NFL Week 6 Opponent Profile: Jets Face Redskins In Typical 'Trap Game'
By Abraham Gutierrez
Looking to keep the good times rolling, the New York Jets look to improve to 4-1 coming out of the bye when the Washington Redskins invade East Rutherford, New Jersey for a Week 6 showdown in the Meadowlands. MetLife Stadium will be filled to capacity to see if Todd Bowles can continue his magical start with a win over an inferior opponent. Opening kickoff is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast live on CBS Sports.
Redskins 2015 NFL Season Record
Through five games, the Washington Redskins have been one of the most unpredictable teams in pro football. They kicked off the year with a lackluster 10-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins, but since then, have caught some teams by surprise. Right after dropping the opener, Washington pulled off an improbable upset over the St. Louis Rams by a final score of 24-10.
In their first trip to MetLife Stadium this year, the Redskins took on the New York Giants. However, Washington failed to follow up the momentum gained from the win over the Rams the week prior, falling to the G-Men by a final score of 32-21. The rollercoaster continued against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, shocking Chip Kelly's birds to the tune of 23-20.
Last week, the Redskins had a golden opportunity to hand the Falcons their first loss of the season. Nevertheless, they failed to string together consecutive wins yet again, and were defeated by the Dirty Birds at the Georgia Dome by a final score of 19-25. If the Skins' trends serve true, that means that this game has all the ingredients of a typical "trap game."
Redskins On Offense
Offensively, Washington has been forced to undergo a bit of a facelift, in particular following all the hoopla surrounding former second-overall draft pick, (quarterback) Robert Griffin III. With Kirk Cousins under center, offensive coordinator Sean McVay relies on the use of three running backs in Alfred Morris, Matt Jones and Chris Thompson.
Even though Jones suffered a big toe injury in last week's loss to Atlanta, McVay is more than content putting the burden on his other two halfbacks. In particular, the Skins' DC has been very impressed by the play of his second-year man out of Florida State.
"I'm really happy for Chris [Thompson] and the way he has matured," McVay said during an Oct. 9 press conference. "He's always been a guy that's had a bunch of talent, real conscientious, smart aware football player and he's been crucial for us."
Redskins On Defense
If it weren't for the Redskins defense, this season would be a total loss. Under the direction of defensive coordinator Joe Barry, Washington's resistance enters Week 6 ranked sixth in total yards allowed (314), eighth at defending the pass (216.4), and 12th in both, rushing yards (97.6) and points surrendered (20.8). Barry, who enters his 14th season in the NFL has mastered the 4-3 and 3-4 defensive schemes.
Redskins Players To Watch
With the Redskins rushing attack being the most productive part of the offense, the player(s) to watch this week is a triple-headed monster. The Jets defense must prepare for a heavy doze of running backs, Alfred Morris, Matt Jones (if healthy enough to play after the rookie sprained his big toe in last week's loss to Atlanta) and Chris Thompson, who combined, account for 604 rushing yards and three touchdowns of Washington's total offensive output.
Defensively, Washington's player to watch is nose tackle Chris Baker, who's earning his living by creating chaos in the backfield. In his fourth season out of Hampton, Baker is tied for team-high honors in the sack department with 3.5, alongside Ryan Kerrigan. The 28-year-old from Windsor, Connecticut also has 15 tackles to his name and, as mentioned above, is very dangerous when he penetrates opposing offense, recording a pair of forced fumbles through five games.
Redskins vs. Jets 2015 NFL Week 6 Point Spreads
If NFL Week 6 oddsmakers are on their game, Gang Green should have no problem improving to 4-1 on the young season. That's because NFL point spreads for this contest indicate that the "J-E-T-S!" are listed as five-and-a-half [-5½] points favorites over the visiting Skins [+5½], who will in turn enjoy a cushion of almost two field goals. Judging by the projected final score oddsmakers have posted, this game will be won on the defensive side of the ball, as the OVER/UNDER tallies a combined 41 points total.
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, Examiner.com and other online publications.
