Redskins vs. Falcons: The Most Important Dan Snyder Era Season Begins

Last night's preseason game against the Falcons kicked off what will be the most significant season The Redskins franchise has faced since Dan Snyder became owner.  Never before have The Redskins had an incumbent quarterback come off such a successful season without a major injury or quarterback controversy in the Dan Snyder Era.  Never before has Dan Snyder invested so much money into the quarterback position.  Never before in the Snyder era have the Redskins surrounded their quarterback with as much talent at the WR and TE position.  Finally, never in the last 15 years have we amassed as much talent on both sides of the ball to give the fan base a reasonable sense that this team could do something it has also not done since Dan Snyder took over: Have back to back winning seasons.  The quest for consecutive winning seasons means more when you figure that the Redskins have put together a team that will metaphorically, and literally, stare down the fate of this franchise over the course of the 2016 season.

The Redskins and Kirk Cousins will have their fate for the next four to five seasons hanging in the balance every week. If Gruden and Cousins can repeat the magic of last season, both may be able to continue that magic for the long term here in Washington.  If not, it could be back to the drawing board at quarterback as we have seen Scot McCloughan be stingy about a long term contract for Cousins so far.  The Redskins will literally stare down their fate as Robert Griffin will more than likely be starting for the Browns when they come to FedEx Field on October 2nd.  If that is the case then all that has been built over the last 18 months will come down to that one game.  The Redskins win and Gruden and McCloughan made the right decision going with Cousins over Griffin.  The Redskins lose and they will suffer a symbolic setback that they may not be able to recover from.  Suffice to say that this season will determine whether the Redskins can become a perennial winning team or continue their five year cycle of one amazing "no one saw that coming" playoff season followed by four years of 4-12 turmoil.  It all began with the preseason opener against the Falcons, and here are the high a low points:

If the faith that Jay Gruden has in Kirk Cousins's abilities was not apparent, it is after last night's performance.  Cousins went 5 for 5 on one drive and called it a night.  Cousins did what he was the best in the NFL at last season, which was completion percentage, and his limited playing time should give fans solace that Gruden knows that Cousins can make plays.  Kudos also go out to Ryan Grant, who made the most of his targets from Cousins and showed that he may yet have life on this crowded receiver corps, and to Rashad Ross who may be moving himself into the returner role with an impressive opening kickoff return.  Robert Kelley and Mack Brown looked like they could fight or an RB spot on the team, although they may need to showcase their talents against tougher competition.  Team awards go to the first team defense and the punt coverage team.   I think Madden 2017 may need to consider giving Tress Way that 99 rating they so graciously gave Matt Turk because the punt coverage team did an amazing job all night of covering punts, especially the first one that they downed inside the one. Following that punt, the first team defense was able to hold the Falcons from moving the ball and looked every bit of the defense we saw from last season.  Martrell Spaight made some great plays that showed he wants to make an impact after his injury from last season, Su'a Cravens showed flashes of brilliance in run support, and Trent Murphy made a case that he may not be done yet at outside linebacker.  Negatives were abound, however, and the biggest ones have to do with the running game.

Matt Jones was the darling of last year's preseason, but he did not show much in this first game.  It could be that the Redskins do not want to over work him due to last year's injuries, but all the other running backs were able to make some big plays that were lacking in Jones's performance.  If this continues do not be surprised if Chris Thompson gets the starting nod at least some point this preseason.  The running game was also a problem on the defensive side of the ball.  The defense was able to shut down the outside running lanes but they were gashed on runs between the tackles.  These runs up the middle were the backbone of the Falcons's first scoring drive, and it could become a glaring weakness considering the Redskins did not really address the DT position after the departure of Terrance Knighton.  The backup secondary looked shaky as well.  Quinton Dunbar had a long night covering former Redskin go route specialist Aldrick Robinson, and he received no help from Will Blackmon at safety.  Finally, while the punt team did it's job, the kickoff team figured that Dustin Hopkins must run a 4.3 and left it up to him to cover the kick coming out of halftime.  They found out otherwise and need to sure that up for next week.

Onward to the Jets for next week, where we should get more from the first teamers and a better idea of who should be starting at running back this season.

Remove the Tags and Buy Kirk Cousins

The Kirk Cousins Free Agency Saga has come to a head over the past week.  There is no future scenario too far fetched to be plausible for the Redskins's upstart quarterback who finds himself atop the free agency mountain this season with a host of suitors waiting to see what the Redskins decide to do with him between now and March 1.  The public conjecture about which tag the Redskins will put on Cousins obfuscates the the ultimate decision facing Scot McCloughan as open free agency approaches.  Cousins needs a contract if he is to suit up for the Burgundy and Gold in 2016 or leave for greener pastures. No Transition Tag.  No Franchise Tag.  For Scot McCloughan it is either keep Cousins or don't keep Cousins.  The Transition Tag makes no sense and the Franchise Tag could place the Redskins in a position that would go against the public perception of what McCloughan is trying to build within the locker room.

