Denver Broncos vs. Washington Redskins: Prediction, preview, pick to win

DENVER BRONCOS (5-9) AT WASHINGTON REDSKINS (6-8)

GAME SNAPSHOT

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FedExField. TV: CBS, Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta.

SERIES HISTORY: 13th regular-season meeting. Broncos lead series, 7-5. They won the last game in Denver, 45-21, on Oct. 27, 2013. The Redskins have ultimate bragging rights. They won Super Bowl XXII 42-10 in 1988.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Broncos have won two games in a row after an eight-game losing streak ruined their season and ended their playoff hopes before December.

Washington snapped a two-game losing streak last week against the Arizona Cardinals and has a shot at a .500 finish.

Denver's stats don't make much sense. The Broncos rank second in yards allowed per play, passing yards and third-down percentage, first in yards allowed and fourth in rushing yards allowed. And yet they are 20th in points allowed. The Broncos have found their footing lately with a shutout of the New York Jets on Dec. 10 (23-0) and a win over the Indianapolis Colts (25-13) last Sunday.

Washington's depleted offense will find moving the ball a challenge. Washington needs at least some semblance of the balance it had against Arizona last week with running backs Samaje Perine and Kapri Bibbs. The Redskins also need a big day from wide receiver Jamison Crowder in the slot.

Denver is woeful offensively -- 29th in yards per play and 24th in scoring. Expect the Broncos to pound the ball against a Redskins defense that is devastated by injuries at linebacker, including tackling machine Zach Brown. He did not play against Arizona and did not practice Wednesday.

C.J. Anderson rushed for 158 yards against the Colts, and other backs have had success against the Redskins in the second half of the season.

Expect the Redskins to put heavy pressure on Denver quarterback Brock Osweiler, who had a nice game against Indianapolis but has five touchdowns and four interceptions in five games.

Denver has just one giveaway in its last two games after averaging 2.6 during its eight-game losing streak. If Denver can continue running the ball effectively, it should keep the passing game in low-risk situations; Washington has allowed at least 140 rushing yards in six of its last eight games and hasn't been the same defending the run since Jonathan Allen was injured.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Broncos WRs Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Cody Latimer vs. Redskins CB Josh Norman, Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller. The Broncos want to establish the run first; but, if they try to throw, they could find the going rough against Washington, which has held three of its last four opponents to 4.0 yards or fewer per pass play and fewer than 200 net yards. Sanders, who is battling an ankle injury that has bothered him since October, could find the going particularly rough on FedEx Field's ragged playing surface.

--Redskins QB Kirk Cousins vs. Broncos' pass rushers. Cousins is one of the league's most efficient quarterbacks under pressure; and, even with Shane Ray on injured reserve after undergoing surgery to remove screws from his wrist, Denver should still be able to generate pressure on Cousins. Von Miller earned his sixth Pro Bowl selection this week. Denver's pressure helped force Indianapolis quarterback Jacoby Brissett into checkdowns and short, safe passes to his tight ends and running backs last week.

FRIDAY INJURY REPORT

DENVER BRONCOS

--Questionable: WR Cody Latimer (thigh), QB Paxton Lynch (ankle), WR Emmanuel Sanders (ankle)

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

--Out: LB Ryan Anderson (knee), LB Zach Brown (achilles, toe, hamstring), RB LeShun Daniels (hand), T Trent Williams (knee)

--Questionable: WR Jamison Crowder (hamstring), CB Kendall Fuller (foot), WR Maurice Harris (back), DE Terrell McClain (toe), T Morgan Moses (illness, ankle), RB Samaje Perine (groin)

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Redskins RB Kapri Bibbs. He is the latest player the Redskins hope can emulate injured running back Chris Thompson (broken leg). Bibbs replaced the injured Byron Marshall (hamstring) on the roster for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. He immediately produced. Bibbs, 24, caught four passes for 47 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown in his Washington debut. He does have a big-play history with a 69-yard touchdown on another screen for the Broncos.

FAST FACTS: Broncos RB C.J. Anderson had 158 rushing yards last week, his seventh career 100-yard game. He has six TDs in his past eight games vs. NFC clubs. ... WR Demaryius Thomas has four TDs in his past six games vs. the NFC. ... LB Von Miller had a sack in the last meeting. He has four sacks in his past three games vs. the NFC. He has a sack in 18 of 23 career games vs. the NFC. Since entering the league in 2011, he leads the NFL with 83.5 sacks. ... Redskins QB Kirk Cousins had two passing TDs last week. In his past eight games vs. the AFC, he has 2,285 passing yards (285.6 per game), 16 TDs and six interceptions. ... RB Samaje Perine has 196 scrimmage yards in his past two games at home. He ranks fourth among NFL rookies with 547 rushing yards. ... WR Jamison Crowder has 395 receiving yards and two TDs in his past four home games. ... TE Vernon Davis has two TDs in his past three games vs. the AFC. He spent the 2015 season with the Broncos and won Super Bowl 50. ... LB Ryan Kerrigan has six sacks in his past six games at home. ... LB Zach Brown leads NFL with 127 tackles. ... DE Anthony Lanier had two sacks in Week 15, his first career multi-sack game.

PREDICTION: These teams will not be part of the NFL's postseason but are hoping for a late-season surge to carry over into 2018. The Broncos will do just enough to make it three in a row.

OUR PICK: Broncos, 23-20.

--Ellen Port