Redskins Lose to a Rookie Quarterback for the Sixth Straight Time
Sunday, September 26 , 2010 – 4:05pm
Edward Jones Dome – St. Louis, MO
Redskins (1-2)
Donovan McNabb – 19-32 for 236, 1 TD, 1 INT
Ryan Torain – 7 for 46
Santana Moss – 6 for 124, 1 TD
Rams (1-2)
Sam Bradford – 23-37 for 235, 1 TD, 1 INT
Steven Jackson – 10 for 58, 1 TD
Mark Clayton – 5 for 85
As tweeted yesterday afternoon by Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com, our home team has been quite generous to the last six rookie QBs that they have faced.
2010: Rams’ Bradford
2009: Lions’ Matthew Stafford
2008: Ravens’ Joe Flacco
2007: Bills’ Trent Edwards
2006: Bucs’ Bruce Gradkowski, Titans’ Vince Young
Coincidentally, the last team the Redskins were able to beat with a rookie QB behind center was Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Rams.
Here are some thoughts on the team and their performance. Some are from this week’s game, some are just general observations.
THE GOOD
- Devin Thomas is sixth in the league in kickoff returns, averaging 28.4 yards per return. On a few of those, he seems he’s just an ankle grab or trip from going the distance. If only we could have some of that height and speed on the offense.
- Laron Landry is the league’s leading tackler with 34 tackles (Rocky McIntosh is third with 31 tackles). It’s not usually a great sign when your safety is the leading tackler, but Landry’s presence has been felt on seemingly every defensive snap. When I’m watching, I feel like as soon as the play begins to show itself, I’m expecting a blurred #30 jersey to come in and lay a hit within 2.3 seconds. On an otherwise charitable defense, he, along with Brian Orakpo, are the two guys you’re most confident won’t screw it up when the play comes their way.
- Philip Daniels is getting up there in football years, but the veteran proved he’s still strong and spry enough to split the Rams’ special teams front for a field goal block right before the first half ended—unfortunately, three failed runs inside the Rams’ 10 to start the third quarter made that momentum short-lived.
- A dose of hope: it’s only week 3 and just one win next week would put the Redskins on top of the NFC East, regardless of the outcome of the Giants and Cowboys games.
THE BAD
- I may be wrong on this one, but from what I saw during the game, there were huge holes in the zone coverage when a blitz was sent. Whether it was inherent to the scheme or guys not sticking to their assignment, I’m not sure, but little Sammy Bradford seemed to often find his man in open space despite the pressure.
Philip Daniels’ take:
“For the most part, we got guys that, I think, come out and try to do too much. They over-run the ball or not being where they are supposed to be or trying to do somebody else’s job. Every man got a job to do on that field, and if you do your job, we’ll be sound. If you’re out there trying to do too much, then you hurt the defense.”
- Quick note on the Clinton Portis saga: setting aside the somewhat contradictory explanations by Coach Mike Shanahan and Portis, my take is if Portis’ hand wasn’t feeling well enough to take a hit in the secondary, Shanahan was correct to bring in backup Keiland Williams Ryan Torain (!) to be the primary ball carrier in the second half. The larger issue is still the running game in general. Just looking at the numbers: between Portis, Torain and Mike Sellers, the backs averaged just over six yards over 15 carries. What’s of concern is that after the Sellers-Torain-Portis triple-fail deep in the red zone, there were only two more attempts to run the ball all game. The next four possessions were all passes, beginning when the Redskins only down five at the time: three & out, three & out, INT on third play and then the last drive of the game. Despite what seemed to be early success in the running game (over 100 team rushing in the first half), it was completely abandoned in the second half. Granted, over the five carries in the second half, they only netted one yard.
- Dear Albert Haynesworth, please don’t compare your “plight” as a 100-million-dollar athlete to slavery. All I can do is pile on by saying: Come on, Albert… are you serious? No one’s asking you to go mine coal! Just shift over in front of a different offensive lineman, cash your checks and shut up. Haynesworth is still a feared defender—he was double-teamed almost every snap that he played this week—and a valuable part of the defense. A 3-4 defense. I just hope he’s out there more often in the future.
- Next week is a road trip to Philadelphia to play the second-highest rated quarterback in the league: the reborn Michael Vick. Vick, his offense and the always-formidable defense with Trent Cole will probably cause Shanahan to lose a tanning session or two for extra preparation. Please get well soon, Trent Williams.
THE UGLY
The Offensive Line
Thankfully, McNabb escaped Sunday’s contest having been sacked only once, but it was just that: McNabb escaping. The Rams’ defense got in for five hits and plenty of hurries on McNabb. I hope Trent Williams is resting his knee, taking his drugs and sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber. If Stephon Heyer is the best option the Redskins have to back up Silverback on McNabb’s blindside, they might as well go into two tight end sets perpetually. The problem’s not just Heyer specifically, but the position he’s in makes him the most visible example for a right-handed quarterback needing protection.
For a more complete example, let’s take a look at the interception in the fourth quarter with 3:42, when the game wasn’t completely out of reach and the Redskins still had all of their timeouts:
- It’s 2nd & 15, following a false start penalty on LG Kory Lichtensteiger. Ball is on the Skins’ own 31 yard line.
- Rams show a seven-man rush, overloading the right side of the offensive line with five.
- After the snap, both defensive guys on the left side of the line drop back into coverage.
- The Redskins’ offensive line, as a group, sits back in pass protect formation… except RG Artis Hicks. Hicks steps in front of C Casey Rabach to engage a stunting Fred Robbins, who had been lined up in front of him at the snap, leaving a gaping hole between himself and RT Jamaal Brown
- Rabach engages the next lineman over and Heyer has the defensive end stood up. Lichtensteiger stands without a man to defend.
- Rams’ LB Bryan Kehl and DB Marquis Johnson hit the hole with no one but Portis in the backfield to block.
- Portis chips Johnson, but Kehl is able to put unabated pressure on McNabb, forcing him to throw early.
It was a poor throw by McNabb, and maybe he should have taken the sack, but the pressure he faced in that situation was indicative of the pressure that came all game long. Not particularly because of the strength of the Rams’ defensive line, but because of the offensive line’s inability to adjust and protect. I put the failure to score on three straight runs on the back of the offensive line, as well. True, those are the toughest yards to earn, but those were points that the Redskins needed badly and they didn’t get the push necessary to get over the goal line.
Five questions going forward:
- Will Haslett’s last-place defense show enough improvement this week to keep Vick & company contained?
- Will Trent Williams be able to return to the line?
- How will McNabb fare in his return to Philadelphia?
- Whatever the gameplan for the running game turns out to be, can it be effective?
- With only two touchdowns and five field goals in nine red zone trips so far this season, can the Redskins get in the end zone more often when they get close?
NFC East Standings:
- Eagles (2-1)
- Redskins (1-2)
- Cowboys (1-2)
- Giants (1-2)
Some fans around town have already thrown in the towel, claiming Shanahan’s nothing more than Jim Zorn 2.0. Of course they have; we live in D.C., land of knee-jerk reactions. Some of the stats so far even support that way of thinking. Maybe there’s some credence to that thought, but I’m not buying it. I’m not saying the Redskins are Super Bowl-bound, but a loss to the Rams has definitely brought the expectations for the season back to a realistic level. Keep in mind, a .500 record would double last year’s win total, though the schedule ahead is very formidable. The one thing we do know is that, as inconsistent as our team is, they seem to adjust their level of play to keep the game close with whoever they’re up against.
NFC East Standings:
- Eagles
- Redskins
- Cowboys
- Giants (
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