PLAYER NOTES
–OLB Ryan Kerrigan (82.5) passed Charles Mann (82.0) for No. 2 on the all-time franchise list in career sacks. He is nine sacks shy of passing Dexter Manley on the Redskins all-time list.
–TE Jordan Reed (ankle/foot) missed the Jacksonville game and was not at practice on Wednesday. His status for Sunday’s game against Tennessee is in doubt.
–RG/C Tony Bergstrom (knee/ankle) did not play last Sunday against the Jaguars, but he was upgraded to limited at practice Wednesday.
–T/G Ty Nsekhe (knee) played through pain Sunday at Jacksonville as the tackle helps at left guard. He did not participate in practice on Wednesday.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: CB Fabian Moreau will likely play on the outside again as the Redskins desperately try to find healthy bodies at cornerback opposite Josh Norman. Moreau began the year as the nickel cornerback, but they have lost Quinton Dunbar, Danny Johnson and Josh Holsey to injured reserve. Rookies Greg Stroman and Adonis Alexander will have to play. Washington head coach Jay Gruden hopes Moreau holds up outside. The 2017 third-round pick from UCLA had his first career interception against Jacksonville last week.
GAME PLAN: The Titans are in the same spot as the Redskins in eighth place in their conference. At 8-6, Tennessee has a chance to stay in the AFC wild-card race with a victory. Washington was great against the run early in the season with defensive ends Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Matt Ioannidis dominating. That group faded some down the stretch, but rebounded with a great effort last week in a win over Jacksonville. Can they do the same against the Titans and running back Derrick Henry? He has 11 touchdowns.
It’s not a bad matchup given Tennessee’s struggling passing game. Quarterback Marcus Mariota has 11 touchdowns to eight interceptions and might not even reach 3,000 passing yards. He is mobile and that has given the Redskins fits this season, but he’s also been sacked 40 times. That’s a huge number and Washington’s pass rush, led by Pro Bowler Ryan Kerrigan, can take advantage.
We’ll see if the Titans can do a better job against quarterback Josh Johnson than Jacksonville did. The Jaguars didn’t employ a spy and Johnson made them pay with his legs just as he did in the second half of a blowout loss to the Giants the week before.
Washington has to hold up on the interior of the offensive line. Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey has a team-high seven sacks for Tennessee and 15.5 tackles for loss with two forced fumbles. Given that the Redskins are on their third pair of guards thanks to injuries, it’s imperative they hold up in the middle.
Tennessee safeties Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccaro will pose a problem for Washington tight end Vernon Davis. Byard has three interceptions.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Titans WR Corey Davis vs. Redskins CB Josh Norman. Davis is the one receiver the Titans can count on. He has 57 catches. No other receiver or tight end has more than 32. Davis is more of a possession receiver. Norman has broken up nine passes and has three interceptions and three forced fumbles. He is the steady heart of Washington’s young cornerback group.
–Redskins WR Josh Doctson vs. Titans CB Malcolm Butler. On a team desperate for big plays, Doctson can provide that with great leaping ability and solid hands. He hasn’t shown it enough after meager improvements in his third season. Doctson is a reception away from his first 40-catch season, but he was blanked against the Jaguars last week. Butler, the cagey veteran, has two interceptions.
