The Washington Redskins kick off their 2018 campaign with a Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. It’s time to look at some bold predictions for this bout.
The Washington Redskins open the 2018 season on Sunday with a cross-country trip to Arizona to face the Cardinals. It’s a matchup of two teams the league isn’t quite sure what to expect. Can the Redskins take a step forward with quarterback Alex Smith under center? Will the new-look defensive line lead Washington to the playoffs in 2018?
For the Cardinals, it’s the first game for new head coach Steve Wilks. Wilks spent the past six seasons in Carolina with the Panthers, first as a secondary coach before becoming the defensive coordinator a year ago. The Cardinals feature some talented players on defense, led by EDGE Chandler Jones and cornerback Patrick Peterson.
Sunday’s game is also the first for quarterbacks Smith and Sam Bradford with their respective teams. Smith is replacing Kirk Cousins, and there’s plenty of hype behind how he’ll make the Redskins a better team in 2018.
At least head coach Jay Gruden believes so.
Bradford is on his third team in four years and is just looking to hold off rookie first-round pick, Josh Rosen. If Bradford struggles at all, don’t be surprised if Wilks turns to Rosen, who was considered the most pro-ready passer in the 2018 NFL Draft.
With all that as a backdrop, here are three bold predictions for this Week 1 contest.
