Redskins Week: 5 matchups to watch

The Patriots are traveling to Richmond, Virginia today for a week of joint practices with the Redskins leading up to their first preseason game this Thursday. As Bill Belichick noted after Friday's practice, one of the biggest advantages to joint practices is the opportunity to evaluate your players against new competition. With that in mind, here's a look at some of the most compelling matchups to watch as these two teams clash in practice and under the lights on Thursday.

Darrelle Revis/Brandon Browner vs Desean Jackson/Pierre Garcon

Revis and Jackson will face off wearing different colors this week

The physical, shutdown play of Revis and Browner has been the story of Patriots camp so far, but it's admittedly come against the Pats question mark-filled group of receivers. They'll face a real test this week in Jackson and Garcon, who are one of the best starting duos in the league. Jackson is one of the games top deep threats, something he demonstrated last year by repeatedly burning Aqib Talib during joint practices and in the preseason while with the Eagles, and all Garcon did last year was catch 113 balls for 1,346 yards and 5 touchdowns. It will also be interesting to see how the Pats divvy up the matchups, as Jackson is the type of smaller, shiftier receiver that often gives Browner trouble. One other thing to watch is how many reps Logan Ryan and Alfonzo Dennard, the top two candidates to start during Browner's four game suspension, get against the Redskins top threats. The Patriots secondary is expected to lock-down opposing receivers week to week regardless of how good they are; Garcon and Jackson will represent a good early test.

Chandler Jones vs Trent Williams

For Jones to take the next step and become one of the league's best pass rushers, he'll need to prove that he can consistently threaten even the league's best left tackles. He'll get one such challenge in the Redskins Williams, a two-time Pro Bowler who has developed into a premier left tackle since being drafted fourth overall back in 2010. Williams' combination of size and athleticism is tough to beat, and Jones will have to bring his "A" game to win this individual battle.

Nate Solder vs Brian Orakpo

Solder has developed into one of the games better left tackles himself, and turned in a very good 2013 season. However, he still has occasional lapses against the league's best pass rushers (Von Miller in particular gave him fits last year), which need to be cut down on if the Patriots offense is to reach it's potential. More than just a Geico salesman, Orakpo is an excellent all-around defender who can defeat opposing tackles with speed or power. He's exactly the type of pass rushing threat Solder will be counted on to shutdown in 2014.

Jamie Collins/James Anderson vs Jordan Reed

Reed is an athletic receiving threat

With Rob Gronkowski still not participating in full speed, 11-on-11 work, the Patriots top two coverage linebackers have yet to really be tested by tight ends in camp. That will change this week with Reed, an athletic receiving threat who flashed star potential before a concussion cut his promising rookie season short. The Redskins have been talking Reed up as being a key cog in their offense this year, so he will certainly get his fair share of targets in practice. Reed is the type of athletic tight end that used to give the Patriots fits; it will be interesting to see how the addition of Anderson and emergence of Collins impacts their ability to matchup with receiving threats at the position.

Patriots defense vs Robert Griffin III

Ok, this isn't an individual matchup, but an important one nonetheless. After two weeks of practicing against Tom Brady, the poster child for classic pocket passers, the defense will get a dramatically different look from the dynamic RG3. It will be interesting to see how a defense that prides itself on aggression balances that out with keeping contain responsibility, as one misstep against a player with RG3's speed can quickly turn into a touchdown. Staying sharp against athletic quarterbacks is more important than ever for the Patriots, as all three of their division rivals start young quarterbacks with the ability to hurt defenses with their feet. In RG3 and Cam Newton, the Patriots will get two good tests this preseason against hyper-athletic QBs.

Proper tackling technique vs Brandon Meriweather

I couldn't resist. Keep your head on a swivel, Pats receivers.