It’s not quite Thanksgiving yet, but local football fans will be watching the Detroit Lions this week when they visit the 1-9 Washington Redskins. Here’s what to watch for in Week 12:
Opponent: Detroit Lions (3-6-1)
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
When: Sunday, Nov. 24, 1 p.m.
Television: Fox
Radio: The Team 980, ESPN 630AM
What to watch for:
• Derrius Guice returned from injured reserve and broke the Redskins’ streak of 16 quarters without a touchdown by taking in a screen pass 45 yards to the end zone. He has the potential to be Washington’s lead back, so the question this week is how much more the coaching staff will use him. The running back who played the most snaps last week was neither Guice nor Adrian Peterson, but Wendell Smallwood. “I know [offensive coordinator] Kevin [O’Connell] wanted to utilize Smallwood in some roles that we featured,” interim coach Bill Callahan said.
• Does Jeff Driskel get the keys to the Detroit offense again? Driskel has started the Lions’ last two games as Matthew Stafford deals with broken bones in his back. The Lions are evaluating their usual starter week to week, but ESPN reported that Stafford was told he has a six-week injury. So is a Driskel start good news for Washington’s defense? The 26-year-old hasn’t won a game for Detroit yet, but last week he posted the ninth-best QBR in the league (65.8) with two passing touchdowns and a rushing score against Dallas.
• There are three home games left this year at FedEx Field, with the final two coming in December against the division rival Eagles and Giants. Sunday’s matchup with the Lions, whose fans are not known to travel well, might look more like last week’s loss to the Jets, when the Redskins posted a season-low attendance mark of 56,426. The marketing department needs to find some reasons it can give fans to come to Landover and cheer on a team that’s beginning a rebuilding process with Dwayne Haskins and company. That $35 T-shirt commemorating “New York versus Washington” last week wasn’t cutting it.
Pre-game reading:
The saving grace of the #Redskins disastrous season? The games end quickly. @Matthew_Paras https://t.co/fTPMyOWpR0
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) November 22, 2019
“He had the freedom (to play) only because the team made a bad decision. By leaving the choice to Nicholson, Washington abdicated its responsibility and did a disservice to him, to 21-year-old Julia Crabbe and to her grieving family,” @DeronSnyder writes. https://t.co/yiF4lkIcjw
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) November 21, 2019
#Redskins QB Dwayne Haskins found himself “pressing” against Jets, by @Matthew_Paras https://t.co/lD25neug71
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) November 21, 2019
#Redskins struggles with discipline resurface, by @Adam_Zielonka https://t.co/VYWaSRNb97
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) November 21, 2019
“Who is going to build a stadium for a team that draws 30,000 fans a game? Jeff Bezos? Please. His company is called Amazon — not the Salvation Army.” @thomloverro’s latest on the #Redskins: https://t.co/SFHyB8h17v
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) November 18, 2019
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