The Redskins have started their season 2-1 with Alex Smith as the new quarterback.  Over the course of this 2-1 start, the Redskins have looked decent.  Some may even say they look good.  Alex Smith is a good quarterback, and despite having an average group of players at the receiver position, Smith has already thrown for nearly 800 yards in three games.  Smith is completing passes and as a result, the offense if staying consistent.  Additionally, Adrian Peterson has looked better than expected.  Who would’ve thought I would say that this season.  The best part of the Redskins season this far is the fact that Jordan Reed is on the field.  Jordan Reed, when healthy, is easily one of the best pass catching tight ends in football.  He is quicker and faster than almost every linebacker tasked with covering him.  No linebacker, bring down the safety to cover Reed.  Okay.  Reed is taller, stronger, and bigger than any safety tasked with covering him.  A healthy Jordan Reed is a game changer.  Alex Smith is lucky to have this kid on the field with him.  Realistically, I could complete passes to Jordan Reed.

However, the Redskins defense has been the better side of the ball.  Consistently holding teams to consistently low scores.  I think the most impressive part of their defense has been the pass defense.  Currently, the Redskins are holding teams to under 200 passing yards per game.  In this pass heavy league, I truly find that to be impressive.  Also, the Redskins are coming off their bye week.  They have had the time to prepare for the high-powered Saints offense and will be well rested on Monday night.

The New Orleans Saints are the same offensive juggernaut that they have been for years.  After four weeks of football, the saints rank third in points per game, fourth in yards per game, and seventh in passing yards per game in the NFL.  Better, if not, as expected from the Saints.  Drew Brees has been beyond remarkable.  Alvin Kamara, even better than Brees.  Aside from Aaron Rodgers, Alvin Kamara honestly might be the best offensive player in football right now.  He does it all.  Running the ball effectively, check.  Catching the ball, check.  Picking up the blitzing linebacker, check.  Getting into the end zone, double-super-mega check.  The former Rookie of the Year has never heard of the sophomore slump.  Michael Thomas at receiver picked up exactly where he left off last year.  Thomas has the showings to sneak into the top-5 wide receiver conversation at the end of the season.  The Saint’s offense is going to remain to take the top off defenses and run-up the score.  I do not expect anything to change heading into week five.

On the other side of the coin, as good as the Saint’s offense has been, the defense has been equally as terrible.  The 2017 season showed serious improvements in the Saints defense.  Players developed and rookies like Marshon Lattimore, who went on to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, really had people expecting good things for the 2018 season.  Spoiler alert, all those expectations are gone.  The Saints defense has not made any improvements over the offseason.  If anything, they look worse.  The defensive backs are getting absolutely torched in the pass game, allowing more than 300 passing yards per game.  The Saints legitimately have the offense to make a run for the Super Bowl, but if this defense cannot improve, I find their post-season success a lot less likely.

At the moment I am writing this, the spread for this game is a +/- 7.  Now everyone likes the Saints offense, and why would you not?  They score a lot of points.  They also give-up a lot of points.  As a result, the Saints are 2-2 against the spread.  The trend has been, so far, that teams cover the spread against the Saints.  The Saints defense allows too many points.  Also, the Redskins defense should be able to at least contain Brees and the Saints offense enough to keep the Redskins in the game.   For that reason, I am going to take the Redskins (+7) in this week’s Monday night showdown.  The Saints defense is just too much of a liability for me to take them this week.