The Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers will face off on one of two games today as NFL Monday Night Football returns for the 2016 regular season. Today's big clash could go either way, although the Redskins have home advantage and will be hoping that will give them the edge. The game takes place from FedExField in Landover, Maryland, and has a scheduled start time of 7.10 p.m. ET. The game can be watched on TV on the ESPN network or online through live stream via the link below.
The Redskins had one of the worst run defenses in the league last season, ranking 26th against the run last year, and allowing nearly 123 yards on the ground per game. So glaring is that potential weakness that the Steelers will almost certainly look to test out early on whether the Washington run defense has improved at all since last season.
However, the Redskins do have some new faces up front for the new season, and in particular the former Steelers defensive lineman Ziggy Hood will be looking to tighten up that area of the game for Washington.
But even if the Redskins run defense does manage to hold its own today, the Steelers have excellent alternatives to attack the home team today. In Ben Roethlisberger and receiver Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh have one of the most dangerous air-attack combos in the NFL right now.
The Redskins were not only poor on the ground in defense last season, they also struggled in the air, ranking a lowly 25th against the pass. That meant their defense was ranked 28th in the league overall in 2015. If they have not made significant improvement then it could be a long night for them, as they are up against one of the league's stellar offenses.
So expect the Steelers to try and get DeAngelo Williams into the game early on to test out how the Redskins' run defense has developed, but also expect them to resort to an aerial attack quickly if things are not working out on the ground for their offense.
There has been much said about the Steelers' offense ahead of the season beginning. Some believe that it could be the most devastating offense in the league. However, the good news for the Redskins today is that running back Le'Veon Bell is suspended for the first three games of the season, and receiver Martavis Bryant will also play no part.
But with players like Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro, and with Roethlisberger pulling the strings, the Redskins will still have their hands full.
If the Redskins are to pull off an opening day win today then their offense must be firing on all cylinders. Quarterback Kirk Cousins had a solid 2015, passing for more than 4,100 yards for 29 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions. He also secured a 69.8 percent pass completion record.
His team mates also did their part, allowing him to only be sacked 26 times over 543 attempts. If they can continue that solid form and give Cousins space and time, then the Redskins may just be able to consistently put points on the scoreboard and steal this one.
Today's big NFL Monday Night Football 2016 between the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers has a scheduled start time of 7.10 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the ESPN network or online through live stream by clicking here.