If McCloughan has any acumen as an NFL GM he has to see that placing the Transition Tag on Kirk Cousins is worthless, reckless, and bad for negotiations.  Placing the transition tag on Cousins merely gives the Redskins the right to match any offer that is given to him by another team in free agency.  If Cousins decides to leave the Redskins get nothing in return.  This renders the Transition Tag worthless to the Redskins's negotiating position because all it would do is reaffirm a limit for Cousins that the Redskins should already have in mind.  It is reckless because, by all accounts, the Transition Tag will carry a minimum one year contract worth roughly $17 million if Cousins stays with the Redskins and cannot get a long term deal.  Some say that this will give the Redskins an idea of what Cousins's actual market value is, but the Redskins should already know what the market value is.  Cousins is the hottest free agent on the market, and McCloughan must know that the Rams, 49ers, and Browns all have over $40 million in cap space and crappy quarterback situations.  Of course these teams would like to get Cousins for less than $17 million per year, but by placing the Transition Tag on Cousins the Redskins will artificially set the market value at a price that they have publicly hinted that they may not want to exceed.  What is another $2-3 million per year to teams that are desperate for a quarterback and have a lot of cap space to burn?  Placing the Transiton Tag on Cousins would be daring teams that drafted Johnny Manziel in the first round, signed Blaine Gabbert as a back up, and gave Nick Foles the keys to the franchise to outbid you for the rights to a proven passer.  I don't think these three teams will be modest with their offers to Kirk Cousins, and if he gets the Transition Tag he is all but gone without any compensation for the Redskins. The Franchise Tag carries compensation if Cousins leaves, but it may leave the Redskins in a purgatory come September if no deal is reached.

Franchising Cousins makes sense on the surface.  It would put a steep price on Cousins that no team is dumb enough to give up, and if they are I will be the first one to say bon voyage to Cousins as he exits Redskins Park.  But let's assume that no team is willing to match the $20 million price tag and give up two first round draft picks to sign him.  Advantage Redskins.  The Franchise tag also gives the Redskins until July 15 to get a long term deal done.  Another plus in the Redskins's favor, but if no deal gets done by July 15, however, it may undo all that the Redskins built last season.  With all the talk about what Cousins's contract will be now, just imagine what the atmosphere will be like throughout next season when after every game Jay Gruden will field questions about how Kirk's performance impacts his future contract.  Kirk can say he will be about playing games if he is Franchised, but that is like dating a porn star and saying that you don't really think about sex all that much.  Everyone will perceive that it is in the back of your mind and constantly ask you about your situation.  Also, how does it look for the Redskins if they have intimated all off season that they do not want to break the bank for Cousins and turn around and pay him $20 million.  And what will happen next season when Cousins has no contract again and they also need to resign Garcon, DeSean Jackson, and Jordan Reed?  The Redskins would not exactly be able to skimp on the contracts of Reed and Cousins at that point, especially if they have comparable seasons to 2015.  There is the possibility of Franchising Cousins and then trading him, but that move would highlight the underlying dangers of not signing Cousins to a contract.

If Cousins is Franchised and traded, or Transition Tagged and allowed to walk, or God forbid allowed to walk outright, the perception will be that the Redskins do not want to pay up.  What message does that send to other quarterbacks around the league?  That they need to at least make the NFC Championship Game by the end of their contract to get paid, and even then the mantra may be that McCloughan will not over pay one position?  That could deter free agents from wanting to sign here, and it may make Washington less attractive for rookies in the future.  And what about the players who have come out in support of Cousins getting paid?  It may not be in Garcon and Baker's best interest to advocate for a big contract for Cousins considering their contracts will be up next year, but they did it anyways.  These guys are leaders on the team who expressed their loyalty to Cousins, and if McCloughan's ideal is to foster a unified locker room with a sense of continuity within the roster he would do well to listen to his players and pay the guy they have pegged as their leader.  

For McCloughan, this could all be formality.  He should already have a decision in his mind because he knows that he has no bargaining position in this matter.  Cousins and his camp hold all the cards, and they probably will not budge from a highly guaranteed 4-5 year contract because they know he can get that elsewhere.  So for McCloughan it is simple.  Remove the tags from your mind and buy on Kirk Cousins.   

Redskins vs. Giants Part Deux: The World is Changing

No. The Redskins are not the powers of Isengard and Mordor combined.  But after reading this article about Tony Romo's future and watching the total implosion of the Eagles on national television, this statement from Saruman seemed appropriate for the current state of affairs in the NFC East.  The Cowboys season is all but lost, and they now need to start seriously considering a plan for their quarterback position post Tony Romo.  The Eagles' public disembowelment on Thanksgiving showed that they also have little hope for the future with their current quarterbacks, and they may not have much confidence in anything Chip Kelley does for them outside of ordering lunch.  And even that may get dicey at times.  Which brings us to Sunday's rematch of the other two teams in the division. 

