5 Washington Redskins To Watch In NFL Week 16 vs. Chicago Bears

By Fansided and Jacob Camenker/FanSided via Riggo's Rag
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Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Will Compton (51) tackles Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Redskins are in for a do or die game against the Chicago Bears. Here are some Redskins to watch in the contest.

Going into Week 15 against the Panthers, the Washington Redskins had one mission: win the game. They were unable to do that, and they have greatly hurt their playoff chances. Sitting at 7-6-1, the team needs to win each of their next two games to even have a chance at getting in.

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In Week 16, they will take on the Bears, which will be more difficult than it seems. Though they sport an awful 3-11 record, they have been competent with Matt Barkley at quarterback. They almost beat the Green Bay Packers in a come from behind loss last week, but they could not get the job done.

With all of that said, the Redskins are going to have to bring their best efforts with them in order to notch a win. Here is a look at five players who could help them do that.

Dec 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) makes a reception in front of Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll (22) during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

5. WR Jamison Crowder

The Bears are very young at the cornerback position, and they do not have the ability to fully matchup with the Redskins receiving weapons. Tracy Porter is a decent, veteran player that will likely try to play against DeSean Jackson, but it remains to be seen whether or not any of the Bears will be able to cover Jamison Crowder in the slot.

Crowder is the midst of a terrific sophomore campaign. Being utilized as Kirk Cousins’ third option, Crowder has been highly productive, totaling 828 yards and seven touchdowns over the course of the season. He has been one of the most explosive offensive playmakers for the team, and he will have a chance to produce on Saturday.

The Bears will likely put veteran Sherrick McManus on Crowder during the contest. McManus is no special talent, and he will likely struggle with the quickness and lateral agility of Crowder. At the very least, Crowder should be able to break away from McManus for a couple of solid gains and will be the primary weapon over the middle of the field. For that reason, Crowder will certainly be a big part of the offense and he will be very fun to watch.

Dec 19, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) has his face mask grabbed by Washington Redskins cornerback Greg Toler (20) while carrying the ball in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Panthers won 26-15. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

4. CB Greg Toler

The nickel corner position has been a real problem for the Redskins this season. First, the team tried to start Dashaun Phillips at the position. By Week 3, Phillips lost his job and has been on and off the roster ever since. Then, rookie Kendall Fuller took over before being benched for his struggles. In the past two weeks, Quinton Dunbar has been the starter at the position. Then, he suffered a concussion and is likely to miss Saturday’s game.

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    With all that said, the only option left for the Redskins would be to play Greg Toler in the slot. They have tried virtually all of their depth corners, so it seems that Toler will see a chunk of snaps against the Bears.

    In his eighth season, Toler has been at best a mediocre backup. Toler simply lacks the speed to cover some of the better receivers in the league, and that limited him to being a No. 2 cornerback. Now, he has been declining as he ages and is merely a backup caliber player. He can sometimes use his physicality to bother receivers at the line, but he can get burned on occasion.

    Because of this, Toler is going to be a player to watch on Saturday. He is going to have to play a chunk of the snaps, and if the Bears heavily target him, it could end up being a problem for the Skins. They need to make sure they protect their troublesome secondary as much as they can by providing safety help when necessary.

    Dec 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson (25) runs for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. The Washington Redskins won 27-22. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

    3. RB Chris Thompson

    In the last game for Washington, Rob Kelley carried the ball nine times for a whopping 8 yards. The Redskins need to do something about their lack of push at the line of scrimmage, and giving Chris Thompson some more carries could help them out.

      Thompson has been very effective for the Redskins this season, and he is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He has only seen a total of 62 carries in 14 games, as the team’s coaching staff is worried about him toting the rock too much. Because of his 5-foot-8 frame, they believe he is at risk to suffer an injury.

      That seems to be a foolish concern. Smaller running backs, like Darren Sproles, have had long term success carrying the ball. Why couldn’t that be Thompson? The shifty runner could probably handle 5 to 10 carries per contest, and that would not be asking much of him. If Kelley struggles early, expect Thompson to get some extra carries. Of course, the team also could play Matt Jones on Saturday as well to further take pressure off of Kelley.

      At the end of the day, Thompson seems likely to see an increase in carries. The Redskins will need their top options to produce at running back, and Thompson could be effective against the decent Chicago front.

      Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (91) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

      2. OLB Ryan Kerrigan

      The Bears have a fairly decent duo of offensive tackles in Charles Leno and Bobby Massie, but Massie is currently hampered by a toe injury. It is unclear whether or not he will be able to suit up on Saturday afternoon. If he cannot play, journeyman Matt McCants will be in the lineup. If that happens, then Ryan Kerrigan could have a big day.

        Kerrigan, who was recently named to the Pro Bowl, would be able to have a huge day if matched up against McCants. McCants has decent size, but he lacks the athleticism to deal with most edge rushers. Kerrigan has excellent athleticism and an extremely high motor, so if he was to face McCants, it is likely that he would be able to break through.

        The only concern would be about Kerrigan’s health. In the middle of last week’s game versus the Panthers, Kerrigan exited with an elbow sprain. He was able to return, but he did not look quite himself, as he was not as confident in his injured arm. If he still cannot fully move his arm, he could have issues wrapping up opposing players.

        Regardless of what happens, Kerrigan is one of the top players to watch. He has a lot of questions surrounding him right now, but he also has a high talent level. If he is healthy, he should have a terrific day.

        Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Will Compton (51) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

        1. LB Will Compton

        Last week, Will Compton missed the Redskins game. He was sorely missed. The defense looked even more lost than usual without their leader, and replacement Martrell Spaight was awful. Spaight looked like a deer in the headlights, and was unable to diagnose plays until it was too late. Needless to say, the Redskins need to avoid playing Spaight as a starter again.

        The presence of Compton would allow the team to do just that. Compton would take over the role as the primary play-caller and the main coverage linebacker. While Compton is not the most talented linebacker out there, he has been immensely important to the success of the Redskins defense. Without him, they have floundered.

        Of course, Compton was held out due to a knee injury, and it remains to be seen if he will be 100 percent. There is a chance that he may be active, but may not be able to play all of the snaps. If that happens, the Redskins need to make sure they protect themselves and avoid overplaying Spaight. The team could opt to play Terence Garvin a bit in relief of Compton as well. He has showed some potential in limited defensive snaps.

        All in all, having Compton back will make the Redskins that much better. The team has had major defensive issues all year, but having Compton back will alleviate some of their concerns.