Reacting to the loss to the Eagles

[Update: Just FYI looks like it will be tomorrow night before I can finish the 1st quarter review.]

Losses hurt, and divisional losses hurt more. But given that most of us expected the Redskins to lose between eight and ten games this year, I am befuddled why many among the fanbase are reacting as if this one loss to a tough opponent is particularly disastrous or disappointing.

We already knew Rex tends to throw dumb interceptions. This is the sort of game we were all expecting when he was named as the starter. It was an absolute train wreck of a game, but when you have a QB who throws dumb interceptions you’ll have the occasional week where he throws four of them.  And I think most of us assumed that we would be seeing John Beck at some point. This is what we signed on for.

We already knew that the Eagles have very good cornerbacks who can neutralize most wide receivers.

We already knew that the Eagles’ receivers are capable of beating the Redskins cornerbacks in man coverage. This is because the Eagles’ receivers are really good and can beat pretty much any corners one on one.

We already knew that the Redskins line is improved enough that it can create cutback lanes against bad defenses, but still sufficiently mediocre that it can be shut down by talented opponents with a good game plan. Hopefully the game review (which I will begin right after I post this) will provide more insight on the run game’s failure.

Nothing about this loss should be remotely surprising. Everyone agrees the Redskins are a flawed team, and they played an opponent who had struggled to this point but is stocked with talent that matches up well against the Redskins.

Here are the valid real reasons to be concerned about this loss.

- I am legitimately distraught over having to rebuild the left side of the offensive line.

-   As I wrote yesterday the Redskins next three games will be challenging, and we should expect a couple of losses. I badly wanted a win against Philadelphia to build some cushion in the standings.

-          Jim Haslett, once again, called a terrible game that set up his secondary for failure against very talented wide receivers. But at least he got to further add to his Aggressive All-Out Blitzer persona which is evidently more important than crafting a sensible approach to beating the opposition.

  

End result – the Redskins are 3-2 and both losses came against opponents that match up well against the Redskins’ weaknesses. Sorry, but I can’t get too worked up over this one. It’s football and sometimes the other team just beats you. It's just another loss, and there will be more this year.

Redskins enter a dangerous stretch

This upcoming game worries me. The Eagles' season has been a disaster to date and it may continue to be one, but the matchups are worrisome.

 The much-maligned wide-9 obviously gives you opportunities to run up the middle, all the more so when it is played poorly. If the Redskins can get to the second level the Eagles’ mediocre blockers should be neutralized. What worries me is that the Eagles have been struggling primarily due to failures in scheme. The talent is still there (although Trent Cole not playing is a huge bonus for the Redskins). The beauty of football is that talent doesn't trump game planning and team work. But talent still gets the benefit of the doubt. The Eagles know they are in desperate circumstances and are probably inclined to start tinkering with play calling and game planning. Let's hope they don't get it right this week and suddenly all those good players start producing.

Redskins-Rams 4th quarter game review

And here is your very late 4th quarter game review. Thanks, bye week, for bailing me out.

Here's the previous quarters:

1st quarter review

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

Fourth Quarter        

3-8-SL 33 (15:00) (Shotgun) R.Grossman pass short left to J.Gaffney to SL 25 for 8 yards (A.Harris; Q.Mikell).           

Gaffney sells the go route hard so that when it turns into a hitch just short of sticks the CB on him hits the ground trying to adjust and Gaff gets an easy first down.

1-10-SL 25 (14:18) R.Torain right tackle to SL 25 for no gain (R.Quinn). FUMBLES (R.Quinn), and recovers at SL 23. R.Torain to SL 23 for no gain (J.Bannan).

Torain is late and slow on his cut, which allows the DT on Lichtensteiger to play him in the gap and knock the ball out.

2-8-SL 23 (13:35) R.Torain up the middle to SL 26 for -3 yards (Q.Mikell).

The LDE gets under Jammal Brown’s pads and drives into the backfield like he isn’t there.

3-11-SL 26 (12:45) (Shotgun) R.Grossman pass short left INTERCEPTED by J.King at SL 18. J.King pushed ob at WAS 31 for 51 yards (T.Hightower).

The protection works. Two DBs come through the right B gap. Hightower does what he’s supposed to do and blockes the inside guy, leaving Rex responsible for adjusting to the fact that the outside blitzer cannot be blocked. He does so. He knows he has to get out immediately, so he looks straight to Santana. The route combo works. The slot corner is playing 9 yards off the line and Davis runs the LB out of the short zone, so Santana comes wide open on the short crossing route. He seems to slip a bit coming out of the break, but regardless the pass hits him right in the hands and bounces to aDB. Rex recognized the blitz, made the appropriate adjustment, and threw an accurate ball to the right receiver – none of this is remotely his fault. Serious hustle from Hightower to save a touchdown.

Redskins-Rams 3rd quarter game review

Click here for the 1st quarter review, and here for the 2nd quarter.

Third Quarter

Josh.Brown kicks 67 yards from SL 35 to WAS -2. B.Banks to WAS 18 for 20 yards (E.Sims).

Washington Redskins at 15:00, (1st play from scrimmage 14:56)

1-10-WAS 18 (14:56) R.Torain left tackle pushed ob at WAS 20 for 2 yards (J.Hall).

Lichtensteiger is pushed into the backfield and knocks into Torain.

2-8-WAS 20 (14:23) R.Torain right tackle to WAS 27 for 7 yards (D.Stewart).

