Redskins negligent in situation of rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins
By Ian Cummings
Second and ten. Ball on the 45. Dwayne Haskins stands alone in the pocket.
The Michigan Wolverines gave him an off-balance look, loaded heavily to the strong side of the field. One rusher on the left edge, and three bunched on the right, with Devin Bush waiting in the wings.
The motion was complete, but Dwayne Haskins didn’t snap the ball. Not yet. He didn’t like what he saw. Briskly, so as not to sacrifice the offense’s valuable pace, Haskins stepped up to the line, shouted out a command, and stepped back.
On television, in real time, the move was brief and insignificant. But in that moment, Haskins modified the protection of his offensive line, and made them aware of the coming stunt to the right side.
When Haskins snapped the ball, three linemen slid to the right, each picking up their assignments, including a blitzing Devin Bush. The right guard hovered at the middle, compensating for the off-balance look, and the right tackle did his duty on an island. By sliding the protection’s focus to the right, Haskins gave himself enough time to hit K.J. Hill on the mesh route, which he predicted would be opened up by Bush’s blitz.
Why share this play? Why is this thirty-second snippet of time relevant now? Because the narrative has gotten out of control. While Haskins waits for his first start, other young signal callers around the league are finding success. And now, just six games into his career, Haskins is already a bust.
It’s time to look back at what the tape told us. Because Haskins could be starting right now, if the team was willing to make the necessary changes. He was doing things as a redshirt sophomore that were far beyond his experience level. Haskins is stuck in a losing situation, between clashing preferences and interests. And for a rookie, that is never a good thing. The Washington Redskins have been negligent in Haskins’ development. Soon, something needs to change.