It’s not time for the Redskins to panic, at least not yet
By Tony Wheat
The Redskins are 1-1. It’s not time to panic… yet.
There was always a danger following the opening day 24-6 victory over the Arizona Cardinals that Redskins fans and pundits were getting a little carried away with predictions of the team being a genuine contender. A solid, and at times, dominant, victory was satisfying, but to read too much into any performance in Week 1, good or bad, is unwise.
The Cardinals, in their thrashing at the Rams this week, proved that potentially they are among the NFL’s weakest teams. Last week’s victory in Arizona was encouraging, although the warning signs were there at least offensively in the second half, as the Redskins only added a field goal to their 21-0 halftime lead.
The Week 2 home opener against the Colts presented the Redskins with a genuine opportunity to begin the season 2-0. But that never came close to materializing. The Colts hit the front early and kept the Redskins at arm’s length for the entire game, preserving their lead comfortably throughout the fourth quarter.
Hot takes were flowing after Week 1 about how potentially good the Redskins were, and now those same wild conclusions are being drawn in some quarters about the 2018 season with a far less positive slant following Sunday’s disappointing performance.
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The truth is almost certainly somewhere in the middle.
The early weeks of any NFL season are always unpredictable, as so many teams are at a very similar level, meaning that the outcome of games often rests on a few key moments within contests. Every week is different with new challenges, game plans, and personnel match ups. Teams are still finding their feet, and certainly, for the Redskins, new combinations are still developing chemistry, particularly in the skill positions on offense.
Admittedly, on paper, the Redskins looked to have things in their favor against the Colts. However, it is interesting to note that Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus knows the Redskins well from his time with the Dallas Cowboys, where he had great recent success scheming against the Washington offense. His Colts defense managed to stifle the Redskins running game that had been so solid the previous week, and for the second week in a row, the Washington receivers flattered to deceive.
So, where does this deflating loss leave the Redskins after two weeks? The truth is, despite the negativity, the ‘Skins haven’t lost any ground in the NFC East. They are tied at the top with the Eagles and Cowboys while the Giants are bringing up the rear. Sure, a golden chance to take an early lead in the division has been wasted, but every week is a completely different ball game, and the Redskins must re-group and prepare for the Packers this weekend.
The schedule toughens considerably over the next few weeks, so the Redskins need to learn the lessons from the Colts loss, correct them, and play with a sense of urgency and drive that was missing in Week 2.
Jay Gruden was accused of a predictable and conservative game plan on Sunday, but having a running game that opponents respect is still fundamental to success as the team’s receivers do not appear to be in a position to take over games. Following the success running the ball last week, it was understandable that Gruden wished to once again dominate the trenches and chew up the clock. Unfortunately, this strategy didn’t work against the Colts, and Chris Thompson and Jordan Reed were also kept relatively quiet.
Gruden may need to look to be more expansive, and take more risks, but at the same time, there is no point panicking over one poor offensive showing. Hot takes are rife in this modern, social media influenced world, but in reality, the Redskins are not as good as we thought after Week 1 and probably not as bad as some are saying after Week 2.
The next three weeks against the Packers, Saints and Panthers will be crucial to the future direction of the Redskins season, before the divisional games against the Cowboys and Giants. If the Redskins can somehow win two of the next three games, the season should have legs. That said, two or three losses could make the rest of the season an uphill battle.
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So to all Washington fans feeling depressed post-Week 2, remember that things change quickly in the NFL, and a two-game sample size is nowhere near enough to determine whether this season will be a success. It will be the next three games that will tell us if the Redskins can fulfill the optimistic predictions of the off-season, or be faced with another season of underachievement.