5 Players To Watch

The Redskins awful startled to two things: Jay Gruden’s firing after five miserable performances and any hope fans held of a playoff spot tabled until at least 2020.

- Chris Russell

Even in the darkest days of a football season and a franchise’s existence – there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. There’s something positive that provides hope.

The Redskins have that, and so should you. As a team, it did not come together in any way to save Gruden’s job after five-plus years, but the lights are still on when you examine the situation on an individual basis.

The top reason for hope is Terry McLaurin. The one Ohio State rookie expected to make a huge impact in 2019 was Dwayne Haskins. He still might, but his former Buckeye teammate and now moving forward in the NFL, McLaurin, has been the star of a dimly-lit sky so far.

McLaurin scored three touchdowns in his first three games. While missing a loss to the Giants on a short week because of a hamstring injury, McLaurin bounced right back the next week to play against the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

That may not seem significant but on this team, it is. It shows toughness and resiliency that quite honestly, the Redskins have not had enough.

McLaurin was targeted 31 times over his first four games played. Among Redskins receivers that were the most, despite Trey Quinn, next best, playing in one more game (28). Paul Richardson, who was next best, also had one more game and 26 targets.