1. Offense Continues to Move Well but Needs to Score More
The Redskins ran a staggering 73 plays for a net total of 433 offensive yards. A solid outing for a group that's been finding rhythm mid-season. And they moved without mistakes, no interceptions, no fumbles, no turnovers tonight. After a spectacular first half with 3 RG3 touchdown throws and 88 rushing yards by monster running back Alfred Morris the offense failed to put points up on the board. A field goal to start the second half looked like a sign the offensive domination would continue, but it didn't. The Minnesota defense started getting some stops and put our maligned defense back out onto the field. With the game on the line the Redskins drove down to the goal line but were stopped with 15 seconds left on the clock. Turnover on downs, game over.
2. The Defense Finally Cracked
It's a sad day in hell when our defense makes Christian Ponder look like an all star. Ponder had an 81% completion percentage, threw two touchdowns and nearly ran in a third. The guy that got benched for Matt Cassel AND Josh Freeman should've been an easier assignment than Phillip Rivers but the defense played down to the competition. The defense played winnable football in the first half, getting a few stops and a turnover but failed to stop the Vikings from scoring in the 2nd half. Seriously, the scored on every single possession in the 2nd half. Our offense can't be expected to score on every single drive (which they did until the 3rd quarter) and the defense needs to make stops late in the game. Peterson was held to 3.75 yards per carry and only rushed for 75 total but still had two touchdowns and key 4th down runs late. While the defense ultimately gave the offense the ball back with a chance to tie the game it shouldn't have come down to that. Another stop or two and the game doesn't fall to the last play.
3. The Officiating was Terrible
I'm not one to ever complain about officiating but this game just pissed me off to no end. The officials consistently gave Minnesota ridiculously favorable spots of the ball, let their offensive line get with head-locking Orakpo and Kerrigan on a regular basis and missed an obvious holding/past interference call in the endzone on the last drive of the game. The Redskins aren't an all star team and definitely aren't going to win with the officials not being fair.
4. Don't Blame Kyle Shanahan for Goal-Line Struggles
I ripped on Kyle Shanahan for his terrible play calling in the 2nd half of the Denver game, but I wouldn't knock him for his series at the end of the game. Sure, it would be great to pound it in with Morris but Minnesota would be expecting that. RG3 hasn't thrown many touchdowns near the goaline, Morris, Helu or Young have the been the ones doing the dirty work down there. Additionally, when you consider that the Redskins had no time outs remaining, running the ball was a dangerous option. And even if time wasn't an issue, if the Redskins failed running the football, their subsequent plays would be much easier to predict. The plays should've worked, Garcon and Reed dropped balls, and a holding call was missed on a play where Reed was open, Santana Moss almost had the game winner, but didn't get that 2nd foot down. This time it was execution, not the play calling at fault.
5. Is RG3 Back?
I don't know. The Chicago game is probably RG3's only consistent game were he balled out for 4 straight quarters. It's hard to judge because his comfort in the passing game seems to be based off of how much he runs/how well the team is running the football. The team has been clutch down near the goal line because Alfred Morris, Roy Helu or Darrel Young pound it in. The Redskins don't have too many passing touchdowns down near the goal line. I said he'd be back by Week 8 and I guess I was wrong. He's been too inconsistent to gauge if he's 'back' or not.
Bottomline: Another disappointing first half of the season, another 3-6 mark. Are the Redskins going to make a 7 game winning streak to enter the playoffs? No. Granted I said that last year too but playoffs are not happening this year. And even if by some miracle it does happen the team won't make it too far.
Looking Ahead to Next Week: Redskins face the Eagles in Philly this upcoming Sunday, and Philly's been looking pretty good with Nick Foles under center. Sure they have a ton of problems like every other NFC East team but a hot Philly passing attack against the same secondary that make Christian Ponder look like Peyton Manning? No thanks.
The Redskins ran a staggering 73 plays for a net total of 433 offensive yards. A solid outing for a group that's been finding rhythm mid-season. And they moved without mistakes, no interceptions, no fumbles, no turnovers tonight. After a spectacular first half with 3 RG3 touchdown throws and 88 rushing yards by monster running back Alfred Morris the offense failed to put points up on the board. A field goal to start the second half looked like a sign the offensive domination would continue, but it didn't. The Minnesota defense started getting some stops and put our maligned defense back out onto the field. With the game on the line the Redskins drove down to the goal line but were stopped with 15 seconds left on the clock. Turnover on downs, game over.
2. The Defense Finally Cracked
It's a sad day in hell when our defense makes Christian Ponder look like an all star. Ponder had an 81% completion percentage, threw two touchdowns and nearly ran in a third. The guy that got benched for Matt Cassel AND Josh Freeman should've been an easier assignment than Phillip Rivers but the defense played down to the competition. The defense played winnable football in the first half, getting a few stops and a turnover but failed to stop the Vikings from scoring in the 2nd half. Seriously, the scored on every single possession in the 2nd half. Our offense can't be expected to score on every single drive (which they did until the 3rd quarter) and the defense needs to make stops late in the game. Peterson was held to 3.75 yards per carry and only rushed for 75 total but still had two touchdowns and key 4th down runs late. While the defense ultimately gave the offense the ball back with a chance to tie the game it shouldn't have come down to that. Another stop or two and the game doesn't fall to the last play.
3. The Officiating was Terrible
I'm not one to ever complain about officiating but this game just pissed me off to no end. The officials consistently gave Minnesota ridiculously favorable spots of the ball, let their offensive line get with head-locking Orakpo and Kerrigan on a regular basis and missed an obvious holding/past interference call in the endzone on the last drive of the game. The Redskins aren't an all star team and definitely aren't going to win with the officials not being fair.
4. Don't Blame Kyle Shanahan for Goal-Line Struggles
I ripped on Kyle Shanahan for his terrible play calling in the 2nd half of the Denver game, but I wouldn't knock him for his series at the end of the game. Sure, it would be great to pound it in with Morris but Minnesota would be expecting that. RG3 hasn't thrown many touchdowns near the goaline, Morris, Helu or Young have the been the ones doing the dirty work down there. Additionally, when you consider that the Redskins had no time outs remaining, running the ball was a dangerous option. And even if time wasn't an issue, if the Redskins failed running the football, their subsequent plays would be much easier to predict. The plays should've worked, Garcon and Reed dropped balls, and a holding call was missed on a play where Reed was open, Santana Moss almost had the game winner, but didn't get that 2nd foot down. This time it was execution, not the play calling at fault.
5. Is RG3 Back?
I don't know. The Chicago game is probably RG3's only consistent game were he balled out for 4 straight quarters. It's hard to judge because his comfort in the passing game seems to be based off of how much he runs/how well the team is running the football. The team has been clutch down near the goal line because Alfred Morris, Roy Helu or Darrel Young pound it in. The Redskins don't have too many passing touchdowns down near the goal line. I said he'd be back by Week 8 and I guess I was wrong. He's been too inconsistent to gauge if he's 'back' or not.
Bottomline: Another disappointing first half of the season, another 3-6 mark. Are the Redskins going to make a 7 game winning streak to enter the playoffs? No. Granted I said that last year too but playoffs are not happening this year. And even if by some miracle it does happen the team won't make it too far.
Looking Ahead to Next Week: Redskins face the Eagles in Philly this upcoming Sunday, and Philly's been looking pretty good with Nick Foles under center. Sure they have a ton of problems like every other NFC East team but a hot Philly passing attack against the same secondary that make Christian Ponder look like Peyton Manning? No thanks.
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