Thus far Sammy Baugh Jersey , the success of the 2018 Washington Redskins season has been part “Redskins coming up with gutty, clutch performances” and part “stars aligning in their favor.”The end result is a 4-2 record that puts Washington two games up in the loss column over everyone else in the NFC East.What’s more, the previously formidable schedule suddenly looks rather favorable.A couple of weeks ago, observers highlighted the fact that the Redskins had no winning teams left to play.That’s changed slightly, thanks to the surging Houston Texans, but the truth remains that a whole bunch of middling teams populate the remainder of the Redskins’ slate.In fact, it’s not totally out of the question to say that the Redskins have already played most of the best teams they’ll see all year.Washington has squared off against three others teams who would make the NFC playoffs if the season ended today—and the Redskins beat two of them.Of course, a lot of that manageable-looking schedule owes to the fact that the six current NFC playoff teams are the only teams in the conference with winning records, but I digress.That brings us to this weekend’s game against the downtrodden New York Giants.Not only are the Giants struggling mightily, but they appear to have bailed on 2018.Just in the past few days, they’ve dealt cornerback Eli Apple to the Saints and former All-Pro run-stopper Damon “Snacks” Harrison to the Lions.Janoris Jenkins may be next.New York is already in full rebuilding mode, and it’s only October.Add to the mix a disgruntled Odell Beckham, Jr., and it’s clear that the Giants are reeling—and the timing of their collapse works decidedly in the Redskins’ favor.When people talk about “must-win” games, they usually mean games that, if lost, effectively (or literally) eliminate a team from contention.In this case, the Giants game is a “must-win” because it’s a 24-karat-golden opportunity.Why?So many reasons!New York may have the worst offensive line in the NFL.They have a quarterback in Eli Manning who is clearly in the last phase of a very good career.New York’s defense was ranked 25th in points allowed before it dumped Apple and Snacks, which, incidentally, sounds like it should be the name of the #2 morning radio team in Phoenix circa 1989.In short, this is a team in disarray. Admittedly, the Giants do have two elite skill players in OBJ and rookie Saquon Barkley.Both are true gamebreakers.But Washington’s pass-rush and run defense have been so good of late that it’s going to require an otherworldly effort from one or both of them for the Giants to win.Granted, there are concerns about the development of the Redskins’ passing game with Alex Smith at the controls.So far this year, he’s provided excellent ball security but only modest productivity (sort of the anti-Kirk Cousins, oddly enough).He’s missing several weapons, though, so I’m not ready to pass any final judgments.Regardless, with a huge amount of help from Adrian Peterson, Washington’s offense has been good enough to get them to this point, and there’s no reason to think they won’t have a big game against a Giants team that just voluntarily parted ways with two defensive starters.Yet, Redskins fans are understandably guarded in their optimism.They’ve seen this movie before.And, in recent seasons, it hasn’t ended well. Last week, I said that the Cowboys game represented a chance for Washington to take a real step forward: “If (and it always seems to come back to “if” for this team) Washington can prevail at home against their biggest rival in a featured, late-afternoon throwback game, we’ll know the Redskins are in this race for the long haul.”They did it.And they are.Now comes the other half of the equation.In the parity-driven NFL, the gap between good teams and bad teams isn’t all that large.This isn’t the ACC or the PAC-12, after all.Yet, by all accounts, the 1-6 Giants are a team the Redskins should beat.Even on the road.And that presents this week’s particular test for Washington: Yes, good teams often beat their rivals.And good teams also necessarily sometimes beat other good teams.But what really separates good teams from mediocre teams in the NFL is the fact that good teams almost always beat bad teams.Are the Redskins ready to be a good team?I think they are.I thought they would beat Dallas last week.I thought they would win the NFC East this year.I think they’ll make a statement with a decisive win against the Giants on Sunday.Do that, and Washington will be 5-2, and the front-running can begin in earnest. Juan Thornhill, CB/SSchool: Virginia| Conference: ACCExperience: Senior | Age: 2?Height / Weight: 6-0 / 210 lbsProjected Draft Status: Round 2-3NFL Comparison: Adrian AmosCollege StatisticsPlayer OverviewCame to Virginia rated as a three-star recruit. Thornhill started as a sophomore and Junior at corner, before moving to safety as a Senior.He led UVA