Red Hot Redskins Look To Romp over Raggedy Rams
The Washington Redskins (4-1 SU, 4-1 ATS, 2-3 O/U), were thought to be the worst team in the NFC East following their season-opening, 17-6 road loss to the New York Giants.
Now, after winning four straight games in convincing fashion, including two consecutive NFC East road contests, the Redskins are riding high and sitting pretty with their NFC playoff hopes.
Washington doesn’t figure to have much trouble beating the lowly St. Louis Rams (0-4 SU, 0-4 ATS, 3-1 O/U), on Sunday, when their NFC counterparts visit FedExField.
The Skins are coming off a solid 23-17 win over the Eagles on Sunday, covering as 6.5-point underdogs while the Rams are coming off a Week 5 bye and will be well-rested for their showdown with the red-hot Redskins.
St. Louis was routed for the fourth straight time this season, losing to the Buffalo Bills 31-14 on Sept. 28 while failing to cover as 8-point favorites and are looking to pick up their first win under new head coach Jim Haslett after firing former head coach Scott Linehan after getting off to an 0-3 start.
Despite Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb’s idiotic claims this week that Philadelphia is the “better team,” the Redskins literally wiped Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field with the Eagles jerseys after falling into a 14-0 first quarter hole.
Blossoming young quarterback Jason Campbell completed 16 of 29 passes for a modest 176 yards and no touchdowns, but more importantly, kept his team in the game with crisp short throws while avoiding the costly mistake.
Of course, the Redskins also plowed over Philadelphia’s weak front seven the entire game, watching running back Clinton Portis rumble for 145 yards on 29 carries with one touchdown.
All-Pro tight end Chris Cooley added eight catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Campbell has blossomed under first-year head coach Jim Zorn in his personal version of the West Coast offense, not throwing a single interception in 153 pass attempts this season.
“Anytime that you are winning in the NFL and especially in this division, people start to talk about you,” Campbell said. “One thing we have to do as a team is continue to understand that we must improve, because now teams are going to put that X on our back. That means everybody is going to turn it up a notch more when they play us.”
Haslett, who went 45-51 in six seasons as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, makes his sideline debut for St. Louis and has reinstated Marc Bulger as the starter after Linehan unwisely benched him for the Bills game and knows he has a lot of work to do with a team that has scored the fewest points in the NFL.
“We’ll try to get my personality into them as fast as we can, if that’s the way you want to look at it,” Haslett said. “I do like guys who are tough and hard-nosed and love to play the game.”
Running back Steven Jackson rushed for 110 yards on 24 carries with a touchdown against Buffalo while Bulger said his teammates are still playing to win despite their atrocious start.
“Certainly, it didn’t start out the way we wanted,” said Bulger who was sacked a whopping 11 times in the first three games. “But guys haven’t quit, and we honestly still think we do have a chance in the division. Believe it or not.”
Here is a look at the key trends for each team, followed by my in-depth analysis and NFL Free Picks.
Rams
St. Louis is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
St. Louis is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of St. Louis’s last 6 games
St. Louis is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of St. Louis’s last 10 games on the road
St. Louis is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Washington
St. Louis is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis’s last 6 games when playing Washington
Redskins
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing St. Louis
Washington is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington’s last 6 games when playing St. Louis
NFL Odds
St. Louis Rams +13½ -110
Washington Redskins -13½ -110
Over 44 -110
Under 44 -110
Analysis: While the Washington Redskins are playing excellent football at the moment and no one knows what to expect out of the beleaguered Rams under Haslett, I am going to take St. Louis to cover the high, 13.5-point spread in this contest.
The Skins have won four straight games but haven’t won any by more than a touchdown – and something tells me Haslett will find a way to keep it closer than two touchdowns. The Redskins win their fifth straight game, but the cover goes to St. Louis.
