Redskins Recap: Nate Sudfeld shows promise, defense shines in win

The Washington Redskins pulled off a 13-3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the preseason finale. They finish the preseason 2-2.

In the preseason finale, the Washington Redskins were able to play very well on the defensive side of the ball. They kept the ball moving on offense, but they just couldn’t quite finish on some of their drives. Still, they had a solid performance and thanks to a couple of Dustin Hopkins field goals and a pick six, they were able to come out with the victory.

The Redskins offense had a terrific showing in this contest. Nate Sudfeld looked completely different from the passer we saw last season. Early on, he went 14-of-20 for 131 yards and he was very good while doing so. Sudfeld showcased his arm strength, but he was far more accurate than last year in this same game. Sudfeld’s ball placement was very good and he did enough to earn a spot on the team as the third quarterback. He finished 22-of-33 for 228 yards.

In the receiving corps, Maurice Harris and Matt Hazel had great showings. Harris performed well on special teams and provided value as a returner. He looks like a solid return man and he should have a chance to latch on as a depth receiver. He could be a possession man for the team, which would be good news for them as they look to replace Pierre Garcon.

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Meanwhile, Hazel was extremely impressive and had four catches for 60 yards in the first half. One of his best plays came on a route to the sideline that saw him jump and high point a ball while tapping his toes in bounds to make the catch. Hazel didn’t have much buzz surrounding him, but the Redskins may need to try to find a spot for him on the roster. However, it seems more likely that he will be a practice squad player.

Elsewhere on offense, Mack Brown and Matt Jones both had solid performances. Brown was the better of the two backs, as he was able to rip off a few gains of close to 10 yards. He finished the contest with 17 carries and 66 yards. Unfortunately, he did fumble once which will hurt his roster chances.

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Meanwhile, the Jones did well enough to earn himself a spot on a roster. However, that likely won’t be the Redskins roster. He is still clearly the fifth option on the depth chart, and will likely be cut by Saturday. Still, Jones showed good power and excellent athleticism and should find a spot with a team who needs a running back.

On the defensive side, the team got some great performances from their depth players. Early on, Deshazor Everett made a couple of tackles and a great pass breakup. That will do enough to help him win the No. 3 safety position with the team.

Nico Marley also looked terrific as a backup linebacker and showed some nice tackling ability. He has a real chance to make the final roster if the Redskins decide that he is a better option than Martrell Spaight. The only knock on Marley is his lack of size.

Finally, Stefan McClure, Josh Harvey-Clemons, and Pete Robertson all played very well and were able to make nice tackles and get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. JHarvey-Clemons also had a great pick six late in the contest to put the game out of reach in favor of the Redskins. All three will have a chance to land on the practice squad, but Harvey-Clemons is the only one who is a real threat to make the active roster. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some of these guys make the active roster before the season is over.

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Overall, this was a very strong showing for the Redskins. They proved that they have great organizational depth, and they will have some tough decisions to make about the final 53-man roster. That’s always tough, but it is a good position to be in for a team.

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