with 98 tackles in 2018. Athletic Traits (Pre-Combine)You have to take these unofficials with a grain of salt, but only nine defensive backs have ran a better 3-cone time over the past five NFL Combines, and only ten DBs have jumped higher than Thornhill’s reported 40.5 inch vertical over the past five years.Given these reported workout numbers and based on his film, I would estimate Thornhill will run his 40 between 4.48 and 4.52 seconds. The Film.StrengthsAn experienced, savvy player Charley Taylor Jersey , and a smooth athlete.Able to find the ball, with 26 passes defended, including thirteen interceptions in his career. Instincts and vision serve him well in zone coverage.Anticipates and mirrors routes well in man coverage. Durable. Missed only one game the past three seasons. Frequently lined up in press-man as a junior and experience as a corner gives him the versatility at the next level.As a safety, Thornhill can play as a single-high, cover-two, quarters, etc.Has the physical traits to lineup with flexed tight ends and big-bodied possession receivers. WeaknessesInconsistent making a play on the ball in the air.Not an intimidating striker as a tackler.May not have elite make-up speed to compensate for false steps. Sometimes he bit on double moves when playing corner, and could be exposed in the NFL if he is too aggressive. Quicker slot receivers, would likely be a difficult match-up for Thornhill. Does not profile well as a box safety.What Others Are Saying Draft analyst, Fran Duffy compares Thornhillto Eddie JacksonDuffy wrote ”I’ve been a fan of Juan Thornhill for a long time, going back to his sophomore season as a corner that the coaching staff talked about potentially moving to safety. That discussion continued into his junior year until injuries forced him to stay outside. Finally, in his senior season, the 6-1, 212-pounder slid inside for good and has been a playmaker for the Cavaliers all season long. The ball-hawking safety was an impact player for the UVA defense, and the way he patrols the secondary reminds me of another former corner who made the transition to the back end midway through his college career – Chicago Bears safety and former Alabama star Eddie Jackson.I like Thornhill a lot, and view him as a player who could hear his name called in the first round next spring.”Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy came away impressed, noting his “disciplined zone integrity, good anticipation, and secure hands (an underrated trait for a defensive back).” He also notes that he’s a quality defender in the box against the run, something you don’t see a lot of from rangy safeties. “NFL teams are very enticed by Thornhill’s skill-set as a safety and would even want to see him rep as an outside cornerback in a Senior Bowl environment,” writes Nagy. “If he continues to excel in his high/low safety role and displays adequate cover skills as a cornerback, Thornhill could become a favorite of many teams come draft time.”GBN Report - In today’s NFL, where the criteria for S play has turned from head-hunter to coverage guy, it is always worth watching when you find a S, who has previously played CB. Tony Pauline - Thornhill, a player who entered the season with middle round grades and someone we spoke highly of during our UVa preview, has been impressive (as a senior). Thornhill is a nice sized defensive back with a physical nature to his game. He’s stout defending the run and offers solid ball skills. Solid pre-draft workouts could push Thornhill into the third round.How Would He Fit On The Redskins A couple of months ago, the Redskins looked set at safety, with DJ Swearinger, HaHa Clinton Dix, and Montae Nicholson.Fast forward, and Swearinger is no longer on the team, Clinton Dix is a free agent, and Nichloson has been arrested. Thornhill has experience at both safety and cornerback positions, giving him a lot of position flexibility entering the NFL. In 2018, Virginia’s Quin Blanding, despite being a former 5-star recruit and four year starter went undrafted.He was not alone, as Oklahoma’s Steven Parker, Georgia’s Dominque Sanders, and Ohio State’s Damon Webb also failed to be selected. The theme, big hitters with poor athleticism are being devalued by the NFL. If you can’t cover, the NFL has little use for you.Fortunately, Thornhill excels in coverage from a variety of techniques. He has a natural feel for spacing in zone coverage, while also effective in man coverage where his length and physicality can be smothering. In Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson, the Chicago Bears have a great safety tandem, each of whom spent part of their collegiate career at corner.While I can see the Eddie Jackson comp, he wasarguably the best safety in the league in 2018, making the Amos comp a more realistic comparison. I think Thornhill can provide a similar skill set to the Redskins’ back end.