Burner’s Burning Questions: Grades, Predictions, Evals, Questions, 2020 Season

[Burgundy Burner]

Burner’s Burning Questions: Grades, Predictions, Evals, Questions, 2020 Season​

Greetings from BBQ to everyone at BGO. We hope you are having a good week. Hello to everyone on social media. We’d love to have you as a member here and become part of the family. You are our honored guests, so sit back and enjoy.

The new season is about to begin and the Washington Football Team is facing another tough sixteen game schedule. In this first entry to our new inseason blog for 2020, we will make a game one prediction. Next week, we will grade game one and have a prediction for game two. This format will continue throughout the season and into the playoffs – if the WFT advances to the post-season.

All of us would love to see a 16-0 record, but let’s see if we can make some accurate prognostications along the way each week. Are you ready for some football?

Upcoming Dates
- Days until the virus passes: Hopefully, very soon
- Days until the Regular Season Opener (Eagles): 3
- Days until the Cardinals game: 10
- Days until the Ravens game: 24
- Days until the Giants game: 38
- Days until the Cowboys game: 45

Let’s take a look at week one.

Week One: Eagles at Redskins

Site: FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Time: 1:00pm, EDT
Television: FOX

Here is what I wrote at Riggo’s Rag about game one.

Washington Football Team 16-game prediction for the 2020 season

The offseason is behind us, and the Washington Football Team kicks off its 2020 season in less than a week! How might they fare over their 16-game slate.

riggosrag.com

“It’s the reverse of last year! The Eagles score early and often, but the Washington Football Team makes a nice comeback with Antonio Gibson leading the way. It’s not quite enough as the home team’s rally falls just a bit short”.

BBQ Prediction: Eagles 28 Washington 24

There is the first game prediction for the season. We’ll post game grades next week and a prediction for the Cardinals game.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

My latest article at Riggo's Rag posted this morning. Ten bold predictions for Washington this season. Very bold. And crazy!

10 bold predictions for the Washington Football Team in 2020

The Washington Football Team is kickstarting their season on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are some bold predictions for the season.

riggosrag.com

 

[Burgundy Burner]

My latest article has posted at Riggo's Rag this afternoon. It's a one page piece that awards four game balls for players who had an impact in the Eagles game.

 

[redskins26]

Coaching staff deserves a game ball. So many times over the years when a team jumps out to a big lead we fold

 

[Burgundy Burner]

My latest article posted at Riggo's Rag this afternoon - five positives and five negatives from the Eagles game. Coming tomorrow - grades and evals from the Eagles game and a prediction for the Cardinals game.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Burner’s Burning Questions: Grades, Predictions, Evals, Questions, 2020 Season​

Greetings from BBQ to everyone at BGO. We hope you are having a good week. Hello to everyone on social media. We’d love to have you as a member here and become part of the family. You are our honored guests, so sit back and enjoy.

The new season is off and running and the WFT is 1-0 after Week One! In fact, they are in sole possession of first place! Ok, it is only one game, but it is nice to see a lot of good things happening in the first week. Today, we bring you the first grades of the new season and we’ll see how the WFT fared last Sunday. We’ll also take a look at this Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.

It feels good to see some football. Let’s get right to the grades, evals, and prediction for this week.

Upcoming Dates
- Days until the virus passes: Hopefully, very soon
- Days until the Cardinals game: 3
- Days until the Ravens game: 17
- Days until the Giants game: 31
- Days until the Cowboys game: 38

Week One: Grades and Evaluations

Offense:
The offense struggled throughout the game, but they managed to take advantage of turnovers and the momentum that was supplied by the defense. Dwayne Haskins managed the game just enough to carry the team to victory. His leadership at halftime was inspirational. Haskins also high-fived and fist-bumped the defensive linemen during a timeout in the second half.
BBQ Grade: C+

Defense:
A new defensive coordinator and scheme are just what the doctor ordered for this unit. Jack Del Rio’s group started off slow and made some mental errors in the first half, including silly penalties. But eight sacks later and a tenacious defense that was relentless made all the difference. Creating timely turnovers paid off as the momentum carried the team to victory in the home opener.
BBQ Grade: B+

Special Teams:
Tress Way continues to prove that he is one of the best punters in the NFL. Dustin Hopkins connected on two of three field goals and missed one from 48 yards out. The returns didn’t materialize and a couple of penalties hampered this unit to a small degree.
BBQ Grade: B-

Coaching:
The offensive coaching was fine and the scheme was fine, but the players failed to execute on a number of occasions. The defense was slow to start and had a few miscues, but the coaching was superb and the scheme was rock solid good. The special tems was good, but a bit of improvement is needed.
BBQ Grade: B

Let’s take a look at week two.

