Redskins Recap: Team falls far short in preseason opener against Ravens

The Washington Redskins preseason opener did not go as planned. They fell to the Ravens by a final score of 23-3.

Needless to say, the first game of the Washington Redskins preseason did not go as planned. They were taking on a tough opponent in the Baltimore Ravens, but many hoped to see the team make the game interesting. After all, both teams were supposed to be full of young talent and they were supposed to be a solid matchup.

Instead, things went just about as bad as they could have for the Redskins. They couldn’t move the ball, and their defense allowed too many big plays in the second half. The team lost the game be a final score of 23-3 and did little to inspire hope. Still, there were some individual bright spots that are worth noting, and the Redskins will hope to build on these moving into preseason Week 2.

One of the major bright spots in the first half was the performance of Zach Brown. The free agent acquisition signed a one year, $2.3 million deal with the Redskins and it looks like he may be worth every penny. Brown was able to burst through the line of scrimmage on multiple occasions and pressure the quarterback. He made a couple of nice tackles, including one for a loss on a running play that saw him put a big hit on the Ravens back. Brown should challenge for the starting job, as he and Mason Foster appeared to work well together.

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Elsewhere on defense, the Redskins saw some nice performances from a handful of rookies. Notably, Jonathan Allen had a nice sack where he was able to break through the offensive line, disengage from his block, and make a shoestring tackle on Ryan Mallett. That was the only stat that Allen recorded, but it was definitely a good sign for the team.

Nico Marley had four tackles during the game and also recorded a sack. The undersized, 5-foot-8 linebacker looked like a pure playmaker who has the ability to make tackles. He has good instincts and may have special teams potential. He is definitely a guy to watch in the coming weeks.

On the offensive side of the ball, things were far less smooth. The quarterbacks all had borderline disastrous outings. Kirk Cousins orchestrated a couple of three-and-outs in two series. Colt McCoy could barely move the ball. Nate Sudfeld looked good at times, showcasing a strong, accurate arm, but he had trouble dealing with pressure. However, they were not entirely to blame for their respective issues.

The real problem was the offensive line. They could barely block for a majority of the outing. This was somewhat of a surprise, given how strong the Redskins line was last season. The three quarterbacks never had enough time to throw, and this can be blamed partially on the fact that backups saw a lot of time and that the Ravens have a strong defensive line. Particularly, Arie Kouandjio struggled and showcased why he is falling out of favor in Washington.

The running backs had similar issues because of the poor blocking, but the most disappointing performer was Samaje Perine. The rookie out of Oklahoma was expected by some to challenge Rob Kelley for the starting job, but it looks like he has a long way to go. On one drive, Perine barely converted a first down on fourth and inches, fumbled a ball in the backfield after running into his own man, and dropped an easy dump off pass. He may have just had some jitters, but it looks like he needs more time before he is ready to take on a bigger role.

Next: Redskins-Ravens halftime takeaways

At the end of the day, this was a major learning experience for the Redskins. This defeat will motivate the coaching staff and players alike to perform better in preseason Week 2. This will hopefully be their worst performance of the entire season.

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