Redskins Halftime Takeaways: Offense operating efficiently, tackling a problem
The Washington Redskins are winning on the road once again. Will they finish against the Tennessee Titans?
The Redskins have started out their game against the Titans fairly well. They’re holding onto a 10-9 lead at the half, and they are executing exactly how they need to on offense. And that has been largely thanks to two players.
The offense really benefitted from the performance of Adrian Peterson and Josh Johnson. Peterson was the more successful of the duo, as he was the catalyst on offense. He kept gaining yards on seemingly every play and helped keep the teams ahead of the chains. Peterson’s vision is still elite, and he definitely was doing everything he could to allow the team to control possession and keep the ball moving.
In addition to Peterson’s play, Johnson got the job done at quarterback. He had a few excellent throws, including a great touch pass to Jamison Crowder for 30 yards, and he has constantly been poised in the pocket. He had another great throw to Josh Doctson to convert a third-and-14, and he did that by identifying a blitz and bootlegging out while delivering a perfect throw. Johnson continues to galvanize the Redskins, and if he can stay relaxed on the field, the team will be in great shape.
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The best thing the squad did came on offense when they ran a 10-plus minute TD drive in the second quarter. The team used their running game and short-to-intermediate passing game to keep the ball moving and run the clock on the Titans. By keeping the Titans’ offense off the field, the ‘Skins ensured that their defense would stay rested and fresh for the second half while they wore out Tennessee’s defense. And that’s a major win.
Still, there are a couple of negatives for the squad. Penalties have been an issue, and the team has committed six for 39 yards in the first half. That can’t continue this if they expect to win this game.
Additionally, the team hasn’t tackled well at times, and they let a few Titans plays go longer than they should have. On the final drive of the half, they let the Titans get away with a dump-off on third-down that went for a huge gain thanks to a missed tackle by D.J. Swearinger. That kept the Titans on the field and that’s what let them score late.
Injury issues are also continuing to plague the Redskins at a record rate. This time around, seventh-string guard Zac Kerin went down with a knee injury in the first quarter. And yes, you read that right. Kerin is the seventh-string guard. He was replaced by Kyle Fuller. Fuller actually looked good, but the team’s offensive line has been banged up all year, but they are also razor thin. Thankfully, Kerin was cleared to return later on in the second quarter.
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Despite these three concerns, the Redskins are taking a 10-9 lead into the half. That is big for them on the road. If they can play with the same intensity and offensive execution while improving their overall discipline, they will have a chance to win this game.