Meanwhile, despite also hanging in most games this season, Washington's loss to the Steelers wasn't much of a contest.

You’ve got to look at yourself and say, ‘What else can we do?’ Well, we win the game. Is there more to do? Yeah, there’s more to do. It’s frustrating because defensively I feel like we’ve improved by leaps and bounds over last year. Per the Charlotte Observer's Joseph Person: That was apparent when defensive coordinator Sean McDermott spoke on the criticism of his defensive strategy. With just one win on the season and many of their six losses coming in close games, frustration is mounting in Carolina. If there is one defense that Newton can right the ship and become a valuable asset to fantasy owners again, it's this one.

That has left the dual-threat's only fantasy value to come from his ability to gain yards on the ground. With just five touchdown passes against eight interceptions, Newton has taken a marked step backward through the air. After being the unquestioned fantasy football MVP last season, the second-year quarterback has hit a massive wall in 2012. The Redskins' struggles cannot even all be blamed on an ineffective secondary, as injuries have left Washington unable to amount much of a pass rush.įor Newton, that should mean a massive fantasy day. To put this as bluntly as humanly possible, if Newton is unable to put up a banner fantasy day against the Redskins' defense, you might as well stash him on the bench for the rest of the season.Ĭoming into Week 9, Washington has far and away the worst pass defense in the NFL, giving up 314.3 yards per game. In a league that also contains the New Orleans Saints, that's saying something. LB Antwan Applewhite, Thigh, Missed Week 8ĭB Brandon Meriweather, Knee, Missed Week 8 So, from here on out, it's likely time to play for draft position and pride. It's not a spoiler to say that's highly unlikely. Though competitive, the Redskins are 3-5 and are playing in a division with the New York Giants, one of the three best teams in football.Ĭonsidering the NFC's strength, it would almost surely take a 10-6 record for Carolina or Washington to make the playoffs. The Panthers come in six games behind the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South and seem to find new and excruciating ways to lose every Sunday. While both teams obviously still have a mathematical shot to make the postseason, it's not exactly the likeliest scenario at this point. Listen: Panthers Radio Network, Redskins Radio Networkīetting Line: Redskins (-3.5), according to Bovada. With that in mind, here is a look at everything you need to know about Sunday's contest of NFC opponents.

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