Redskins vs. Jets: Cousins Needs to Prove His Worth

Kirk Cousins needs to prove to the Redskins that he can win big games against winning teams on the road.  The past two weeks he has shown that he can engineer late drive that put the Redskins in a position to win the game, but he also showed his penchant for throwing soul crushing interceptions at critical points in the game that left HTTR nation staring at their TV's for the next hour in catatonic disbelief.  Kirk Cousins also needs to prove to the Jets that maybe he was worth more than they thought when they inquired about a trade earlier this season after they realized that their quarterback was just as bad at debt collection as he was throwing fade routes.  It will not be an easy task this week as Cousins goes up against a stingy Jets defense that is only giving up 280 yards and a league best 13.8 points per game so far this season.  The Jets offense, however, is not over imposing as a team and they benefit from a defense that puts them in advantageous positions.  If the Redskins can execute on both sides of the ball they stand a very good chance at putting themselves in coin flip game that may come down to another Kirk Cousins last minute drive.  It all starts with field position.

You know where it ends.  It depends on where you start:  When looking at the offensive stats between these two teams, it seems as if they would be evenly matched.  They have nearly identical yards per passing attempt (6.6 WAS/6.4 NY), yards per completion (9.7/10.5), net yards per passing attempt (6.2 for both), yards per rushing attempt (4.1/4.2), and they are both scoring on 33.3% of their drives.  So what is the explanation for the Jets averaging almost 5 points more per game than the Redskins when the Jets average less time of possession per drive, less plays per drive, and less yards per drive than the Redskins?  The answer is field position.  The Jets average starting field position is their own 33.2 yard line, which is second best in the league and almost ten yards more than the Redskins.  This number is bolstered by the Jets' defense forcing 13 turnovers so far this season, so if the Redskins plan on staying close they need to win the field position battle by limiting turnovers and getting a big day from Tress Way and the punt coverage team.  They need to give Ryan Fitzpatrick a long field to work with in order to test his ability to sustain longer drives, and put him in passing situations to allow the Redskins to do something that not many of the Jets' previous opponents have done.

Get to Ryan Fitzpatrick:  It may not have occurred to anyone, but Ryan Fitzpatrick has only been sacked twice this season. Twice in four games.  It helps that the Jets have faced the two teams with the lowest sack totals in the league (Indianapolis 6, Miami 1), but the Browns and Eagles have similar sack totals to the Redskins.  If the Redskins plan on controlling field position and limiting the offensive success of the Jets they need to put Ryan Fitzpatrick under assault.  The Redskins front seven needs to get pressure on Fitzpatrick so as to not allow Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker to have big days against a depleted Redskins secondary.  If the Redskins defense cannot get two or more sacks and hurry Fitzpatrick's throws we may see some long sustained drives from the Jets because...

Chis Ivory Has Been Reborn: Ivory was an afterthought in New Orleans, but his move to the north has been nothing short of miraculous.  Ivory is averaging 104 yards per game, which is tied for best in the league, and he is averaging 5.0 yards per attempt.  This is not good for a Redskins defense that has allowed 4.4 yards per attempt this season, and who could be spread out if Fitzpatrick is allowed to stretch the field with Brandon Marshall.  Containing Chris Ivory will be contingent upon whether or not the Redskins can hurry Ryan Fitzpatrick, but it will be easier on Fitzpatrick if Ivory can go for his average yards per attempt every time he touches the ball.  The Giants showed that the Redskins can be vulnerable to a committed running game, and the Redskins need to be ready for a heavy does of Chris Ivory.  The Redskins need to respond in kind, but with a different focus with their running backs.

Trust the Short Game:  The Redskins offense needs to trust in their ability to get small chunks of yards that put them in manageable down and distances.  The Jets' defense is only giving up 4.5 yards per pass, 3.8 yards per run, a 16.3% scoring average, and a 24.5% turnover average.  This means they are not giving up big plays, not allowing the other team to score often, and turning them over at a high clip.  The Redskins need to understand that they will be in a lot of third downs, so they need to rely on short runs and screens to make those third downs manageable.  Chris Thompson and Jamison Crowder need to have big days in the short passing game, and with Matt Jones's health being a questions mark they need Alfred Morris to fall forward and get positive yardage.  Finally, they need to hit on their home run balls.  Rashad Ross showed that he can be a valuable deep threat last week drawing a crucial pas interference call.  The Redskins will need to take their shots, and Ross should see at least two deep balls thrown his way to keep the short game viable.

At best this will be a coin flip game if the Redskins are able to execute.  If they turn the ball over, muff punts, and allow the Jets to have favorable field position it could turn into another day like the last one they had in the Meadowlands.  But if Cousins can show that he may be worth at least what the Redskins gave up for him, he could once again prove that the Redskins may have made the right choice in turning down the Jets' offer.  I still think that the Jets' defense will prove too much for Sean McVay's scheme, Ivory will give the Redskins front seven fits, and the Redskins will commit an untimely turnover that swings the balance of the game late.

24-13 Redskins Lose