Will Alshon Jeffery finally break out against the Redskins?
After a mediocre start to the season, will Alshon Jeffery finally break out this week?
When the Philadelphia Eagles signed Alshon Jeffery in the offseason, they expected a dramatic increase in receiving production. Little did they know, he would serve more as a decoy rather than a number one target. Through the first six games of the season, Jeffery has only tallied 24 receptions for 317 yards and two touchdowns.
Placing behind Zach Ertz and Nelson Agholor on the Eagles receiving leaders list, Jeffery is due for a breakout game. So far, he has yet to exceed 100-yards in a single game with the Eagles. As a matter of fact, that is something he has failed to do since the season opener in 2016 when he was with the Chicago Bears.
Coming off of a four reception game for 71 yards, Jeffery is looking to build on top of that momentum. The Carson Wentz and Jeffery connection was finally a factor last Thursday as they hooked up on a 37-yard toss down the field. Although he hasn’t been a major concern for defenses yet, that time may finally come this week against the Washington Redskins.
Is the breakout approaching?
Similar to the Carolina Panthers last week, the Redskins are missing some key players in their defense. Cornerback Josh Norman is expected to miss his second game this season due to a rib injury. Norman did a solid job of limiting Jeffery to three catches for 38 yards in week one. Unfortunately for the Redskins, they will be without the shut-down corner once again this week.
The Redskins have more than one issue in their secondary, though. Last week, cornerback Bashaud Breeland went down late in the game with what was diagnosed as a knee sprain. His MRI results came back as negative but there is still no guarantee that he plays. Without Breeland, the Redskins are stuck with using strictly backups in a rotation.
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Jeffery is due for a big game and there wouldn’t be a better time to do it then this week. With Jeffery attracting double-coverage situations, the other Eagles receivers have been making plays. He could transition from being the decoy to being a product of multiple decoys. With the way Wentz spreads the ball around, the Washington secondary will haver their hands full. Monday night could be the perfect opportunity for Jeffery to go off.