Redskins edge out Panthers in closely contested battle, win 23-17

The pattern holds true for another week. The Redskins bested the now 3-2 Carolina Panthers at home, by a score of 23 to 17.

The alarms were sounding after the Saints’ 43-19 thrashing of the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football in Week 5. The Redskins had a bye week and another long week to prepare for that matchup, and they failed to step up to the occasion.

Now, on a short week, the Redskins bested the odds and sent the Panthers packing with another tally in the loss column.

It wasn’t a perfect game by any means; very few games are ever perfect. But with that being said, the Redskins improved in a number of key areas that necessitated improvement after last week’s debacle.

There was no one area in which Washington displayed dominance, but they were good enough to rise above the Panthers in many facets of the game. Alex Smith was unspectacular at quarterback, finishing with a lackluster yards per attempt metric, but he finished the day with two touchdowns, converting where he needed to.

The defense also held up its end of the bargain with some hiccups; Quinton Dunbar didn’t have his best day, and the pass rush was underwhelming for another week, but they stepped up when it mattered, gathering key stops in crucial situations. Josh Norman also got his first interception since the 2016 season, a play that could prove to be the confidence boost he desperately needed after last week.

The standout performance of the day by a wide margin, however, was that of Adrian Peterson, who logged 97 yards on 17 carries. Peterson played with an allotment of injuries, and all throughout the day, Peterson kept the offense moving with smart, physical runs. His play, while inconsistent from week to week, hasn’t hit the cliff yet. Perhaps he can last further into the season.

The Redskins’ win against Carolina pits them at the top of the NFC East for another week. At 3-2, Washington heads into next week’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys wth both confidence and clear room for improvement. With any luck, they can handle this win with humble grace.