The Redskins won their first preseason game of 2019 on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any duds to call out.
In every game, there are studs, and there are duds. The Washington Redskins had plenty of both in their 19-7 preseason victory against the Atlanta Falcons of the NFC South.
It was a solid team performance overall, and certain starting units looked ready for the regular season. The defense held up well against a Matt Ryan-led offense, and the running game was impressively consistent on the other side of the ball.
The action is over now, but the fallout is not. Now, with the Redskins third preseason game out of the way, here are the studs and duds from the contest. Did your favorite player make the list? Turn the page, and take a look!
Toughest Omissions: Josh Harvey-Clemons (stud), Ryan Bee (stud), Matt Flanagan (dud)
Stud: Derrius Guice
There was one player on offense who very clearly came prepared to capitalize on his first true opportunity of 2019.
Derrius Guice.
The Redskins drafted Guice in Round 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft, and after he tore his ACL in preseason of 2018, the entire NFL had to wait an extra year to see him on the field. Now, we’ve finally seen him make his mark, and it’s clear that the wait was worth it.
Guice’s stat line isn’t amazing, although when juxtaposed with the other Redskins running backs in preseason, it just might be; he logged 44 rushing yards on 11 carries, doubling the total of the next-highest Redskins rusher.
Guice showed himself to be the most complete running back to hit the field for Washington so far this preseason. He boasted the vision that Samaje Perine has lacked, the fortitude and contact balance that the receiving backs have been missing, and the patience that Adrian Peterson was previously unique for.
Most importantly, however, Guice created for himself when nothing was there, a trait the Redskins haven’t seen from their running backs in a long time. Guice looks to be in a one-man line to start at running back in 2019, assuming he can stay healthy.
Dud: Jay Gruden
Yes, in the grand scheme of things, preseason doesn’t necessarily matter. But how a coach uses preseason does matter. And Jay Gruden’s coaching job on Thursday night seemed lazy, if nothing else.
Gruden won the game, but he failed to use the game to its full potential, as both a play caller and a developer of players. Twice, he had the ball in the two-minute drill, and twice, he opted to go the conservative route, bringing no sense of urgency to his staff. He also did not give Dwayne Haskins a snap with the starting offense, for reasons that remain unclear.
Preseason serves a valuable purpose in this sense. It’s the only time of year where a coach can try new things, and work on more stressful situations, at a similar pace to real football, without negative consequences, and it’s especially important for the development of rookies and young players. We saw the Browns work on their two-minute drill, and the Falcons work on their fake punt operations. It’s an environment that must be used correctly, with creativity and a voyager’s curiosity. Not with indifference.
The Redskins worked on nothing new or unique, the one time they had the chance to do so safely. And they didn’t at least acclimate their rookie quarterback with the unit he’s going to take snaps with eventually. They handed the job to Keenum, depriving Haskins of what would have been a valuable opportunity and a learning experience. That’s why they may once again be a step behind when the regular season starts to pick up.
Stud: Cassanova McKinzy
On Thursday, Cassanova McKinzy was promoted from the All-Name team to the All-Game team; there were doubts about McKinzy earlier in the offseason (from yours truly), but McKinzy quelled those doubts against the Falcons.
McKinzy led the Redskins with two whole sacks in Atlanta. They were his first two sacks of the 2019 preseason, but in truth, he’s been impressing since training camp.
The Auburn product capitalized on his strong offseason with a pair of quarterback takedowns in half No. 2. One sack saw McKinzy use his bend around the edge on the right side, while another featured his long-striding acceleration in pursuit.
McKinzy flashed a bit in limited snaps last season, but now, he’s officially capitalized on the opportunities thrown his way. With Jordan Brailford struggling to stay healthy, McKinzy figures to be a lock for the team’s No. 4 edge rusher spot. He can rush the passer and contribute in special teams. Thursday’s performance was the final addendum in his case.
Dud: Ereck Flowers
I don’t want to stop at saying Ereck Flowers was a dud, because Flowers had some very good reps on Thursday night. He helped open some running lanes for Guice in early action, and on a few pass blocking snaps, his violent hand fighting got the better of the man across from him.
Unfortunately for Flowers, his bad moments overshadowed his good ones. One particular drive was painful for Flowers. The Redskins starting offense had run the ball to the Falcons one-yard line, and they attempted to plow into the end zone with Guice.
The Redskins started off the drive with two no-gainers down the middle; the interior line couldn’t gain any penetration. Then, on the third try, Guice found the end zone, but the call was negated by a holding penalty on Flowers. Flowers was beat at the line, due to his tall stance, and to stop his man from making a play on Guice, Flowers instinctively grabbed. That can’t happen anymore, if Flowers is to be the starting left guard.