Week Two: WFT at Cardinals
Site: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Time: 4:05pm, EDT
Television: FOX

The WFT is now focused on their first road trip of the young season and hopes to punch a ticket to a 2-0 start to the 2020 season. The Arizona Cardinals are greatly improved over the last two seasons and have a realistic chance to challenge for an NFC West crown. Washington is able to stay with the Cardinals for much of the contest, but the home team prevails in the end.

BBQ Prediction: Cardinals 34 Washington 26
BBQ Record: 0-1

There is the second game prediction for this season. We’ll post game grades next week and a prediction for the Browns game.

 

[redskins26]

I’d be very surprised if AZ challenges for the NFC east crown lol

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Burner’s Burning Questions: Grades, Predictions, Evals, Questions, 2020 Season​

Greetings from BBQ to everyone at BGO. We hope you are having a good week. Hello to everyone on social media. We’d love to have you as a member here and become part of the family. You are our honored guests, so sit back and enjoy.

The new season made it through week two and the WFT is 1-1 after a pounding in the desert. However, they are still in first place and the season is just getting started. The Cardinals were not kind at all to the WFT on Sunday, but it is time to move on to game three. Today, we bring you the second set of grades of the new season and we’ll see how the WFT fared last Sunday. We’ll also take a look at this Sunday’s game against the Browns.

It feels good to see football each week. Let’s get right to the grades, evals, and prediction for this week.

Upcoming Dates
- Days until the virus passes: Hopefully, very soon
- Days until the Browns game: 3
- Days until the Ravens game: 10
- Days until the Giants game: 24
- Days until the Cowboys game: 31

Week Two: Grades and Evaluations
Offense:
The offense struggled throughout the game once again, but there was no magical comeback this week. The running back corps struggled in the first half, but had a better second half. Dwayne Haskins played poorly in the first half and only marginally better in the second half. Terry McLaurin was superb, but the receiving corps and tight ends were abysmal on Sunday. The offense needs to learn how to get going in the first half of games.
BBQ Grade: D

Defense:
The defense struggled with a mobile quarterback and a relentless receiving corps. Jack Del Rio’s group started off slow and made some mental errors in the first half, especially in most coverage schemes. Individual members of the defense played poorly for most of the game, but rookie Chase Young continues to prove that he is truly special and incredible. Fabian Moreau should start over Ronald Darby. Troy Apke is a huge problem that needs solving as soon as possible.
BBQ Grade: D

Special Teams:
Same as last week - Tress Way continues to prove that he is one of the best punters in the NFL. Dustin Hopkins connected on a relatively field goal. The returns from Steven Sims were horrible and after he fumbled a punt, Arizona scored six plays later.
BBQ Grade: D+

Coaching:
The offensive coaching and scheme was fine, but the players failed to execute on a number of occasions. The defense had problems with the quarterback, wide receivers, and the RPO offense. They had no answers for Arizona’s schemes. The special teams play was poor, especially on the returns.
Grade: D

Let’s take a look at week three.

Week Three: WFT at Browns
Site: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH
Time: 1:00pm, EDT
Television: FOX

The WFT is now focused on their second road trip of the young season and they hope to punch a ticket to a 2-1 start to the 2020 season. The Cleveland Browns are a mediocre franchise, but they have been semi-competitive over the last couple of seasons. Washington is able to have a better first half this time and keep Cleveland at arm’s length.

BBQ Prediction: Washington 31 Cleveland 16
BBQ Record: 1-1

There is the third game prediction for this season. We’ll post game grades next week and a prediction for the Ravens game (have mercy!).

 

[Burgundy Burner]

My latest article posted at Riggo's Rag very early this morning. Five positives and five negatives from the Browns game. Yes, there are some positives. Have a look when you get the chance. Thanks!

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Burner’s Burning Questions: Grades, Predictions, Evals, Questions, 2020 Season​

Greetings from BBQ to everyone at BGO. We hope you are having a good week. Hello to everyone on social media. We’d love to have you as a member here and become part of the family. You are our honored guests, so sit back and enjoy.

