The Redskins lost their Saturday afternoon matchup against the Titans, and with it, they lost their season.
Once atop the NFC East at 5-2, the Washington Redskins have fallen.
The fault is on no one pair of hands; it is spread evenly throughout the halls of Redskins Park. The team traveled to Nashville with a chance to keep their playoff hopes alive for one more week. They failed to capitalize on that opportunity, and now, they’ll be playing meaningless football in Week 17.
It’s another middling season for Washington, and another campaign where it’s unclear how the team’s ownership will respond. On one hand, the team’s late-season collapse featured three embarrassing divisional losses, losses that showcased an unacceptable degree of ineptitude on every level.
Then, however, there was the brief surge from Week 15 on. The glimpse of hope from Jay Gruden’s offense, with Josh Johnson under center. It all ended so quickly. With so much information to parse through, with so little time to process it, what do we take away from the end of Washington’s competitive stretch? What are the implications of their latest loss?
No. 5 – The Redskins defense needs just as much help as the offense
Blaine Gabbert killed the Redskins season. Yes, they were limping long before their prime time matchup with the Titans. But Blaine Gabbert killed the Redskins season.
If that doesn’t scream “mediocre defense”, I’m not sure what does.
It’s important to acknowledge that Washington’s offense wasn’t as inept as usual late in the game. Adrian Peterson was hot, Josh Johnson was poised and collected in the pocket, and we saw glimpses of former glory from skill players like Chris Thompson and Jamison Crowder. Up until the very end of the game, the Redskins offense was surprisingly competent. It was the defense that couldn’t hold up its end of the bargain, namely the secondary.
That’s been a common theme all season, in fact; Torrian Gray’s secondary occasionally comes up with big plays (more often in the first half of the season), but bending and breaking has been too common a fate for the self-proclaimed Flight Marshals. Against the Titans, this was as evident as it’s ever been. The Redskins defensive backs simply couldn’t cover.
Getting Quinton Dunbar back next season will help, but Josh Norman is only getting older and less efficient, Fabian Moreau hasn’t visibly developed, and D.J. Swearinger will need a new running mate at safety once again, as Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has done nothing to earn a new contract. The linebacking core needs a coverage overhaul as well. Versatility is seriously lacking, and it’s the reason Washington’s defense was never anything more than a flash in the pan. The offense will get all the offseason attention, but make no mistake: The defense needs quite a bit of fine tuning as well.
No. 4 – The Redskins may have found quarterback insurance for 2019 uncertainty
At the position which requires the most security in football, the Redskins have perhaps the least security of any team in the league. Alex Smith‘s time table for return is clouded. Colt McCoy’s durability is a long-term concern. And Mark Sanchez shouldn’t have a role in the room moving forward.
Smith’s contract demands that the Redskins wait for his return, if it does happen. But while that situation remains suspended in the air, Washington may have stumbled upon a temporary solution in Josh Johnson.
Johnson’s two interceptions at the end of the Titans game may cultivate a negative recency bias among onlookers, but to say the signal caller performed poorly would be a misjudgment. With sixth and seventh stringers on the offensive line, third and fourth stringers in the pass catching core, and only two weeks of experience in Washington’s offense, Johnson managed to give the unit life, against two fairly stringent defenses.
Johnson’s stats after two games and one quarter aren’t eye-popping. He completed 40 of 64 passes, accruing 499 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. He wasn’t able to withstand all of Washington’s unforgiving faults. But he showed remarkable poise and ability to run the offense with minimal preparation. His combination of athleticism and arm strength restarted an offense in neutral.
It wouldn’t be brash to say Johnson looked better than Colt McCoy in his short audition for a new job in the NFL. The San Diego product did more than enough to earn a place next season, and with so much uncertainty looming at the quarterback position, the Redskins may regret it if they don’t give him the first call.
No. 3 – Greg Manusky should be gone by season’s end
It was hinted at for much of the season. It was obvious against the Giants. And now, it is imperative that the Washington Redskins relieve Greg Manusky of his duties as defensive coordinator.
Last year, there was hope that Jay Gruden had at last found the defensive mind to his offensive focus. Initial results from Manusky’s arrival were skewed by a wave of injuries on defense, but his unit flashed under his pressure-heavy, man-centric scheme. He was brought back for a second season, and expectations were high with defensive improvements.
Manusky has not reached those expectations.
As the 2018 season has gone along, Manusky’s defense has only gotten worse. What was once a bend-but-don’t-break unit has turned into a squad that breaks at only the most inopportune times.
Whether it’s putting outside linebackers in coverage, or putting defensive backs ten yards off the line of scrimmage in short-yardage passing situations, Manusky has never made it look harder to make the logical choice. Washington can do what he couldn’t, however, and find a new defensive coordinator in 2019. Players calling out Manusky’s game plan was the final blow. A change must be made.
No. 2 – Jay Gruden isn’t as easy to let go
A sensible case can be made for both the departure and the retainment of longtime head coach Jay Gruden. The discussion surrounding the Redskins’ head man has been polarizing from start to finish, and that won’t change in the coming weeks.
On one hand, Gruden has been given time to turn this franchise around, and while he’s kept the team competitive for a number of years, he’s never made the leap. His teams consistently appear unprepared at random times, with lacking motivation, and his offense seems to be growing outdated. While Greg Manusky shoulders much of the blame for the Redskins’ recent struggles, Gruden picked Manusky. He also picked Barry. And Haslett. All failures. At some point, he must take reasonability for those choices.
On the other hand, however, Gruden has shown that when he’s comfortable with his personnel, he can open things up. Certain play calls against the Titans were masterful. The motion wide receiver screen to Jamison Crowder in the first half comes to mind, as does the quarterback sweep to Josh Johnson to pick up a key third down conversion.
Perhaps with more input on offense from a modern mind, Gruden’s best traits as a head coach can shine through; his players openly respect him and fight for him during games. Through massive amounts of injuries and front office unrest, he’s managed to keep the franchise afloat and alive in the NFC East. His tenure has not been perfect. His failings should be brought to light. But credit absolutely must be given where it’s due. And with Bruce Allen still in the President position, assuming the next coach would be better is a risky proposition.
Jay Gruden’s fate is no more transparent now than it was after the Cowboys loss, or the Giants loss, or the Jaguars victory. In 2019, Washington’s ownership will have a very hard, very important decision to make.
No. 1 – Forging a winning culture must be a priority in 2019
When the 2018 Redskins were 5-2, much was made of their culture. How it was a team that fought for its coach, and a team that had synergy, and chemistry. That there was a healthy balance of responsibility and respect.
When the 2018 Redskins were 6-7, rumors swirled in a maelstrom, that the culture was crumbling. That there was no accountability, no responsibility for one’s actions. Players openly criticized fans, lamenting of their situation in D.C. Pining for the chance to defect to a different division.
To put it simply, there isn’t much clarity in regards to Washington’s true culture, or the outlook of that culture in 2019. At its best, we’ve seen players like Alex Smith, Josh Johnson, Jonathan Allen, and D.J. Swearinger hailed as level-headed leaders. At its worst, we’ve heard whispers of the necessary rebuild. The famous catchphrase: “Blow it all up.”
In 2019, the Redskins need to find clarity with their culture, and they need to do whatever it takes. Part of that requires a sustained period of winning. But a winning franchise has to start somewhere. This offseason, Washington must put a foundation in place. Saying it needs to happen, of course, is the easy part. The hard part is deciding whether a full reset is needed, or whether the machine can reach the next gear with a dash of fine tuning.