Washington Football Team: The Road to Super Bowl title Number 4 (9-12-21)

By: Robb Johnson

Headline Photo Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network

When you think of the Washington Football team you think of tradition, a team that has won three Super Bowl titles. You think of a team that has a fan base that is starving for a championship. The team’s last championship was January 26, 1992, more than 30 years ago against the Buffalo Bills in the Metro dome in Minneapolis Minnesota. They say life repeats itself and that saying could not ring truer in the 2021-2022 season. I am going to explain why the Football team will be in Los Angeles on February 13, 2022, and why they will end their drought of 11,310 days without a championship. Their opponent will be once again the Buffalo Bills, but before we can get to Super Bowl Sunday let’s understand why they will get there.

The Football team has factors that scream a championship team, number one is great coaching. Ron Rivera is not only a teacher of football, not only does he hold each player accountable, but he is also most importantly a leader of men. Rivera has been a coach for a long time in the NFL and he understands how to get the best out of his players in every way.

The biggest area has been the defense, Rivera had a reputation for putting strong defenses on the field in Carolina, this philosophy has not changed in his more up north to Washington. The tide changed with the #2 overall pick of Chase Young who has given this fan base big-time hopes. The former Ohio State defensive end comes off the edge with reckless abandonment. He has a motor that does not stop, this rubs off on his teammates who see a young player with all the promise continuing to work hard and not get lazy.

The word lazy does not apply to Rivera’s team, each player is expected to come to work and work. There are no games, the only goal is to win football games. The culture has changed in Washington. This is all about the team, this is all about building a winner.

Rivera as a coach knows that you can only do so much as a coach, you must build a talented team around you. The Football team has an elite front seven that will hit you and make you feel it. Their secondary has some issues, can they hold up if that front does not get the proper pressure. This is a fair criticism that will have to be examined during the regular season, furthermore, the biggest elephant in the room is the key position in all sports and that is the quarterback.

No quarterback on the Football teams’ squad has a winning record the combined record of the three active quarterbacks is 66-97-1. Ryan Fitzpatrick has many of those losses with a record of 59-86-1. However, he steps into a situation with one of the better young wide receivers in the NFL in Terry McLaurin. Their ability to hook up during the season will be critical in Washington’s quest to make a push at the Super Bowl. McLaurin is not the only key to the success of the Football team.
Antonio Gibson at running back is a huge piece that will bring much-needed stability, J.D Mckissic is a Larry Centers type of player that brings matchup problems out of the backfield and is an issue against any defense. Logan Thomas at the tight end position could be something to watch. Many felt that Thomas was just a plug-in player when he joined the team last year, this narrative has changed. Thomas is now stable at that position and should be the target of Fitzpatrick, especially on key third downs.

Fitzpatrick should also benefit from having a better offensive line in Washington. The truth is the Miami Dolphins line has not been that good the last few years. Fitzpatrick felt that wrath, the excuses are now over for the veteran. His best chance to improve his legacy as well as getting to the playoffs and capturing a ring is now.

The Football team is talented from top to bottom, there is no reason why they should not win the NFC with ease. There is no reason why they should not get through the playoffs and make the NFC title game. Their matchup will be against the New Orleans Saints, a team that I feel is being overlooked. The game will take place in Washington where I believe Washington will have earned home-field advantage after accumulating a regular-season record of 14-3. Their only three losses will be on the road against the Bills, along with the Packers, and at home against Kansas City.

There Football team’s final two opponents will be opponents from the regular season, meaning the Saints and then eventually the Bills in the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl between the two teams will be epic. The Bills are desperate to win a championship and the Football team desperate to win their first title since 1991.

I have the Football team winning the Super Bowl in Los Angeles California by the score of 27-24 on a last-second field goal. This will cap off an exciting season for the team, after virtually every game will be decided by a touchdown or less. The magic will be felt throughout the DC area as this team finally gives the fans a reason to believe that their team is finally back.

Some may look at Washington winning the Super Bowl as a bold prediction, but that is far from the truth. The team has talent, the team is primed to make a run. When you look at the other teams in the division every one of them has major questions. The Football team just must stay healthy and be consistent.

Their ability to do those things will not only win them a championship but will also bring them an MVP for the first time since 1983 when Joe Theismann won the award. Young at the defensive end position in my opinion will break the single-season sack record held by Michael Strahan at 22.5 and get to 25. The Football Team’s previous MVP award winners were Mark Moseley, the only special teams player to win MVP in 1982, and Larry Brown also at running back in 1972.

The NFL has had a biased against defensive players for a long time only having two defensive players become MVP, one being Alan Page from the Minnesota Vikings in 1971 and Lawrence Taylor in 1986. Taylor had 20.5 sacks that season on the way to his team winning the Super Bowl.
I mention this because Young will be dominant because there are other great players around him. This allows Young to beat his man on single coverage, he will in my opinion be the reason that Washington wins a lot of those close games that I said earlier that they would win. 2021-2022 should be a memorable one for the Football team as they go on to add their fourth championship reclaiming their place as a great franchise in the National Football League.