3 reasons why Washington Football Team's offense could be tough to defend in 2021
The Washington Football Team won the NFC East last season, but their campaign came to an end when they were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With a solid defense already in place, thanks to four consecutive first-round draft picks, the Washington Football Team's offense has continued to shape well too.
Veteran NFL journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick is now under center for Washington and will look to bring more stability to the position. Washington's major goal will be to stay atop the NFC East again in 2021.
On that note, let's have a look at three reasons why Washington's offense could be tough for opposing defenders in 2021:
#1 Veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick
When teams face quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, they know they will be facing a mobile, tough, blue-collar type of player, which means Fitzpatrick will be everywhere.
Last season, he was part of a two-quarterback system with rookie Tua Tagovailoa, where Fitzpatrick was seen as the 'closer' in many plays. He still has great arm strength and can use his legs when need be.
In 2020, Fitzpatrick had 2,091 passing yards and 13 passing touchdowns, along with 151 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Entering his 17th NFL season, Fitzpatrick still doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon.
#2 Dynamic Offensive Targets
Ryan Fitzpatrick recently did an interview with NBC Sports where he spoke about joining his new team. Fitzpatrick said the offense is going to be difficult to defend because of all the pieces Washington have. He said:
"The biggest thing with this offense is we're able to spread the ball around to everybody and get everybody involved. It's going to be a tough offense to defend just because of all the pieces we have."
Washington's offense includes three quarterbacks who could all be seen as starters with Fitzpatrick, Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke. Tight end Logan Thomas, who was a collegiate quarterback at Virginia Tech, has been used in offensive packages that are difficult to defend on their own.
Washington also signed wide receiver Adam Humphries, one of the most dynamic slot receivers in the National Football League.
#3 Solid Offensive Line
The offensive line for the Washington Football Team was ranked the third-best in the NFL. Washington are returning four of their five starters from the 2020 season. The one lineman that Washington lost was Morgan Moses, who is now being replaced by Charles Leno Jr., a clear upgrade at the position.
Having a solid offensive line that allows the run-and-pass game to operate fluidly is a very key advantage.