The Giants lead the division, but their last two losses came on the last play of the game where they allowed the Saints and Patriots to drive down the field in the waning moments of the fourth quarter.  The Giants may be losing that moxie that saved them so many times in close situations, and Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning are not getting any younger.  But the Redskins have at least some confidence in their quarterback for this season and possibly for the future. If you believe the reports that came out this week, The Redskins have enough confidence in Gruden that he will return next year.  All of this makes this game on Sunday more than just a battle for first place this year.  It could give the Redskins organization the shot of confidence they need to fill the looming vacuum that is being created by the hubris, incompetence, and aging of the other teams in the NFC East.  If the Redskins would like to change their fortunes this weekend here is what they need to do.

If you can't get up for a game like this.......: All poetic gravitas aside, the Redskins are playing for a tie for first place in the NFC East.  That should be enough motivation for the Redskins to come out firing on all cylinders, but if they need more motivation they should look at the records of the remaining opponents for all the NFC East teams:

Giants remaining opponents:      34-27
Eagles remaining opponents:      32-18
Cowboys remaining opponents: 21-20 (play redskins twice)
Redskins remaining opponents: 22-31 (play cowboys twice)

The Redskins have the easiest schedule on paper for the remainder of the season, but remember that the Redskins also have three more road games to play.  A win would put them in the drivers seat, but a loss would almost force them to win out in order to try and make the playoffs. 

Leave the Run; Take the Pass: It would behoove the Redskins to focus on beating the Giants defense with the pass first. The Giants have given up the most total completions, total passing yards, and yards per game so far this season.  They are also tied with the Falcons for fewest number of sacks this season with 12.  This plays into the Redskins passing style that relies on high completion percentage (Cousins is third in the league) and not taking sacks because of getting the ball out quickly.  Look for a lot of Jordan Reed to exploit the middle of the field, and quick hitters to Desean Jackson and Pierre Garcon to alleviate pressure.  Also, look for Crowder to get some looks with wide receiver screens to make the Giants spread out.  If the Redskins can get the passing game going it may open up the running lanes enough to have some success.  This is all predicated on the Redskins doing one thing.

Clock Control: The Redskins need to control the clock.  The Giants' offensive strength is efficiency.  The Giants score on 42.7% of their drives which is good for third in the league behind New England and Arizona, and only 0.7% ahead of Carolina who showed what can happen to the Redskins if they allow a team to score on every possession.  The Giants are also only turning the ball over on 9.1% of their drives compared to the Redskins who turn the ball over on 17.6% of their drives.  What's worse is that the Giants defense forces a turnover on 19.3% of their drives which is second best in the league behind Carolina. What all of this means is that the Giants score a lot, they don't turn the ball over very much, and if you are holding onto the ball too long they are taking it back so they can score again.  The Redskins need to be able to keep pace with the Giants by matching their efficiency through clock control and limiting turnovers.  Short passes will be the name of the game on Sunday, and taking advantage of favorable running situations in order to keep the ball away from the Giants' offense.

A Test of Character:  Finally, forgetting all the stats, this game will be about whether or not this team has really had a character change.  The talk this week has been about how good the Redskins have been at home this season and how well they have bounced back from losses, but certain individuals must answer the call to prove these notions are not just talking points for TV analysts.  Kirk Cousins needs to prove that he can win a game with legitimate playoff implications when all eyes are on him.  The defense needs to prove that it can come up with big stops against a team that terrorized them earlier this season, and who will look to exploit their deficiencies in the run game.  Finally, the coaching staff needs to prove that they can come up with a solid game plan in a meaningful game.  Just like Cousins, this will be Jay Gruden's first game as a head coach where there are legitimate playoff implications. How this team responds to the opening call, and how they adjust to the flow of the game will show how good of a head coach Jay Gruden really is. 

I have a bad feeling about this game.  The Giants' offense has been clicking the past three weeks, while the Redskins' defense continues to fall into despair.  No Chris Culliver means that Odell Beckham should be going all Keyshawn on Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin.  But I will go with the title of this article and say the world is changing.  Cousins has a solid, but not flashy, game and the defense is able to come up with one big play that keeps us in the game.  It will be close either way, but I'll believe the Redskins can do it.

Redskins win 24-20

Keep KC in DC

One way to become popular is to leech off the popularity of others.  So I thought I would rebrand a pipe dream of a slogan into something that could actually happen.  Keep KC in DC.  The Redskins need to start talking with Kirk Cousins about a contract extension based on his performance over the last three games, his evolution as a passer and leader over the course of this season, and the fact that the future alternatives for the Redskins are ambiguous at best.  Here is a list of reasons why the Redskins need to Keep KC in DC.

Who Would We Replace Him With?
Here is the list of winners who will be free agents with Cousins this offseason. The problem for the Redskins is Cousins has played well enough to out pace all of these guys on that list. If the Redskins let Cousins test the open market he will be the best free agent out there, and you have to assume that teams like the Texans, Jets, Bills, Browns, Broncos, Eagles, and maybe the Rams will put in competitive offers for Cousins's services.  With so many teams in need of a quarterback, and Cousins being 27 and at the top of the free agent list, it is not unlikely that he decides to go where the money is good because this may be his only shot at a big payday. 

