Redskins: Five keys to beating St. Louis Rams

Sep 13, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) runs with the ball past Washington Redskins strong safety Kyshoen Jarrett (30) and Redskins inside linebacker Will Compton (51) while returning a punt for a touchdown in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Dolphins won 17-10. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

2. Improved Special Teams

We’ve seen this so many times over the past god knows how many seasons.  The Redskins are playing well and in a close game with a chance to win and then bang, they give up a kick or punt return for a touchdown and it breaks the game open.

Well we saw it again last Sunday against the Dolphins when the Redskins were still in position to win and then in the fourth quarterback they allowed Jarvis Landry to take back a punt 69 yards and give the Dolphins the lead and essentially the win.

Kicker Kai Forbath also missed a 46 yard field goal which probably helped contribute to the Redskins releasing him and signing a new kicker in Dustin Hopkins.  Hopkins supposedly has a stronger leg than Forbath which should be an upgrade on kickoffs.

Forbath was never consistent at getting touchbacks on kickoffs, so if he was going to miss makeable field goals it made him expendable.  The Redskins will still need Hopkins to be an accurate kicker regardless of what he does on kickoffs, so we’ll see how this works out.

But the coverage teams need to improve.  The Redskins hired special teams coach Ben Kotwica last season and so far in year two, his special teams have not been very special.  That has to change on Sunday against the Rams.

Next: 3. Cut out the turnovers