Redskins Halftime Takeaways: Play calling pushes team ahead

With a bye week on the horizon, the Redskins came into Week 3 looking to reclaim the momentum they lost in Week 2.

It was known that a win against Green Bay would be far easier said than done for the Washington Redskins, as long as Aaron Rodgers was in the game. The Bears took a big lead on the Packers in Week 1, only to fall at the hands of a miracle comeback. Even the Vikings, a titan of a team with Super Bowl aspirations, could only tie the Packers (albeit subjected to a number of controversial plays).

Rodgers came into the game with a knee brace, and the defense responded to the wounded quarterback’s entrance with aggression. With help from players like Matt Ioannidis, Jonathan Allen, and Preston Smith, the Redskins generated consistent pressure on Rodgers, somewhat limiting him through the half. Montae Nicholson also had a solid half, providing good run support.

Of course, the defense only kept their juice because the offense managed to string together long drives, something they failed to do last week against the Indianapolis Colts. On the first drive of the game, Alex Smith went downtown to Paul Richardson on a 46-yard touchdown play, and throughout the half, Jay Gruden called up a number of play action calls and motion plays, keeping the young Packers’ defense on their heels. Smith’s favorite target was Jordan Reed, who grabbed four catches for 65 yards. Adrian Peterson also provided help on the ground, notching 87 yards and two touchdown on twelve carries.

The Redskins didn’t maintain momentum through the entire half, but they had a very solid two-quarter outing against the Packers. The offense controlled the clock, with a 99-yard touchdown drive as a nice highlight, as well as a five-play, 74-yard two-minute drill late to put the team up by three scores. The defense also limited Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense, save for a big touchdown late in the second.

After two quarters and a phenomenal showing of offensive play calling and execution, the Redskins lead the Packers by a score of 28-10. They’re being aggressive on offense and persistent on defense. But as all teams in the NFL know, the game is never over when Aaron Rodgers is still in the game. The offense needs to keep converting on opportunities, and the defense must stay vigilant. Heading into the bye at 2-1 sounds a lot better than the reciprocal.