Redskins: The time to panic is not now, but it is getting close

Redskins fans, the time to panic is not now. But keep the panic button close, because Sunday’s game not only cost the team a chance at 6-2, but the price of injuries could shift the direction of the season for good.

Sunday’s 38-14 loss to the Falcons was more than just an embarrassing outing for the burgundy and gold. The Redskins had a chance to reveal themselves as a real playoff contender. They had the chance to reveal a defense that not only could stop the run, but could stymie the forces of Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Calvin Ridley.

The Redskins most definitely revealed themselves on Sunday. But in every bad way imaginable.

The first offensive drive of the game was the perfect opening monologue to an afternoon scripted as a pure tragedy for Washington. Within the first three plays, a sack, a penalty, and Shawn Lauvao being wheelchaired to the locker room perfectly encapsulated a day that was to be for Alex Smith and the offense.

Defensively, the “Alabama wall” of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne were bullied around the line of scrimmage. The secondary was half looking at each other for coverage assignments, and half chasing the dust of Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones. The feeling of chaos on defense set in quickly after the Falcons took a 14-0 lead.

They never looked back.

The Falcons offense is elite. That is clear as day. The Redskins knew just what a task the Falcons would provide. But the defensive numbers that appeared on paper when regulation time expired on Sunday were very troubling. The Falcons went eight for their first eight third-down attempts. They didn’t punt until there were six minutes left in the third quarter. Jay Gruden could have punted for the Falcons in the first half, and no one would have known, because the Redskins defense ensured the Dan Quinn’s offense would proceed with ease.

It felt like Matt Ryan was running a 5-on-5 flag football tournament, finding men open on crossing routes in an effortless manner. Josh Norman, Danny Johnson, Quinton Dunbar, and Fabian Moreau were chasing around Atlanta’s wideouts for the entirety of the game.

While the Redskins offense yet again proved incapable of showing balance and consistency, the number of players that were escorted off the field and into the blue tent was a terrifying reminder to fans of 2017.

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With Trent Williams already facing a month on the bench with a thumb injury, fans witnessed Shawn Lauvao, Brandon Scherff, Ty Nsekhe and Morgan Moses all limp their way to the sideline. That made way for quite the day of chess for Jay Gruden. By the third quarter, the Redskins were out of healthy bodies left to play on the offensive line. They were one rolled ankle away from a defense lineman learning to play on the offensive line. That meant that their backup left tackle moved to backup left guard, while the backup center was moved to right guard.

Follow any of that? I didn’t either.

Jay Gruden’s Monday press conference confirmed fans’ worst fears, and then some. Shawn Lauvao, Brandon Scherff and the shocker of the group, Paul Richardson, were all announced to have season-ending injuries. An offense that has already been difficult to watch just got that much more visually painful.

Here is the good-ish news.

While things just got a lot more difficult, the Redskins identity has been their defense. They have been able to survive matchups while their defense carried the load. The return of Jamison Crowder and Chris Thompson just became that much more important. But there is one factor that need to improve, and if he doesn’t, the season could very well have ended on Sunday.

That factor is the man from Kansas City, Alex Smith.

Alex Smith has to play better. He needs to make plays. He wasn’t brought to this team to put them on his back, but he has to show that he can lead by protecting the football and using the tools he still has (See Jordan Reed and Chris Thompson).

It is put up or shut up time for this team, and Jay Gruden’s job just got a whole lot tougher. Time will be the X-factor on what the Redskins want their season to be.