ASHBURN, Va. - It's officially game week for the Washington Football Team, as they prepare to face the New England Patriots on Thursday.
This week gives Washington its first chance to see how players respond in a game setting, something the team lacked last year after the preseason was canceled due to the pandemic.
"It's a great opportunity," Washington head coach Ron Rivera said. "It's against a very good football team. Well coached. So, I'm excited about that potential. I think that having the three games and then having a two week prep period for the first game, it's going to behoove us to play the guys a little bit more, at least that's my opinion."
While preseason games often feature many backups who the team is looking to learn more about, Rivera says we can expect to see a lot of playing time from starters and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
"We will play him enough and that's probably the biggest thing, but what you're looking for is the command, the command of the offense, command of what's going on in the field and I think the respect of his teammates when he's on the field," Rivera said about Fitzpatrick. "We want some success obviously, but the truth of the matter is, those things all come with time.
"This will be our first exposure, his first exposure as our first quarterback out there right now."
The team will take the field for day eleven of 2021 training camp with a 9 a.m. practice.
News 3 is Hampton Roads' home of the Washington Football Team and you can click here for more coverage from training camp.