Another alternative is the draft, but that road is fraught with even more uncertainty.  The top quarterbacks in the Draft this year are Christian Hackenberg who sucks (I don't care how good he was his freshman year and the "James Franklin's offense ruined his development" argument.  If we let Cousins go for this guy I will be livid), Cardale Jones (read the passage beginning "Said one AFC GM" below the picture of Jones and read the quote from Phil Savage below the picture of Jamarcus Russell), and Connor Cook who may be better but it may also take him time to acclimate to the offense.  The other caveat to these quarterbacks is Cousins may play so well that the Redskins are out of position to draft these guys even if they wanted to.  This list of alternative quarterbacks to Cousins should have Scot McCloughan holding a reverse telethon where he has all the people in the background calling Cousins's agent nonstop.  There are no clear alternatives that are better than Cousins at the moment, and Cousins will be the most sought after free agent quarterback in the offseason.  And for good reason because he has shown improvement over this season.

Cousins's Game Has Evolved Over the Course of the Season
Cousins's stats for the first 6 games of the season (record 2-4):
66.2% completion    1420 yards (237 y/g)    6 TD     8 INT

Cousins's stats the last 3 games:
71.4% completion    858 yards (286 y/g)     8 TD      1 INT

Small sample size for the last three, but suffice to say that Cousins has improved immensely over the last three games.  We will know more when Cousins has to go into Carolina and then come back to DC to face the Giants over Thanksgiving weekend, but there has been improvement over this season to warrant keeping Cousins here. 

Cousins Is the Leader
This is more of an arbitrary qualitative measure but look at what Cousins has done this season.  He has led two dramatic game winning drives, one game tying drive with 50 seconds left, he coined one super charged catch phrase, he would have kept pace with the Patriots if not for a parade of ineptitude, and he hung 47 points on a Saints team that pumped up the defense so much that it led to this exchange at the end of the game.  Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and in this case Chris Baker's action said more than his words.  It shows that the defense is on board with Cousins.  Winning helps that notion take hold, but over the last three games you have seen a concerted effort from the defense to give Kirk every chance to move the ball because he has proven that he has the ability to win games.  Cousins also boasts the fourth highest completion percentage in the league which keep his receivers happy and the offense on the field.  And when he is out there, especially the last three games, you just get this sense that he has command over this offense.  He has cut down on the turnovers, he rarely takes sacks (only Andy Dalton, Derek Carr, and Ryan Fitzpatrick have played 9 or more games and been sacked less than Cousins), his accuracy has gone through the roof when teams know that his game is short to intermediate, and he has developed a passing report with numerous receivers. You just get the sense that something good is going to happen on every offensive possession, and that is not something we have felt in a while.

At this moment the price tag should be about a three to four year contract worth about 5-7 million per year.  If Cousins's agent is smart he will start a bidding war with the team, using his free agent status as leverage, and the contract may get extended longer and for more money.  My guess is that if the Redskins keep winning you could see a four to five year contract worth 10 million plus.  Well worth it for a fourth round pariah who was seen as a coach's hubris pick.  Now, Kirk Cousins is poised to lead the Redskins on a Divisional Championship run that could make him the hottest free agent this summer if the Redskins do not play their cards right.  Let's do the right thing and Keep KC in DC.

Redskins vs. Buccanneers: "You Like That?"

The three words that will be heard around the DC area, and define the current state of the Redskins season, for at least the next 36-48 hours.  Kirk Cousins's showing of emotion after the biggest comeback win in Redskins history was as appropriate as it was a little corny with his voice cracking the second time he said it.  But his charged up rhetoric put an exclamation point on the statement that the Redskins and Cousins made on the field against the Buccaneers on Sunday.  This team has what it takes.  This team has the ability to win the game by imposing their will rather than relying on timely turnovers by the other team.  This team has the guts to go for a 4th and 2 at midfield with two minutes left before halftime, and call an onside kick in the middle of the third quarter knowing that if they don't get it they give the ball and momentum back to the other team.  They have the fortitude to not give up at the five yard line after a 49 yard run that put the Bucs in almost guaranteed touchdown territory.  Finally, and most importantly, this team has a quarterback that has developed the mental fortitude to win in high pressure situations. 

This mental fortitude was the most important thing that he needed to work on this offseason, and while the Jets game showed that Cousins can still throw a good old fashioned Kirk Cousins interception party, he has also shown the ability to perform in high pressure situations.  He has won two games this season in the last minute, where he led long 2 minute drives that ended with him throwing the winning touchdown.  He got the Atlanta game to overtime with only 50 seconds left in regulation, and he had the offense humming in OT until he threw the game ending pick six.  Cousins has proven that he can be a competent NFL quarterback over the first seven games of this season, and that he is making strides in improving his play.  The real test will be coming up after the bye week when he must continue his improvement at New England, home against the Saints, and at Carolina.  What he has done now with this win, however, is given the Redskins a new chance at the season.