Welcome to our look back at the Browns game and the weekly prediction for the next game – this week it is the Ravens at home . Amazingly, the Washington Football Team is still in first place and the season is still young. To be honest, don’t expect the first place status to last. Just being honest. The Browns were not kind at all to the WFT on Sunday, but it is time to move on to game four. Today, we bring you the latest set of grades and evals and we’ll see how the WFT fared last Sunday. We’ll also take a look at this Sunday’s game against the Ravens.

It still feels good to see football each week. Let’s get right to the grades, evals, and prediction for this week.

Upcoming Dates
- Days until the virus passes: Hopefully, very soon
- Days until the Ravens game: 3
- Days until the Giants game: 17
- Days until the Cowboys game: 24

Week One: Grades and Evaluations
Offense:
The offense struggled for one primary reason this past week – Dwayne Haskins. Specifically, three Haskins interceptions and a fumble. Those turnovers handed the Browns 24 points. The running backs were ineffective for the third straight week. The receivers were fairly good and two of the rookies had a promising day – Isaiah Wright with four catches and Antonio Gandy-Golden gaining 22 yards on a well-designed sweep. If AGG had another step, he would still be running. The offensive line had a mediocre day. Geron Christian continues to improve and Wes Martin does something, but we’re not sure what it is at this time. Unfortunately, the turnovers almost make this a failing grade.
BBQ Grade: D-

Defense:
The defense didn’t have any favors from the offense given to them. Constant turnovers from the other side of the ball hindered the defense all day. Injuries along the defensive line also took a toll. Montez Sweat played a superb game, but he can’t do it alone. Tim Settle had a decent day after coming in due to the injuries. Troy Apke had a mixed game, but some bad errors as well. Landon Collins is quickly becoming a free agent bust. The cornerbacks played a decent game.
BBQ Grade: D+

Special Teams:
Tress Way had another good game, but one punt that landed inside the ten yard line bounced all the way back to near the twenty yard line and negated a solid effort. Dustin Hopkins missed an extra point and his occasional lapses are certainly a concern going forward. The punt returns from Steven Sims were decent, but unspectacular.
BBQ Grade: C+

Coaching:
The offensive coaching scheme was actually quite good, but the turnovers killed any opportunities and momentum. The defense had problems due to injuries, the safeties, and the offense turning the ball over way too often. The special teams play was slightly above average and nothing to get excited about.
Grade: C

Let’s take a look at week four.

Week Three: Ravens at WFT
Site: FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Time: 1:00pm, EDT
Television: CBS

The WFT returns home to an empty stadium again and actually has a chance to maintain a share of first place in the NFC East – even if they do lose to the Ravens. The defensive line is weakened somewhat after losing Matt Ioannidis for the season. Chase Young has been all but ruled out for this Sunday and he is week to week. Baltimore is a legitimate Super Bowl contender and this game is likely to get very ugly for Washington. The WFT will be on the wrong side of a very lopsided score.
BBQ Prediction: Baltimore 52 Washington 13
BBQ Record: 1-2

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Burner’s Burning Questions: Grades, Predictions, Evals, Questions, 2020 Season​

Greetings from BBQ to everyone at BGO. We hope you are having a good week. Hello to everyone on social media. We’d love to have you as a member here and become part of the family. You are our honored guests, so sit back and enjoy.

Welcome to our look back at the Ravens game and the weekly prediction for the next game – this week it is the Rams at home. Following the loss last Sunday, the WFT fell out of first place and is actually one game out of last place. To be honest, we didn’t expect the first place status to last. The Ravens were not kind at all to the WFT on Sunday, but it is time to move on to game five. Today, we bring you the latest set of grades and evals and we’ll see how the WFT fared last Sunday. We’ll also take a look at this Sunday’s game against the Rams.

It sure would be nice to talk about a victory next week. Let’s get right to the grades, evals, and prediction for this week.

Upcoming Dates
- Days until the virus passes: Hopefully, very soon
- Days until the Rams game: 3
- Days until the Giants game: 10
- Days until the Cowboys game: 17
- Days until the Bye: 24

Week Four: Grades and Evaluations
Offense:
BBQ had to go back and edit this portion of our weekly blog. The Dwayne Haskins benching changed everything, so let’s talk about the offense in the Ravens game.

