Lions at Redskins: 3 players to watch in Week 12
The Detroit Lions will face off against a team in the Redskins that are struggling more than they are. Here are three players who might benefit from that fact.
The Detroit Lions are reeling after the loss of their starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford, to back injury. Yet, they head into Week 12 in a matchup against an opponent who possesses a record of just 1-9. The Lions will travel to Landover, Maryland this weekend to face one of the league’s worst teams, the Washington Redskins.
While a win against the struggling Redskins would do little to help save the Lions’ lost season, a loss to Washington would likely be considered to be the final nail in Detroit’s coffin. And a poor performance in this contest could seal the fates of both head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn in the Motor City.
Here are three Lions’ players we believe could benefit most from the soft matchup against the hapless Redskins …
Bo Scarbrough, RB
Against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11, the former 2018 seventh-rounder and Alabama star running back Bo Scarbrough had a solid NFL debut against the team that originally drafted him. The 23-year old ran for 55 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, averaging 3.9 yards per carry and showcasing a nice combination of speed and power.
Scarbrough could be primed for a better follow-up performance as the Redskins’ defense allows 133.9 rushing yards to opposing offenses this season, which is the fifth-most in the league.
Kenny Golladay, WR
Over the past two games, Golladay has been widely ignored in the Lions’ offense. The connection between the third-year star receiver and backup quarterback Jeff Driskel has yet to really spark. Against the Cowboys last weekend, Golladay was targeted five times, only catching one ball for 34 yards.
Perhaps that changes Sunday against a suspect Washington secondary as Detroit should intentionally look to target Golladay more. Expect Driskel to look his way early and often.
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Devon Kennard, LB
Recording a sack against the Cowboys in Week 12, Kennard is now the Lions’ current sack leader, tied with defensive end Trey Flowers with 5.0 total on the year. Unfortunately, Flowers has been ruled out for the upcoming game against the Redskins due to a concussion. So Detroit will lean on Kennard to provide pressure on the quarterback, giving the 28-year old linebacker even more opportunities to add to his growing sack total.