Hopefully the Redskins will be going into Foxboro two weeks from now with a healthy Desean Jackson and a game plan that reflects the threat that he poses.  That would not mean much if the Redskins were blown out by the Buccaneers, but this comeback win should galvanize the Redskins resolve.  The NFC East is wide open, and this win keeps them in the mix for a possible playoff spot given one of their biggest offensive weapons has been absent all season.  Redskins fans must also accept the fact, however, that there is a good chance that 5 weeks from now we could be 3-8 and going over all the talking points that were hashed out this past week after the loss to the Jets.  Then again, there is a chance we could be 7-4.  Whatever the outcome over the next month may be, what Cousins and the Redskins have done this week is show that they are ready for whatever comes at them, and they have turned a tepid plea for evaluation into an irreverent rhetorical question.  "You Like That?".

Redskins vs. Ravens: Cousins Makes The Redskins A Team

No more daily injury status updates.  No more endless analysis of self-aggrandizing tweets.  No more attention seeking press conferences and sound bytes.  No more personalized catch phrases with a clothing line attached to them.  No more Robert Griffin in Washington .  Jay Gruden's comments on Sunday may turn out to be the final blow to Griffin's fall from grace in DC despite Gruden giving Griffin the dreaded vote of confidence.  All logical sense points to the Redskins parting ways with Griffin at some point this season, and more than likely before they take the field against the Dolphins in Week 1.  Whatever the Redskins decide to do with Robert Griffin, it is clear that the ascension of Kirk Cousins as the starting quarterback has shifted the narrative from the Redskins fate hinging on the health of one person, to their fate being in the hands of 53 people working together.

The biggest difference between Griffin and Cousins that has been noted this offseason is the fact that the offense seems to operate at a higher level when Cousins is under center.  The Baltimore game clearly showed that Cousins has a better command of the offense, but his new found role as the Redskins starter has done more than just bring the team together on the field.  By naming Cousins the starter, Gruden has released the rest of the team from the media fetters that RG3 has placed on them over the past three years.  Ever since Griffin was drafted all you heard about what RG3, and the players could not get away from having to answer questions about Robert's health or performance.  That was fine in his first year when he was tearing up the field; "Winning is the deodorant that covers all the stink" as Charles Barkley would say.  But once the winning went away it became more of a burden for the team to constantly have to hear about what Robert just said, or tweeted, or what they think of his injury status.  It became more about RG3 the persona than about his performance on the field, and it has come to a head this preseason because this team feels that they have amassed quite a collection of talent that should be fielding questions about their own performance rather than RG3's lack thereof.  With RG3 riding the bench, people should start to notice what the Ravens game highlighted; The Redskins maybe deeper an more talented that you think.

Ryan Grant showed that he has the prowess to keep pace with starting level talent, and he showed that the Redskins can trot out four legit WR's, plus have guys like Jamison Crowder and Rashad Ross to back them up.  The OLB's continued to impress with Preston Smith flashing his closing speed and evolving pass rush and Jackson Jeffcoat showing his ball hawking and plain old fashioned hustle skills.  Matt Jones continued his reign of terror over the Ravens' front seven as they tried to bring him down once he got downhill, and Chris Thompson and Tre Williams proved that they can be a sneaky change of pace to Jones and Morris when called upon.  Even Jordan Reed's athleticism showed up and made some people bring back the notion that he could be the next big TE in the NFL.  And don't look now, but Stephen Paea may prove to be the most valuable offseason signing.  He has shown he can get behind the line, which has freed up Jason Hatcher to some degree and made him more productive.  Finally, David Amerson has shown that offenses are rolling the dice if they throw a comeback pattern on him.  He has good closing speed when defending those routes.  Now if we can only get him to take better tackling angles. 

Sure, there were things that left something to be desired in the Ravens game, such as the fact that the offensive line had trouble opening holes for Alfred Morris, whatever Dashon Goldson calls physical safety play may need some self reflecting on his part, the Redskins failed to convert two fourth and one plays, and the Special Teams.  Oh the Special Teams.  Justin Rogers may have secured a spot on the team with his tremendous tackle to save a kick return touchdown.  The problem was that it came 103 yards after the Ravens returner caught the kickoff, and the Redskins MVP last year (Tress Way) continues to be average at best.  I can see us losing at least one game this year because of special teams play if it doesn't improve.

What the Ravens game really showed us, though,
 is that the Redskins have a lot of talent on this team that should not go to waste trying to figure out whether RG3 can compete at a high level again.  Gruden heeded that call by naming Cousins the starter, and in doing so he may have inadvertently shown a commitment to the rest of the team.  A team that has one of the best receiver tandems in the league with Garcon and Jackson.  A team that has four running backs that could wreak havoc on opposing defenses in various ways.  A team whose front seven is looking more physical and talented than it ever has before, doing it all with a limited contribution from Ryan Kerrigan so far this preseason.  A team with a group of corner backs that, at the very least, proved they will be physical and in your face, and a group of about 40-50 other players who have bought in to that mantra of physicality and intensity.  This may be the best collection of talent at the offensive skill positions that the Redskins have had in a long time, and the defense will at least be better than it has been.  The one position that needs to bring it all together is the one that everyone else no longer has to answer for because of Jay Gruden's decision to not let that be a distraction. Cousins brings a higher level of performance to the offense, and more importantly, he makes the Redskins more of a team both on and off the field.

