What To Watch For When Patriots Host Redskins
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- With all of the local sports chatter this week seemingly focusing on a matchup with the Broncos scheduled for the end of the month, it may have been easy to forget that the Patriots actually have to play some games before that meeting of AFC titans.
That work begins this Sunday, when the Washington Redskins visit Gillette Stadium in a clash of two teams in very different places. At 7-0, the Patriots sit comfortably atop the AFC East, having dispatched each divisional foe and already setting sights on another conference crown. The Redskins, meanwhile, are sitting at 3-4 but just one game back of the New York Giants for the division lead in the NFC East. Nothing has come easy for the Redskins, who have been outscored by 20 points on the season but are nevertheless staying alive in the hunt for a playoff spot.
A win for the Patriots on Sunday would be just one of 13 or 14 (or 16?) on the season for New England. A win for the Redskins on Sunday could be a season-defining moment.
Here's what to watch for when the game kicks off Sunday afternoon.
YOU LIKE THAT?!
Kirk Cousins is coming off the greatest week of his professional life. The fourth-year pro completed 33 of 40 passes for 317 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, and he also ran for a touchdown in his last game against Tampa Bay, as the Redskins pulled off a 24-point comeback. On his way off the field, he shouted "YOU LIKE THAT?! YOU LIKE THAT!!" at the assembled media. He went viral, to the extent that he started selling "You like that!" shirts for charity.
Not a bad way to spend a bye week. Problem is ... Cousins could be in for an unpleasant trip back to reality this Sunday in Foxboro.
Not only does Cousins have to face the team tied for the second-most sacks in the NFL and ranks top 10 in interceptions, but he has to do it on the road. And the road has not been friendly to Cousins. This season, Cousins' completion percentage drops from 75.0 at home to 61.3 on the road. He's thrown 6 TDs and 2 INTs at home, while throwing 3 TDs and 6 INTs on the road. His QB rating at home is 101.8; on the road, it's 65.6.
And the road struggles are a career-long trend for Cousins, who's 1-8 with a 73 passer rating on the road, compared to 6-6 with an 88.6 rating at home.
Cousins' only road win in his career came in Week 15 of the 2012 season, and it came against the 5-8 Cleveland Browns.
The Redskins haven't traveled well as a team this year, going 0-3 at the Giants, Falcons and Jets and getting outscored by 31 points in the process. Cousins has been a major part of that problem. And given that the Redskins rank 28th in rushing yards per attempt, the burden will likely rest on Cousins' shoulders this Sunday.
It may take a series of minor miracles for him to be walking off the field with such exuberance this weekend.
Does DeSean Make A Difference?
The Redskins' most dangerous receiving weapon has been sideline with a hamstring injury since the season opener, but he could be back on the field this Sunday.
Jackson has caught 15 touchdowns over the previous two seasons while averaging 1,250 yards per season. Certainly the Redskins' passing offense -- ranked 30th in yards per attempt, 18th in yards per game and 23rd in touchdowns -- could use the boost of adding Jackson to the mix. Pierre Garcon and Jordan Reed are currently tied as the Redskins' leading receiver with 350 yards, which ranks them 50th in the NFL.
Malcolm Butler has stayed close to top receivers this season but has gotten beaten quite often, most notably against Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown and and the Jets' Eric Decker. If Jackson's a full go, he could create problems for New England.
And even if Jackson isn't at full speed, his presence will likely force the shaky Patriots secondary to account for him, which can have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the receiving corps.
Will Gronk Run Wild?
This is basically just an excuse to share this video from 2011, when Robert Gronkowski boldly declared that he was stronger than the entire Redskins defense.
And now you can watch the Sport Science segment on it:
Obviously, what Gronkowski did four years ago against a team with a certain logo on its helmet won't have much to do with what Gronkowski does against a group of different men with that same logo on their helmets. But if DeAngelo Hall is able to play through his toe injury, it'll be interesting to see if he's more motivated to perhaps lay a finger on the hulking tight end instead of just watching him mosey on by.
(By the way, Gronkowski caught six passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns that day in Landover back in 2011. The 160 receiving yards set a career high that still stands.)
Brady's Run Of Dominance
Tom Brady is coming off a performance that earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Statistically, Brady posted eye-popping numbers, with four touchdowns and 356 passing yards vs. Miami. But visually, it looked like just another day at the office.
And that has been the story of the season for Brady, who seems intent on proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the PSI of footballs has anything to do with his Hall of Fame talent.
So far, he's delivered that message quite well.
And with Sunday's game being the Patriots' eighth game of the season, it will serve as a nice, clean time for everyone to bust out their "on pace" projections for season-long stats. As of right now, Brady's "on pace" to set an NFL record for passing yards, and he's "on pace" to throw 46 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
Obviously, football doesn't play out exactly as the projections might say. And with five or six potential cold-weather games between now and Jan. 3, the pace will almost assuredly slow down at some point over the next two months.
But in the meantime, Brady is on a warpath. He's topped 350 yards passing four times this season. He's thrown at least three touchdowns four times. His only interception came off a deflection from Julian Edelman's bread basket.
The Washington pass defense is decent statistically, but it also hasn't faced Tom Brady.
Read more from Michael Hurley by clicking here. You can email him or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.