There are things to like with Flowers. He clearly has power and heavy hands, and his best reps are very bright. But his tallness in his stance prevents him from getting consistent leverage, and it forces him to make drive-killing mistakes. At worst, Flowers will be a sixth man on the offensive line, and if the snap distribution is any indication, he’ll be a starter. But Flowers needs to keep working on these issues, because they single-handedly killed a scoring drive on Thursday.
Stud: Landon Collins
Redskins safety Landon Collins seems to be everything he’s chalked up to be.
The former Giants standout and the former highest-paid safety in the NFL earned his money on Thursday night. In just a half of play, Collins tied for second on the team in tackles, but it wasn’t the numbers themselves that proved impressive. Collins was a homing missile as a tackler; he imposed his will in the box, and didn’t let plays get by him.
Collins seemed to have good chemistry with Montae Nicholson once again; the duo at safety, once deemed the uncertain cog of the secondary, is quickly becoming the unit’s strength, and Collins can be thanked for that. His versatility and physicality elevated the unit against the Falcons.
We’ve likely seen the last of Collins for the preseason, as the team will now aim to preserve him for the season opener in a couple weeks. Collins confirmed on Thursday that he’ll be an integral part of the defense, and he’s made his case more than clear.
Dud: Quinton Dunbar
Quinton Dunbar has often been hailed as a solid size-speed prospect at cornerback, but Thursday night was not his night.
Dunbar will still be the starting cornerback opposite Josh Norman, and he could still have a very good season. The Falcons game was a bit rough, however, as Dunbar got turned around by receivers on multiple occasions, and looked particularly reserved in close coverage.
Once disruptive, Dunbar’s lack of closing speed and focus on the ball was apparent in Atlanta. These aren’t character traits for Dunbar; at his best in 2018, he was a ball hawk. But he may need a series or so next Thursday to reset ahead of the regular season.
With fellow starter Fabian Moreau set to potentially sit out the start of the season, the rebound of Quinton Dunbar becomes much more important. For some starters, preseason is needed to work out the kinks, and get re-integrated with the speed of the NFL. Dunbar might still be adjusting, especially after a nerve issue in his shin sapped his quickness for much of last year. Thursday’s game gives him a point to improve from, and if his past heights tell us anything, it’s that he will follow through.
Stud: Cam Sims
Fans have been waiting patiently for Cam Sims to reprise his role as the preseason hero this year, and against the Falcons, the former undrafted free agent out of Alabama finally came through for them.
Sims was the Redskins leading receiver against the Falcons, with three catches for 48 yards. He saw action with both Keenum and Haskins, with two catches up the seam after finding separation, and one one-handed grab toward the sideline in the second half, after which he generated the speed to turn upfield for a modest gain. He showed more than just your average contested catch specialist; he won with route running, spacial awareness, and solid hands. He’s starting to look more versatile for an NFL receiver.
It’s been speculated that Sims hasn’t seen much action this preseason because he’s already an essential lock to make the roster. In time, we’ll find out if that’s true, because if it is, then what we saw out of Sims on Thursday night was certainly enough to cement his standing.
Sims still has to prove it on the field in the regular season; he was placed on injured reserve after just one week in the 2018 season. But if his preseason performance over the course of two years is any indication, he’ll be ready to make plays when his number is called.
Dud: The Quarterback Battle
Week 3 was expected to be the week where we figured out who exactly was going to start the season as the Redskins’ first-string quarterback. Some wanted Washington to give Dwayne Haskins a chance to compete for the job, after his standout Week 2 performance, but five drives and six points with the starters came and went, and Case Keenum was the only quarterback to step on the field.
It’s important to note that Case Keenum did not “win” the quarterback battle. He was given the starting position by default. Both quarterbacks were a bit inconsistent and unspectacular in Week 3, and while Haskins again showed that upside that’s been so apparent, not enough was done to change the pecking order. And when nothing changes, the order stays the same.
Debates have been had about whether or not Haskins should start, but Haskins can benefit from both playing on the field and sitting on the bench. He’d been developing well with on-field reps in preseason, but he has a solid support system, and easing him in is a safer option, albeit with less potential returns early on. There’s no tried-and-true method of development; some quarterbacks respond better to reps. Others need to sit to unlock their potential. Haskins showed growth when given reps. But rookies can benefit from both, and with any luck, that’ll be the case with Haskins.
Keenum will be the starter Week 1. But after that, the image is less clear. Keenum did just enough to maintain the starting role, but he was still inconsistent moving the football with the first-team offense. In preseason, that’s okay, but it won’t fly in the regular season, when Jay Gruden is coaching for his job, and when Keenum has a first-round pick biting at his heels.
Keenum’s margin for error will be thin in the 2019 regular season, and if he can’t elevate the offense in the first few games, then the Haskins era will commence. Keenum can be a solid spot-starter with a good supporting cast, but he’s not playing with the 2017 Vikings this year. The 2019 Redskins, while they have potential, are not a playoff squad, and with anything less than that, Keenum is just a bridge. Sooner or later, the team will reach the other side of that bridge.