Redskins vs. Lions: The Redskins Need to Let Go of RG3

RG3 is dead.  Last night cemented that fact.  The persona that Robert Griffin adopted at the onset of his professional career went down for the final count last night in numerous bone and soul crushing blows.  The concussion RG3 suffered against the Lions showed that The Redskins, and Robert Griffin, would do well to let go of RG3.  The RG3 that continues to make comments that suggest that he is either having delusions of grandeur, or that he loves playing coy with the media.  The RG3 that has not evolved as a quarterback in over three years and is holding The Redskins, and Robert Griffin, hostage.  RG3 is keeping Robert Griffin in this perpetual state of media sound bytes and manufactured hype that has stunted his growth as a player by believing that RG3 can comeback.  The Redskins have allowed RG3 to spiral out of control both on the field and in the media to a point that has become detrimental to the growth of the team as a whole.  Robert Griffin needs to lose the sophomoric moniker/personality that has relegated him to the Sméagol role in this schizophrenic relationship.  The Redskins need to let go of RG3 in both a literal and figurative sense in order to not squander the collection of talent they have amassed during this offseason because the Lions game showed that The Redskins' level, and depth, of talent are growing by the week.  Kudos from the Lions game go out to:

Matt Jones.  I think Winston Wolf put it best.  Redskins fans need to not get too excited and realize that Alfred Morris is still the starting running back, and most of Jones's yards came against the Lions' second defense.  But Jones's skill set looked damn good, and the Marshawn Lynch comparisons are looking not as crazy now as when Redskins Nation let out a collective "Who?" when Jones was drafted in the third round.  And how about the Redskins' Secondary?  After last week having a so-so game they had a less crappy game this week with the physicality they showed in run support and pass coverage.  David Amerson looked especially good in his closing speed in defending comeback routes and almost had an interception on the first plays of the game.  He just needs to learn to wrap up in tackling.  Kevin Hatcher had a two rushes on Matt Stafford that showed he may not have lost all the mojo from two seasons ago, Andre Roberts' punt return gave a much needed spark to the special teams, and let's hope Ricky Jean Francois gets a chance to do more of this throughout the season.

The negatives need to start with the starting offensive line.  We saw Brandon Scherff get stood up and pushed back about three yards off the line again in this game (The first clip is Scherff, the second is the delayed blitz play).  Last time Alfred Morris was able to compensate and gain 19 yards, but this time it was in pass protection and it resulted in Scherff's man getting a sack.  Willie Smith forced Dan Snyder to buy a plastic bubble for Trent Williams to walk around in all season to ensure he does not get injured, and the assault the Robert Griffin faced all night had to do in part to the poor play of the guys up front.  And if any team wants to stop the Redskins on any pass play over 2 yards, call a delayed blitz.  The Browns killed the first team last week with blitzes coming once the Redskins players committed to blocking assignments, and the Lions were able to have delayed rushers come in untouched to crush Griffin and McCoy on two occasions using this tactic.  Let's see if we can fix that for the upcoming season.  Finally, the secondary gets a thumbs down in the "defending the pick route" category.  The Browns scored on us last week using that play at the goal line, and the Lions did it again this week with the same results.  It is a tricky play to defend, but it can only come through better communication an play recognition that comes from coaching.  C'mon Raheem Morris.  But let us finish where we began with the most glaring negative from that game.  Robert Griffin.

It is clear that Robert Griffin has not acquired any skills that would intimate that he is striving to become a better pocket passer.  He may think that, but the Lions game showed the same mistakes.  His performance is tough to assess because of the poor play from the offensive line, but he still stares down receivers, he holds the ball for too long as seen on his last play (watch it at the end of the clip about Scherff.  Griffin has people open on the check down to his left but he decides to try and extend the play on a 3rd and 16....in the preseason), he does not identify pressure pre-snap in order to adjust his read progression, and he has poor pocket awareness.  These may be the most important detriments in Robert's game.  Griffin's sacks may be due to the fact that he is not making the right read based on what the defense is showing, and he is not calling out a change in protection to give him more time.  The drive before the one where Griffin was injured ended because he was sacked on a 3rd and 2.  How long does a 3rd and 2 play need to develop?  The Lions were showing blitz, but Griffin did little before the snap to adjust his reads or protection in order to give him more time or a quick read in order to avoid contact behind the line.  I saw Kirk Cousins call out pre-snap adjustments in the waning parts of this game against 3rd and 4th stringers, and both McCoy and Cousins seem to have a better idea of where to look for the open receive in Jay Gruden's system.  The play that before Robert was injured (also on the clip) shows him running right into the pressure and not knowing how to avoid it.  I saw Colt McCoy identify a breakdown in the offensive line and scramble for 11 yards.  These deficiencies leads to the final conclusion of this piece.