The offense struggled in the first half once again and put the team in a major hole that it could not fully climb out of in the second half. That’s the story for this offense thus far in 2020. Sure, the second half was better and the team made a late run, but again, it was too late to make a difference. Haskins is now benched and reports suggest that he will be inactive against the Rams. Is his brief stay in Washington nearly over? Possibly. Sure, he threw for more than 300 yards in the game, but Haskins has fallen way short of many benchmark the coaches set for him. As a result, the offense has suffered.

Terry McLaurin, Geron Christian, Chase Roullier, Morgan Moses, and Antonio Gibson had a very good day. J.D. McKissic, Logan Thomas, and Peyton Barber struggled. It’s Kyle Allen time and we will obviously being grading the offense after his insertion into the lineup on Sunday.
BBQ Grade: D

Defense:
The defense has allowed thirty or more points for the third game in a row. Yes, some of that comes from the offense and special teams giving this unit shorter fields to work with at times, but the defense needs to see some improvements as well. The defensive line play on Sunday wasn’t bad, but missing Matt Ioannidis and Chase Young was painfully obvious. The linebackers struggled mightily – the only exception was Jon Bostic. The secondary was bolstered by the interceptions from Kendall Fuller. Otherwise, the secondary was lackluster, especially Landon Collins.
BBQ Grade: D

Special Teams:
Tress Way was a bit underwhelming against the Ravens – not bad by any means, just a bit off from what we normally see. Dustin Hopkins missed a 54 yard field goal and while kickers will occasionally miss from fifty yards or more, Hopkins has also missed a forty-eight yarder and an extra point this season. He needs to connect from fifty and beyond on occasion, so this is a concern going forward. There are no kick returns or punt returns to speak of in the Ravens game.
BBQ Grade: C

Coaching:
The offensive coaching scheme was actually quite good once again, but poor execution in the first half and a couple of times in the second half doomed the offense. The defense allowed thirty points or more for the third straight game. The special teams play was rather average and nothing to get excited about.
Grade: C-

Let’s take a look at week five.

Week Five: Rams at WFT
Site: FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Time: 1:00pm, EDT
Television: FOX

The WFT will continue to play in an empty home stadium and is facing another stern test on Sunday. Quarterback Kyle Allen takes over as the signal caller and all eyes will be focused on his performance. The offense is able to have a decent first half and the defense is able to stymie Jared Goff for much of the game. A two touchdown rally in the fourth quarter propels the Rams to a slim victory. The WFT falls to 1-4 and the finger pointing continues.
BBQ Prediction: Los Angeles 28 Washington 24
BBQ Record: 2-2

There is the latest game prediction for this season. We’ll post game grades next week and a prediction for the Giants game.

 

[Bulldog]

Looking at things realistically I don’t know a team coming off 3-13 with the likes of Haskins and Allen at qb should be facing many questions about losing a close game to what would be a 4-1 club.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Burner’s Burning Questions: Grades, Predictions, Evals, Questions, 2020 Season​

Greetings from BBQ to everyone at BGO. We hope you are having a good week. Hello to everyone on social media. We’d love to have you as a member here and become part of the family. You are our honored guests, so sit back and enjoy.

Welcome to our look back at the Rams game and the weekly prediction for the next game – this week it is the Giants on the road. Following the loss last Sunday, the WFT is still one game out of first place. To be honest, we didn’t expect the first place status to last, but it is stunning to know that the Burgundy and Gold is still one game behind. The Rams were not kind at all to the WFT on Sunday, but it is time to move on to game six. Today, we bring you the latest set of grades and evals and we’ll see how the WFT fared last Sunday. We’ll also take a look at this Sunday’s game against the Giants.

It sure would be nice to talk about a divisional victory next week. Let’s get right to the grades, evals, and prediction for this week.

