Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
There is an elephant in the room…and his name is Dwayne Haskins. Yes, in the previous articles…he has been highlighted but not praised. This article will not be the best for him. Washington losing is not the biggest disappointment. The biggest let down was our lead QB losing us the game.
The city of Cleveland must be feeling great leading into Week 4 being 2-1 and defeating the Washington Football Team 34-20. In the previous article, Baker Mayfield was jaded and shadowed with hate. This week, I have to bite my tongue, admit I was wrong, and give credit where credit is due. Baker threw two touchdowns, Nick Chubb added two more to the list and the Cleveland Browns are over .500 for the first time since 2014.
To add insult to injury, the Washington Football Team suffered two great losses to their defensive line. The one thing Washington Fans could depend on is up in the air. Chase Young, the No.2 overall pick this year left the game in the second quarter with a groin injury. For all Washington fans, seeing Chase go to the sidelines was equivalent to a Mike Tyson gut punch. Ron Rivera did not provide detailed information regarding Young’s injury but it is safe to say that he will not be playing this upcoming Sunday, unfortunately.
If you watched or seen the highlights of the last game, you can understand that there is no need for an analysis. WE SUCKED! There were three things better that happened on Sunday rather than the Washington Football Team stinking. One, I woke up. Two, brunch was great. Three, the Cowboys lost.
Although Haskins threw for two touchdowns, he had the biggest setback of his career with four turnovers. The question is, will Haskins be benched?
In one year and nine starts, Haskins has had some highs and really low moments. In Haskins’ favor, the Washington fan base and coaching staff have continued to be behind the young Quarterback, but how long will that last? If we are being honest, Haskins was not awarded the Starting QB position until late August. After a heartwarming win in Week One against Philadelphia, Haskins’ performance has only diminished.
Earlier this week, Coach Rivera and the offensive coaches met with Haskins to clear the air and make sure they are on the same page. The conversation pertained to Haskins’ performance against Cleveland and how his growth leading forward will affect his starting QB status. Ron expressed that while Haskins has made an improvement in his learning of the playbook and offseason play, his play in the first three games has been suspect. Last week provided proof that Haskins showed more regression than progression.
Coach Ron Rivera said in a recent interview “If we never play him, he never grows, but there is a point where you say, ‘Ok, maybe taking a step back and watching is the best thing for you now.’ We will see.”
In Week 3, Haskins threw three interceptions, fumbled twice, and only completed 56.8 percent of his passes. This week, the offensive line was not the question or the scapegoat. Haskins made plays that ultimately set the Washington Football Team back and his play must improve or he will be considered a bust.
In Week 4, the pendulum for Washington is not going in their favor. The Washington Football Team will have to face a Baltimore Ravens team that lost in the previous week to the 2019 Super Bowl Champions. Unfortunately for Haskins, things are likely to get worse.
The Haskins talk and confidence from the fans and coaching staff must be met with play that is not only adequate but shows growth towards being a dependable option for the future. The Ravens are a huge test for Haskins and it is time for the young star to show his capabilities on the field. Or his time as a starting Washington Quarterback may be over sooner than later.
Prediction: Ravens over Washington, 34-24