Robert Griffin should not be the starter this season.  It is clear that the coaching staff does not have faith in Griffin's ability to run the offense based on their play calling against the Lions.  All of Griffin's plays had him stand like a statue while he was under assault, while McCoy got two designed roll out calls AND A READ OPTION PLAY, and Cousins had one designed roll out in order to quell the blitz a bit.  Why not move the pocket for Robert when it was obvious that the Lions were teeing off on him?  Either the Redskins Coaches don't trust his legs, his decision making, his grasp of the offense, or a combination of all three.  Whatever the reason, it is clear that the offense is more dynamic with either Cousins or McCoy and we will get to see what one of them can do against first teamers against the Ravens.  I say start Kirk Cousins against the Ravens and for the beginning of the season.  We need to know if we want to resign him before he becomes a free agent this offseason, and I think that Cousins gives The Redskins best opportunity to have a decent season this year based on what we have seen over the first two preseason games.  It is clear that Robert Griffin is not ready to give up on RG3.  If Griffin is named the starter, then we know that the Redskins organization is also not ready to give up on RG3.  But RG3 only exists as a feeble marketing ploy that does not hold a fraction of the weight it once did in this area.  Robert Griffin needs to be the player that takes the field this season in order for him to have the best opportunity to
show that he is the best quarterback in the NFL. 

Redskins vs. Browns: Open TE Tryouts Start on Monday

With the loss of Niles Paul for the season the Redskins find themselves having to dig deeper on the depth charts than they had expected at the TE position.  Chase Dixon now finds himself as the next man up with Jordan Reed's hamstring soreness, Logan Paulsen's toe status, and the injury sustained by Niles Paul last night.  Paul's injury hits even harder considering that he had worked his way to being the starting TE, and was heralded as one of the emotional leaders of the team.  One only needs to watch the last episode of Hard Knocks to see Niles Paul's energy.  He is seen getting in the face of Texans players and coming to the aid of others when things started getting out of hand.  Paul had also become a solid locker room presence as stated by John Keim, whose report states that players were openly emotional about the injury to Niles Paul.  A big loss for the Redskins, and if you're skeptical that Jordan Reed can finish an entire season without getting injured and you live in the grater Washington DC area, please send your resume to Sean McVay at:

21300 Redskin Park Drive
Ashburn, VA 20147

Please inquire about the Tight End position.  Other than that it was a fairly positive night for the Redskins, starting with the three most important people on the roster right now.

Robert Griffin:  The stats are unassuming, but Griffin looked good for the first preseason game.  He made good throws to Ryan Grant, especially on his fist throw on 3rd and 5 when he wne through his progressions and hit Grant on the crossing route.  His only negatives were a poor 3rd down pass on a comeback route on the sidelines, an a bad 2nd down fade pass to Garcon at the end of the first quarter.  The next play he took a hit and overthrew Garcon again, but that was because Shawn Lauvao missed the delayed blitz coming from his side.  All in all a decent showing from Griffin, but we'll have to see if he can improve upon this showing next week against the Lions.

Kirk Cousins:  What can you say?  The guy knows how to run this offense against inferior competition.  Granted he played most of the game against backups, but he looked damn good doing it.  The one thing that stood out with Cousins was his checking of the defense before the snap.  Numerous times he called out blitzes from the shotgun to the offensive line, which is something that Griffin did not do as often.  He was accurate with his throws, and he even seemed comfortable in the designed roll outs that were called.  We'll see if McCoy ca do the same next week, but all in all a great performance from Kirk Cousins.

Colt McCoy:  It is tough to glean much from McCoy's start against third stringers, but what I was most impressed with was his feet.  He had a nice 10+ yard scramble at the end of the third quarter, and he was able to extend a play with his feet and dump down to Tre Williams.  He may not look as shifty against starters, but he looked good yesterday in his ability to run and move in the pocket.

Other top performers were Chris Thompson's blitz pickup and burst of speed, which was on display all night; The defensive front seven's ability to get in the backfield, even if they failed to get a lot of negative plays they disrupted the run game enough to make it a non factor for the Browns; Trent Murphy looking like he took a step forward in his pass rushing technique, he was inches away from getting a sack at least twice and on the Browns first touchdown he beat the tackle by slapping the OT's hands down and going to the inside to cause McCown to leave the pocket; Preston Smith's quickness and speed when closing in on the runner/quarterback and his ability to create havoc at the line of scrimmage; and the offensive line's pass protection (especially Morgan Moses), which will get tested more heavily as the season goes on but they looked effective last night.

