No. 3: Redskins Will Win

This should be a close game.

There are lots of unknowns on both teams as we head into Sunday’s matchup. One big concern for the Redskins is their young secondary. Veteran corner Josh Norman plays exclusively on the outside, meaning he likely won’t see Larry Fitzgerald, whom Arizona frequently lines up out of the slot. Is nickel cornerback Fabian Moreau up to the challenge of defending the future Hall of Famer? Moreau is certainly talented enough and he is going to be tested on Sunday.

Washington will do a solid job on Johnson. While the Redskins won’t shut him down, they’ll limit his impact and force Bradford to make some plays with his arm. That will be to Washington’s benefit.

Peterson will carry the ball about 15 times and finish with around 60 to 65 yards. That would be a solid outing for his debut. Gruden will absolutely take 4.0 yards per attempt from his starting running back.

This game will be ugly at times, as most season openers usually are, and will come down to which quarterback takes better care of the football.

That will be Smith. And that will give the Redskins just enough to come out with a big win as Doctson makes a big catch late to set up a game-winning score.