What Do Matt Jones’ Fumbles Mean for the Redskins’ Backfield?
Matt Jones had some key fumbles in Sunday’s game. What will the Washington Redskins do in response to his issues?
Sunday’s game against the Lions was certainly not Matt Jones‘ best game.
The second-year pro out of Florida finished with a measly 27 yards on 10 carries, and struggled on blitz protection. However, his two fumbles were especially troubling. The worst fumble happened on first and goal at the five yard line, as Jones was driving to pick up some extra yardage. The Lions recovered the ball in the end zone, giving them a touchback and taking away what in hindsight could have been the decisive touchdown or field goal.
Must Read: NFC East Roundup Week 7
The Redskins recovered Jones’ other fumble.
Another fumble was charged to Kirk Cousins, but Jones was the running back on the play. Cousins stumbled after receiving the snap at the Lions’ 39-yard line while handing the ball off to Jones. Although Jones never secured the ball, and therefore the fumble was charged to Cousins, he had a chance at gripping it. Jay Gruden and the coaching staff appeared to view this turnover as the last straw, and Jones only received one carry for the rest of the game.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
With Jones firmly in the doghouse, Chris Thompson, the third-down and pass-catching back, was the primary running back during the Redskins’ fourth quarter drive to take the lead. Thompson rose to the challenge — he had a terrific 13-yard run to the right on 2nd and 3, bringing the Redskins into the red zone. On the next set of downs, Thompson converted a crucial 3rd and 1 to keep the drive alive. This run set up Cousins’ lead-changing 19-yard touchdown run with less than two minutes to play.
Thompson finished with 73 yards on 12 carries, averaging a little over 6 yards per carry. He also added 40 yards through the air, catching 7 passes.
Robert Kelley, the undrafted rookie out of Tulane, also contributed on Sunday. Kelley ran for 15 yards on 4 carries, and also caught a 1-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. It was his first career touchdown.
Kelley’s role has been increasing of late. He received his first carry in Week 3 against the Giants and has not looked back, accumulating 103 on 17 carries on the season. His most memorable run came against the Eagles, when he tore through the Philadelphia defense for a 45-yard run. Kelley shook off multiple defenders and showcased his impressive physicality and bruising running style on that play.
With Matt Jones’ struggles against Detroit, Gruden acknowledged that a change may be coming.
"You can’t put the ball on the ground as a running back. Gruden said Monday. That’s just rule No. 1. So that’s something we have to address and look at as a staff."
However, Gruden will not give Thompson more carries to compensate for Jones’ butterfingers.
"We don’t want to overdo it with him. He’s still not a very big guy."
That’s certainly an understatement, as Thompson is only 5’8” and weighs 195 pounds. He will likely continue to serve in his complementary role, being the lightning back to Jones’ thunder. Thompson’s 12 carries and 7 receptions against Detroit were his highest totals in the season in both categories. Gruden seemed to like that arrangement, calling that a “great number” for him.
Thompson’s injury history and size will likely keep him from receiving more touches than he did on Sunday, barring another Matt Jones meltdown.
If a change is coming, it will likely be an increase in carries for Kelley. Kelley is a very similar back to Jones, in both stature and running style. If anything, he’s a little bit bigger. Said Gruden per CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Rich Tandler:
"Rob is doing a nice job with the limited time that he gets. Maybe it’s just expand Rob’s role a little bit."
Despite Kelley’s solid play, he is a rookie without much experience, and carrying a full workload is likely out of the question.
Looking forward to the Bengals game on Sunday, a mix of all three backs is to be expected. The Redskins have averaged about 27 carries per game over the last three games, with Jones receiving the majority. If Thompson continues his recent trend and receives about 9-12 carries, that leaves Jones and Kelley to split 15-18 carries. A true split is unlikely, but Kelley will probably receive at least 5 carries. Of course, the score and play of all three running backs will ultimately determine the total number of carries and the breakdown for each back.
Regardless, Kelley can be expected to receive a few more carries. Thompson should remain significant, and Jones will have to prove that he can hold onto the ball this Sunday.