I have no idea what happened on this play because Fox is simply terrible at telecasting football games.

3-1-WAS 27 (13:48) R.Helu left end to WAS 34 for 7 yards (J.Hall).           

The line blocks hard to the right and takes the front seven with them, Helu then takes a pitch to the left and easily gains the first down due to Niles Paul’s excellent block from the slot position.

1-10-WAS 34 (13:12) R.Torain right tackle to SL 27 for 39 yards (Q.Mikell).

Not to take anything way from Torain, who did a fine job running here, but this is textbook zone blocking.  Davis and Brown attack the LDE and Chester and Montgomery the LDT. Then Montgomery and Brown each shed off the combo blocks and go straight to linebackers, while Davis and Chester control the defenders enough that they can’t fill the gaps. Torain times his cut just right and bursts through the hole fast enough that the closing safety takes a terrible angle and misses the tackle, releasing Torain deep into the secondary. Beautiful all around.

Redskins-Rams 2nd quarter review

First quarter review is here.

Second Quarter        

3-7-WAS 40 (15:00) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass incomplete deep left to M.Sims-Walker.

Redskins get a little lucky here. Barnes assumes responsibility for the deep coverage on the go route but is slightly late getting over and Bradford places the ball well.

4-7-WAS 40 (14:55) D.Jones punts 30 yards to WAS 10, Center-J.McQuaide, downed by SL.

Washington Redskins at 14:46

1-10-WAS 10 (14:46) R.Grossman pass incomplete short middle to F.Davis (J.Bannan).

This is one of those terrifying Rex throws. Lichtensteiger goes to the ground but leaves his DT standing. For reason unknown Rex, while sliding to the right with the moving pocket, tries to force it over the middle to Davis on the slant, and the DT is in the passing lane and easily knocks it in the air.

2-10-WAS 10 (14:42) R.Helu right tackle to WAS 15 for 5 yards (D.Stewart).

This run really showcases Roy Helu’s outstanding vision. This being an inside zone to the right, Helu initially aims at Chris Chester’s right hip. Williams and Montgomery both go straight to the second level, but both block the LB. That leaves an unblocked safety in the right B gap. Helu cuts hard and slips through the gap to Chester’s left.

3-5-WAS 15 (14:00) (Shotgun) R.Grossman pass incomplete short left to F.Davis (D.Stewart).

Helu picks up the (obviously) blitzing MLB, but Jammal Brown is easily beaten around the edge by the LDE. But Rex is staring down Davis from the beginning because his route is aimed at the sticks, so he has time to get it out but is denied by blanket coverage.

4-5-WAS 15 (13:55) S.Rocca punts 56 yards to SL 29, Center-N.Sundberg, downed by WAS.

One of the few weak punts we’ve seen from Rocca this year, and it still worked out. It carries for 3.9 seconds and 37 yards, but the returner is playing very, very deep and lets it drop, whereup on rolls for an additional 19 yards. That’s a benefit of a strong punter I hadn’t thought of – because returners have to respect his leg they are not in a position to take advantage of the few short punts that do occur.

Redskins-Rams 1st quarter game review

Here we go getting started on win number 3. As I mentioned yesterday I only got to catch the last quarter of this game on Sunday, so I really am seeing most of this fresh. As usual they play by play is taken from the NFL Gamebook.

First Quarter

G.Gano kicks 72 yards from WAS 35 to SL -7. Q.Porter, Touchback.

St. Louis Rams at 15:00

1-10-SL 20 (15:00) S.Jackson left guard to SL 20 for no gain (R.Kerrigan).

Kerrigan engages the TE, then gets his left arm to the inside and powers through the line to stuff the runner.

2-10-SL 20  (14:31) (Shotgun) S.Jackson left tackle to SL 33 for 13 yards (L.Landry).           

Well blocked by the Rams against the Redskins four man nickel front. Orakpo is initially unblocked, but a TE crosses the backfield and takes him out. Bowen reacts to Jackson’s initial step to the offensive right and pursues, allowing the LT to keep him inside. The LT gets a free release on Rocky and Landry is line up in the box on the backside, so he can’t make it across the field on time and instead has to chase the guy down from behind.

1-10-SL 33 (13:53) S.Jackson left tackle to SL 33 for no gain (B.Orakpo).

The LT and LG take Bowen way, way off the line. Fortunately Orakpo eneages the TE, wins the fight, and plays the inside gap to stuff the run.

2-10-SL 33 (13:18) S.Jackson left guard to SL 36 for 3 yards (D.Hall).

The center engages Cofield, then the TE joins in and blows him off the line. DeAngelo Hall appears to have been lined up in the slot (the telecast cuts off the formations and the start of the play) and he reads run quickly and reacts, which means that when the RG gets to the second level he is faced with two defenders. He chooses Fletcher, but blocks him ineffectually, so Fletcher and Hall first deny the RB his cutback and then pull him down.

An update

Don't worry, I'm still here. Due to special circumstances the free time simply did not exist last week to review any more than two quarters of the Dallas game.  The Rams game will be fully broken down, but I just got back from a trip and am pretty wiped out so I will probably finish up the first quarter tomorrow and then we will be back on a regular schedule.

I was unable to watch the first three quarters of Sunday's game (long story) so I really will be seeing this for the first time, but I gather it was a pretty ugly win. I'm looking forward to seeing what exactly went on as the mood seems to be decidedly sour about this 3-1, first place team.