Upcoming Dates
- Days until the virus passes: Hopefully, very soon
- Days until the Giants game: 3
- Days until the Cowboys game: 10
- Days until the Bye: 11
- Days until the second Giants game: 24

Week One: Grades and Evaluations
Offense:
The offense was quite proficient in the first quarter and began to struggle a bit in the second quarter. After the late first half injury to Kyle Allen, Alex Smith was inserted into the lineup and while it was certainly an inspirational moment for the world of football, his presence didn’t help the offense at all. The second half was a disaster and all facets of the offense did not click. Poor full game performances from the offensive line, running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers (yes, all of them) doomed the offense from the start. It was the worst outing of the season.
BBQ Grade: F

Defense:
The defense has allowed thirty or more points for the fourth game in a row and that ties a record that the team set in 1954. The safeties couldn’t cover a sloth – er, receivers. The linebackers couldn’t cover a turtle – er, tight ends. But we were told that the defensive line would make the defensive backs and linebackers look so much better. This defensive line couldn’t tackle a koala bear – er, running back. How do you like the Alabama connection now? Would you be surprised if the defense makes Daniel Jones look like the second coming of Peyton Manning?
BBQ Grade: F

Special Teams:
Tress Way was a bit underwhelming against the Rams and for the second week in a row overall – not bad by any means, just a bit off from what we normally see. Dustin Hopkins was able to split the uprights perfectly on a 48 yard field goal and chipped in an extra point – a good day for him after a shaky few weeks. The kick returns were average at best and punt returns were decent.
BBQ Grade: B-

Coaching:
The coaching in the first quarter was solid, but the final three quarters were horrible. No adjustments. The team lacked an attitude. Everything seemed to move in slow motion and there were no firm plans that could be detected. Not a good day for the coaching staff.
Grade: F

Let’s take a look at week six.

Week Six: WFT at Giants
Site: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Time: 1:00pm, EDT
Television: FOX

After two games at home, the WFT travels northward to play the Giants on Sunday. These two teams have a combined record of 1-9, but it could go a long way in determining the draft order next April. Quarterback Kyle Allen will continue to start and Alex Smith will be the backup. The game is a see-saw affair and higher scoring than expected. Daniel Jones catches some fire in the fourth quarter and propels the Giants to their first victory of the season. The Washington defense gives up thirty or more points in a game for the fifth straight week – a new team record.
BBQ Prediction: New York 38 Washington 27
BBQ Record: 3-2

There is the latest game prediction for this season. We’ll post game grades next week and a prediction for the Cowboys game.

 

[Boone]

We’re gonna thump the Giants. The offense was woeful but I think Allen have them a mild spark and had he not been knocked out it would’ve been less putrid in the 2nd half. I’d have given them a D on that basis but doesn’t change the overall stank on this one!

 

[Bulldog]

I think this team really gave up after Allen got hurt and it was clear Smith was beyond rusty after 2 years away.

 

[Boone]

Smith played badly. Great comeback. Terrible performance.

 

[SilentThreat]

Smith played badly. Great comeback. Terrible performance.

He played like a 38 year old QB coming off a life threatening injury that, not only hasn't played, but hadn't taken a football hit in 2 years, while playing behind a 2nd string O-line against arguably the best interior pass rusher to ever take the field.... while it was raining.

 

[Boone]

All true. And those are all good reasons not to put him out there. I get that they were worried about Allen, but if Smith wasn’t ready to go, pretty dumb only dressing 2 QBs.

 

[Boone]

And ST, just to be clear, that might’ve sounded harsh but I wasn’t criticizing Smith - I love the guy. But lost in all of the ‘greatest comeback ever’ reporting was that he looked bad. His mobility was bad, he looked slow, his passes were inaccurate and indecisive. I’m not sure he can still be an effective NFL QB, even as a game manager type. I get your points, and maybe it’ll get better, but I don’t really want them relying on Alex going forward.

 

[SilentThreat]

And ST, just to be clear, that might’ve sounded harsh but I wasn’t criticizing Smith - I love the guy. But lost in all of the ‘greatest comeback ever’ reporting was that he looked bad. His mobility was bad, he looked slow, his passes were inaccurate and indecisive. I’m not sure he can still be an effective NFL QB, even as a game manager type. I get your points, and maybe it’ll get better, but I don’t really want them relying on Alex going forward.

Oh I know, I was just basically saying he looked about like what you'd expect a guy in that position to look like.

I don't either. He's a hell of a story and I hope he gets the closure he needs over the next 11 games. I don't think he has a value on this roster after this season (it's arguable he has a value now beyond mentorship, but he deserves to get this chance if nothing else as a person and a really good dude). I hope he gets that closure and ultimately decides that it's time to hang up the cleats and become a coach / scout / mentor / whatever he wants to do in the next phase. I love him, I love his story, some day I hope we see the the Alex Smith story. I'm rooting hard for him... but change his name to Chris Jones and the dynamic is a lot different.