Washington Football Team is clearly NFC East favorite
The Washington Football Team has its warts. Although, after winning the NFC East in 2020, it should be favorited to repeat the feat.
The NFC East was a dumpster fire last season, but out of the flames stood the Washington Football Team. Yes, the crown was earned with a 7-9 record. However Washington did get to the playoffs. As well as that, they actually put up a decent fight against the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round.
While it’s easy to get jokes off, perhaps the joke is about to be on the rest of the division. Although most of the attention foisted upon the four teams in this gaggle is fixated on the return of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, the Football Team also deserves plenty of headlines.
Want $250 to bet on the Washington Football Team?
Over the winter, Washington did a terrific job in free agency, landing receiver Curtis Samuel to pair with former Ohio State teammate, Terry McLaurin. The burgeoning defense was also improved with the signing of cornerback William Jackson III, who left the Cincinnati Bengals for a three-year deal in the nation’s capital.
Finally, the quarterback carousel of 2020 was thrown out and replaced by journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. Last year with the Miami Dolphins, Fitzpatrick threw for 2,091 yards and 13 touchdowns against eight interceptions while splitting the starting job with rookie Tua Tagovailoa.
Fitzpatrick is a low-end starter at the end of his career. In spite of this, he provides some stability and leadership over the previous reign of Dwayne Haskins. McLaurin, the best player on Washington’s offense, already sees Fitzpatrick paying dividends in a veteran way, per NFL.com:
Read: Celtics Rumored To Try To Trade Kemba Walker In NBA Offseason
“He puts an emphasis on really being in communication with the receivers. That’s not just me. I’ve seen him communicate with just about every receiver on the roster right now, just about what they’re thinking with this route, what they’re thinking about with this leverage. I think that is very important to do at this part in the season because you want to try to start making that connection early.”
Ultimately, nobody rational sees Washington as a Super Bowl contender. Fitzpatrick is decent, but not great. The offense has Samuel, McLaurin and second-year running back Antonio Gibson, but it remains a work in progress. The defense, though, should be one of the league’s best with a front seven featuring Jonathan Allen. Da’Ron Payne, Chase Young, Montez Sweat and others.
Winning a championship this year is a pipe dream, but repeating in the NFC East is anything but.
