Philadelphia Eagles versus Washington: 5 Keys to a victory in Week 1
By Hunter Doyle
3. The Philadelphia Eagles need to target the left side of Washington’s offensive line.
Contrary to popular belief, Washington’s offensive line isn’t all bad. Morgan Moses and Brandon Scherff lock down the right side of the offensive line. Moses has started every game for the past five years for Washington and Scherff has been a started since day one when he is healthy. Chase Roullier has developed into a solid starting center over the past couple of years too.
The left side is where things get tricky though. Second-year player Wes Martin will be at left guard after his first year that wasn’t promising. Many could argue that he could take a step forward this year but that doesn’t change the fact that he has to face Philly’s experienced interior defensive line led by Fletcher Cox and Malik Jackson.
At left tackle, Geron Christian will be the starter in his third year. His rookie year was shortened by a torn MCL. Last year, he saw a little more playing time but only started in two games. It’s also worth noting that in a recent press conference, he admitted that he should’ve prepared harder the past two seasons. Maybe his work ethic has changed but that’s concerning that he wasn’t putting in his best effort. Since he let that become an obstacle in his development, he is going to struggle against more polished players on the other side of the line.
Derek Barnett is questionable and will be limited even if he suits up. He probably would’ve seen Geron Christian for the majority of his snaps. Now it will be up to Josh Sweat who showed improvement in limited snaps last year. Many believe he could be primed for a breakout year. He’s one of the most athletic players on this team and has the size. The question was whether he could adjust to the new scheme and produce when on the field. It appears he might’ve answered that question.
Brandon Graham also plays just about every spot on the defensive line and Vinny Curry can line up at multiple spots. The Birds can run some stunts targeted at Christian and Martin and make Dwayne Haskins uncomfortable in the pocket early on. It could be a long day for Washington if Philly takes advantage of this mismatch.