The 2020 NFL season was unexpected for many fans of the Washington Football Team, who saw their team embark on its first playoff run since 2015. Although the team only compiled a 7-9 record in doing so and were eliminated in the Wild Card round, there were many positives that came out of this season.
This season, Washington’s defense broke out, finishing the season as the second-ranked defensive unit in 2020. This marked Washington’s first season as a top-10 defensive unit since 2009 and their first top-five since 2008. The unit as a whole was sixth in the league in total sacks (47) and tied for seventh overall in takeaways (23).
The defense gave up only 192 passing yards per game, the second best mark in the league Much of this success was a byproduct of the lack of throwing on opposing teams. Washington ranked fourth least in opponent pass attempts per game (33.1). Nonetheless, their performance was a substantial improvement from last year.
While the defense achieved its long due ascent, it was Washington’s subpar offense that held them back, accounting for the eighth worst passing offense and the seventh worst rushing offense. To top everything off, Washington started three different quarterbacks this season, including one more right before their playoff game. Despite the team’s lack of consistency at the sport’s most important position all season, they did just enough to win the division.
Recently, superstar QB Deshaun Watson came at odds with his team, the Houston Texans. A season after the team unexplainably traded All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Texans predictably regressed, going from 10 wins to just four in 2020. Trade talks have ramped up in recent weeks, with Washington having the potential to make a run for Watson. However, Watson’s trade value is at a historic high, with many believing that it’ll require at least three to four first round draft picks to have a shot at him.
Despite the hefty price for Watson, many critics believe that the decision is clear for Washington.
“Absolutely Washington should pursue Deshaun Watson,” Washington Football Talk Podcast co-host Mitch Tischler said, pointing out the fact that Washington has not had “a reliable, upper echelon QB since Joe Theismann.”
It might come down to how much Washington is willing to give up for Watson. However, Tischler stated that Watson “has a reasonable contract through the 2025 season,” concluding that it’s “hard to find a reason not to go after him.”
Watson would bring consistent quarterback play, less turnovers and elite mobility, something Washington hasn’t seen since Robert Griffin III in 2012. Unlike Griffin, however, Watson also brings elite pocket presence to the table and was able to succeed despite horrid offensive line
Watson posted 4,823 passing yards (first in the league), 33 touchdowns (seventh in the league), and just 7 interceptions (seventh in the league). The interceptions thrown are key, as Washington was ninth worst in the league in regards to turnover margin (-0.2). An efficient playmaker at the quarterback position is one that any team would be willing to give up a lot for.
“There’s basically no package I wouldn’t give up to get him,” NBC Sports Washington reporter Peter Hailey said. “I’m just not sure Washington will be the highest bidder for him, even if they do get ultra aggressive.”
Going back to mobility, Washington gave up 50 sacks, many of which were caused by the lack of mobility at the QB position. Watson has the ability to evade pressure and create plays outside of the pocket, as evident by his 444 rushing yards this past season (fifth among starting QBs).
Dwayne Haskins (now a Pittsburgh Steeler), Kyle Allen and Alex Smith were the three starters in the regular season. QBR is a total quarterback rating measuring their performance that incorporates all of their statistics. The Washington quarterback trio combined for an average QBR of 46.8. To put this into perspective, Deshaun Watson, who was 12th in the league in this category, had a QBR of 70.5. The subpar QB play throughout the year was a major cause of the WFT record being below .500.
Then there’s the wild card: Taylor Heinicke, who started one game in the first round of the playoffs. After throwing for 306 yards, one touchdown, one interception and adding in a rushing touchdown, his performance astounded many Washington fans.
His durability, however, is a question mark. For someone who has only played in a handful of games, Heinicke has a notable injury history. Over his years in the NFL, he has suffered a concussion in 2017, an elbow injury in 2018 and a separated shoulder in the Wild Card game vs. Tampa Bay.
At this point, consistent QB play could be what Washington needs to take a drastic leap forward. If that new QB happens to be Watson, then that could put Washington into the conversation as a strong playoff team for years to come.
Article by Ben Kim of Walter Johnson High School
Photo courtesy of Keith Allison via a Creative Commons BY-SA 2.0 License
