Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Washington Football Team Week 2 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2021 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Washington Football Team rank in terms of average, best and worst:

  • Average ranking: 20.8 (T-21st)
  • Best ranking: 17th (CBS Sports)
  • Worst ranking: 22nd (Multiple)

Below you will find a Week 2 roundup for Washington in our consensus 2021 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 22

Top rookie: RT Sam Cosmi

In truth, it was not a great day for Washington's four rookies. Cosmi had a tough first assignment: Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa. "Baptism by fire," coach Ron Rivera called it. Not all of Bosa's pressures came vs. him, and Cosmi at least showed flashes of what he can become. He ranked first overall in the league in run block win rate, but was last overall in pass block win rate. It was not a great day, but the other rookies made it tough to look elsewhere. -- John Keim

NFL.com -- Rank: 22

The news on Ryan Fitzpatrick is not good. The veteran passer was moved to injured reserve on Monday after suffering a hip subluxation in Sunday's loss to the Chargers, and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the possibility of Fitzpatrick missing the rest of the year is "on the table." Obviously, this is a crushing setback for both Fitzmagic and the Washington Football Team, which simply cannot find stability behind center. Taylor Heinicke had some moments against Los Angeles, but you have to wonder if Ron Rivera is truly serious about not bringing another veteran into the building. The fact that Cam Newton isn't already on a plane to D.C. makes you wonder about how Rivera really feels about his former MVP.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 17

They lost Ryan Fitzpatrick in the opening loss to the Chargers, and he will be out for three weeks at least. That means it's Taylor Heinecke time against the Giants Thursday night.

USA Today -- Rank: 21

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick set a record by making a Week 1 start for his sixth different club before sustaining a hip injury likely to cost him at least half the season. But it could be a silver lining for the WFT as it takes an extended look at Taylor Heinicke, who could have a long-term future here.

The Athletic -- Rank: 22

Overreaction: Were Ryan Fitzpatrick and Taylor Heinicke really the answer? WFT led a good Chargers team in the fourth quarter, but Heinicke (who has as many career regular-season TD passes as Trevor Lawrence) doesn't seem like a full-season NFL starting quarterback. The defense giving up 424 yards is even more discouraging. -- Auman

Reality check: Justin Herbert is going to make a lot of defenses look silly on third downs, but man, that was a tough debut for what we thought would be one of the best young defenses in the NFL. Playing Daniel Jones and the Giants might be just the fix Washington needs. -- Jones

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