Expert's Take: Redskins at Falcons

During the Falcons season, experts from the national media will check in with their thoughts on the team, the NFL and upcoming Falcons opponents. Introducing "Expert's Take." This week's Q&A features Jim Trotter of Sports Illustrated.

AF.COM: What statistic or key trend has stood out to you through the first eight weeks of the season?
JT: The thing that stands out to me is how much teams are struggling to throw the football. The rules are tilted significantly toward helping teams' passing games, so you would figure that offenses would be able to throw for 200 yards with little problem. Not so. Buffalo has gone six consecutive games without throwing for more than 160 yards; Tampa has failed to surpass 152 yards in four of its last five; and Washington went three in a row without surpassing 152 yards. More ineptitude: Kansas City has failed to reach 200 yards passing in six of its seven games; the Jets in six of their eight; and San Francisco and Miami in five of their seven, respectively.

AF.COM: The Falcons have dropped two games in a row for the first time under Head Coach Mike Smith.  What do they need to do to get back on track this Sunday at home against the Washington Redskins?
JT: The key to beating the Redskins is scoring 18 points. Actually, it's not that simple. Still, Washington has yet to score more than 17 points this season. It has had major problems on offense, where head coach Jim Zorn has been stripped of play calling responsibilities, and quarterback Jason Campbell is struggling because of poor protection and a lack of playmakers. The Redskins' offensive problems are most glaring near the goal line, where they rank 30th in goal-to-go touchdown efficiency.

AF.COM: Which five running backs are playing the best football in the NFL right now and why?
JT: The running backs who stand out to me, to this point, are Baltimore's Ray Rice, St. Louis' Steven Jackson, Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, Tennessee's Chris Johnson and Cincinnati's Cedric Benson, either because they are coming on strong or because they have been consistent all year. Rice might be the league's most underrated back. He's effective as a receiver as well as a runner and tends to get stronger as the game progresses. Johnson leads the league in rushing and already has four runs of 50 or more yards this year. Jackson is second in rushing, but more important is that he continues to play hard on a bad team. He is the anti-Larry Johnson. Benson is fourth in rushing and is one of the keys to the Bengals' resurgence.

AF.COM: Give us your take on Atlanta's prospects for the rest of the season considering their schedule?
JT: The Falcons' schedule sets up well for them to make a run at a Wild Card berth. Five of their final nine opponents currently have losing records, and their two toughest games (on paper) will be in the Georgia Dome against Philadelphia and New Orleans. Another positive for the Falcons is that their running game re-emerged in Monday night's loss to the Saints. If Michael Turner can continue to run well and the defense shores up its pass coverage, there's no reason to believe Atlanta won't return to the playoffs for a second straight year.

AF.COM: Standings in the NFL change dramatically in November and December.  What will be the most competitive and interesting division races in the NFL coming down the stretch?
JT: The most interesting race will take place in the NFC East, where the Eagles, Cowboys and Giants are all within a game of each other in the loss column. The Eagles appear to have the toughest stretch: Seven of their final nine are against teams with winning records, including road contests at San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and the Giants. The Giants' final eight games include six opponents with winning records, but four of those are at home: San Diego, Atlanta, Dallas and Philadelphia. Also, if Minnesota has locked up the NFC North before the season finale against the Giants, it's possible the Vikings will sit some or most of their starters.  Other interesting races to watch are in the AFC North and AFC West. In the North, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Baltimore are all within a game of each other in the loss column; in the West, the Broncos have a two-game lead over the Chargers (and won their first head-to-head meeting in San Diego). But Denver, which blew a three-game lead with three to play last year, has a brutal schedule. Included among its final nine opponents are Pittsburgh, San Diego, the Giants, Indianapolis and Philadelphia.