By Stephen D. Riley, Special to AFRO
Don’t blink but the Washington football team could actually win the NFC East this year, and that’s crazy. Behind the 33-year-old Adrian Peterson, who added 160 total yards and a touchdown in his Washington debut in a 24-6 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 9, this new-look Washington unit could be formidable. Peterson’s signing coupled with the addition of veteran signal caller Alex Smith could propel an effective offense through the suddenly easy-looking NFC East.
The Washington Redskins and the Arizona Cardinals line up during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Dallas Cowboys don’t have an offense. The New York Giants don’t have an offensive line and the Philadelphia Eagles won’t have their starting quarterback until the unpredictable future. In a convincing win over the Cardinals, Washington appears to be the most stable and balanced team in the division at this point. Who knows how long Peterson’s legs will hold up, but Washington needs to ride the wave for as long as they can. Mixing the cat-quick Chris Thompson with Peterson’s power and a strong offensive line could be just the recipe for a division title serving.
Last season, Washington won 15 more games than the last two seasons, a mediocre average of the campaigns. It might not take many wins to capture a division crown this year—10 wins should do it. The defense looks good and the offense looks efficient. If Washington can display any consistency then a double-digit win season could definitely be in the cards. They’ve been under the radar all summer, creating the perfect opportunity to sneak up on some teams this season and turn some heads. They might not be sexy but they have a chance to be successful this season.
