Which 2019 rookie quarterback has the best shot at the Super Bowl?
By Joel Deering
Dwayne Haskins – Washington Redskins
Before Alex Smith went down with a nasty leg injury last season, the Washington Redskins held a record of 6-3 and were leading the NFC East. Nobody expected the Redskins to be as good as they were, but they surprised everyone, looking like a sure-fire playoff team. Unfortunately, the Redskins fell apart after losing Smith, going 1-6 the rest of the way and finishing 7-9.
Let’s focus on what this team was able to do during their 6-3 run. Before Smith went down and the 1-6 collapse began, the Redskins’ defense averaged 19.4 points allowed per game. Had they finished the season with that average, it would have been good enough for fourth-best in the NFL.
During their 1-6 stretch, the defense allowed an average of 26.3 points per game. Overall, the Redskins finished the season ranked 15th in the league in points allowed per game. That’s not bad, but their 1-6 stretch with no solid quarterback really held them back. Not having a quarterback who could keep the offense on the field forced the defense to be on the field most of the time, which is never a winning formula.
With Case Keenum and Dwayne Haskins competing for the starting quarterback job, the Redskins should be in better hands. Keenum has proven he can be a game manager. If Haskins brings over any of his dynamic play from Ohio State over to the NFL, he’ll do just fine as a rookie quarterback.
The point is, the Redskins have a quarterback who can now keep the offense on the field. That will help this defense get back to their 19.4 points allowed per game average, rather than their 26.3 points per game.
This defense was already solid and they made some great moves to get even better. Adding players like Landon Collins and Montez Sweat will go a long way for a defense already possessing Josh Norman and Ryan Kerrigan.
I’m not ready to crown Haskins as the starting quarterback for the Redskins just yet, but I do believe he’ll start sooner rather than later. With a defense like the Redskins have, Haskins won’t have to be spectacular. He’ll be allowed to make rookie mistakes, but those mistakes will be few and far between the great plays he’ll make.
With a defense like this, I can see Haskins and the Redskins making a legitimate playoff run.