The negatives were minor, but the secondary still has communication problems in releasing receivers when no safety help is there and not adjusting to the Browns's quick passes at the beginning of the game; If Arie Kuandjio is in the game next week you can bet that the Redskins will not run a screen pass because he woefully missed his blocking assignments on both screen passes that caused them to go nowhere (literally); and finally, one play that stood out to me and it is the one in the picture above.  The Redskins called a run right on Fourth and 1 and Brandon Scherff gets pushed one yard into the backfield causing Morris to jump back and find the edge.  Luckily Morgan Moses sealed off the edge long enough, and Morris found the hole and turned it into a huge gain, but for a guy who was touted as a "mauler" in the run game Scherff needs to get more physical on short yardage.  You would think that with all the speculation about Scherff moving positions he would come out with a chip on his shoulder, and what better way to display your dominance than on a Fourth and 1.  It is his first preseason game, and Scherff was not horrible, but that play stuck with me. 

Next week Detroit, and hopefully we can keep this positive mojo going.

Can Gruden resurrect Griffin?

The hiring of Jay Gruden has created a whirlwind of speculation as to what his offense will look like here in Washington and, more importantly, how Robert Griffin will fit into this system and develop as a quarterback.  Gruden’s naming of Griffin as the starter in his inaugural press conference poured more gasoline onto this speculation inferno because now Gruden is pot committed.  Barring injury, Robert Griffin III will be the vehicle for the Jay Gruden offense here in DC.  We can speculate about the details of this offense, but we may be able to get an idea of production output for Griffin by looking at the quarterback who last helmed Jay Gruden’s offensive vision.  Andy Dalton.  Before we analyze stats, lets look at what Gruden was dealing with when he drafted Dalton and what he can expect in Griffin by analyzing their draft profiles as provided by ESPN Insider.  Guess which one is which.

a)  College offense does not translate to the NFL game.  Has a lot to learn about identifying coverage and hot reads.  Has very simple reads. There's not much tape of him checking from one side of the field to the other.  Lack of ideal height leads to some problems seeing entire field at times.  However, is an intelligent and disciplined individual.  Has a great work ethic and is capable of digesting a new system quickly.  

b)  Will have a learning curve coming from shotgun heavy spread-formation offense that feeds him a lot of pre-snap reads from the sideline. But he is a gym rat with very good natural football intelligence. Does a great job of keeping his head down the field when scrambling. Has improved as a decision maker but still makes some questionable decisions throwing into traffic.

Have you guessed? That’s right.  Griffin is A and Dalton is B.  It is interesting that they said Dalton would have a “learning curve” coming from a spread formation.   It was Gruden’s job to make that curve less treacherous, and he turned Dalton’s “learning curve” into 3,398 yards, 20 TD/13 Int, and a 58.1% completion rate on 516 attempts plus a payoff berth.  Not a bad showing, and he has continued to improve in yards, completions, and touchdowns every year under Gruden culminating this past season by throwing for 4,296 yrds, 33 TD/20 Int, and a 61.9% completion rate on 586 attempts and another playoff berth.  So Gruden knows how to work with quarterbacks who come from spread looks, and he is essentially getting one in Griffin.  You don’t believe me?  Reread his draft profile.

            Has Griffin progressed since his days at Baylor?  Needs to learn to identify coverage, only runs simple reads, not good at going through progressions; this looks like it could have been written anytime over the past two years, and it is essentially what Gruden will be inheriting in his future quarterback.  What offset these deficiencies in Griffin’s first year was the information I left out of his profile to not make his identity obvious.  Here is what was left out of Griffin’s profile:

His mobility also gives him more room for error than many other quarterback prospects

Griffin’s athleticism was the sole reason the read option worked so well, and it is also the reason why Griffin has not improved on any of the weaknesses outlined in his draft profile.  It is also something that Gruden did not have at his disposal with Dalton in Cincinnati.  There is a trade off, however, and it is the task that Gruden must complete in the development of Robert Griffin.

Knows how to make progression reads and effectively checks down to second and third targets. Consistently looks off the safeties and does not telegraph many of his throws

This was the omission I had in Dalton’s profile.  It is almost a direct contradiction to Griffin’s current skill set, and the task set before Gruden will be to teach Griffin these skills.  Gruden has given up a quarterback with superior passing awareness for one who has superior athletic ability.  Gruden alluded to Griffin’s athletic prowess as being a major factor in his excitement to work with Griffin, but it is Griffin’s development as a passer that will define Gruden’s tenure here in Washington.  Gruden has proven with Dalton that he can make an honest passer out of a spread style quarterback.  He now must prove that he can do the same with a quarterback whose passing skills have been hindered by the over reliance on his physical ability by both himself and his prior professional coaching staff.  Dalton’s progression under Gruden gives some shape to the hazy picture that is this arranged marriage between Gruden and Griffin.  I think everyone would be elated if Gruden could get Griffin to turn in a season like Dalton had in 2013, and Gruden’s track record in Cincinnati gives us more than blind hope that this could happen.  The speculation will continue to burn out of control until we get to see the actual product in September, but Andy Dalton may give us a glimmer of hope that Gruden can return Robert Griffin to elite status.