space on short, horizontal throws, the Redskins offense will succeed.

3. Exploit Chase Blackburn by running the ball up the middle

According to Pro Football Focus, Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn has only had one game (Philadelphia) in which he’s made any positive contributions in run defense. Blackburn has done alright against the pass but he is hopelessly out of place when teams run the football.

The team’s middle linebacker, this Giant is susceptible to iso-type runs and the Redskins would be well-suited to get going with the run game up the middle. Alfred Morris, who’s rushed for an astounding 538 yards on 116 carries, will receive a majority of the workload and should do damage when running between his guards.


2012 NFL Mock Draft: Derek Brody’s Mock Draft 2.0

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With my first mock draft a week in the books, it’s time to present version 2.0 of my official mock.

Pick 1: Indianapolis Colts, Andrew Luck , QB, Stanford

Andrew Luck hasn’t moved since my original mock and he will continue to stay as the number one selection. Luck is a once-in-a-generation prospect and is a lock to be selected first overall by the Colts.

Pick 2: Washington Redskins, Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The Redskins are going to select Griffin after having traded three first-round picks and one second-rounder for the right to go with this electric Baylor product.

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