ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Washington Redskins second-year safety Bacarri Rambo is expected to start Sunday while Brandon Meriweather serves the first game of a two-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit.

Rambo went through a roller-coaster experience as a rookie. The sixth-round draft pick from Georgia was the surprise of training camp a year ago when his ball-hawk skills won him a Week 1 starting job, but his inability to tackle soon landed him on the bench.

Rambo says the adversity made him a better player. He now says he’s “night and day” different from last year.

Says Rambo: “It’s like I’m not as worried or frustrated or stressed or thinking a lot. It’s like I’m more confident in myself.”

The Redskins open their regular season Sunday at Houston.

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