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Redskins Halftime Takeaways: Defense must continue to play at a high level

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 29: Wide receiver Jamison Crowder #80 of the Washington Redskins makes a catch against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at FedEx Field on October 29, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 29: Wide receiver Jamison Crowder #80 of the Washington Redskins makes a catch against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at FedEx Field on October 29, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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The Washington Redskins are playing hard against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite their injuries, they have a chance to win at the half.

In the first half against the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins have had a very strong performance. Although it looked like their defense would be an issue at times, their stop unit stepped up along with their offense. And at the half, they are trailing 14-13, but they will still have a chance to emerge victorious despite the score.

On the first drive of the contest, the Redskins were able to force a turnover. They jarred the ball loose from Ezekiel Elliott and managed to get a field goal. However, immediately after that, the Redskins had trouble stopping the Cowboys. They marched down the field quickly and easily and that culminated in an Elliott touchdown run that saw him scamper in to the end zone untouched.

That drive showed the flaws with the Washington defense. Their inability to find ways to slow down the Cowboys offense was a major problem. It looked similar to the Thanksgiving game last year, a contest that turned into a shootout that the Redskins couldn’t win because they failed to get the necessary stop to keep pace. Thankfully, the team came back and slowed down the Cowboys on the next drive and forced them to attempt a field goal.

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Essentially, the Redskins have to make sure that they perform more like they did on the third drive of the game. Slow down the Cowboys when in counts and go all out with effort to stop them when given an opportunity. They have to make sure that they tackle at a high level. If they can do that, they will have a chance to win the game.

On the offensive side of the ball, Kirk Cousins has had a spotty game, but it’s not his fault. His makeshift offensive line has been better than expected, but they have still been inconsistent. He is ready to throw the ball away whenever needed and that awareness has been key. At the same time, that, coupled with the rainy weather, has prevented him from making accurate throws as he normally would. Still, he has done well and should give the team a chance to emerge victorious.

Elsewhere, Jamison Crowder and Rob Kelley‘s involvement on offense has been key for the Redskins. Crowder had a long catch on the team’s first touchdown drive and was able to generate space for the first time this season. Later in the second quarter, he had another long catch to get the Redskins moving on a drive before halftime. Crowder has been having a down year, so getting him the ball early was a smart move and it may spark him to play better as the contest goes along.

As for Kelley, his ability to be a battering ram on the goal line was something that the Redskins were missing. He pushed into the end zone on a nice 3-yard run and helped to balance the team’s offense. He should continue to improve as he gets healthier.

Next: Redskins vs. Cowboys live game thread

Hopefully the positives will carry over into the second half. If they do, Washington could notch the key win that they really need to get this week.

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