Three takeaways from the Redskins’ road win vs. Panthers
2. Sleepy start nearly hamstrung a strong defensive performance
On the first two drives of the game for the Panthers, the Redskins defense looked disinterested. They didn’t look ready to play at all. They allowed their opponents to march down the field systemically and afforded Kyle Allen the opportunity to complete his first six passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
However, after that, the defense was strong. They held the Panthers scoreless for the next nine drives before allowing a late touchdown to Kyle Allen. And as a result, the offense was able to get back into the game and score 29 unanswered points to build an insurmountable lead.
The juxtaposition of the early-game defense and the performance for the rest of the game from the Redskins was stark. They looked like two entirely different units and there really shouldn’t be an excuse for that.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
Had the defense not been sleepwalking out of the gate, the Redskins could have run away with this game and wouldn’t have needed to mount any sort of comeback. In the end, they still got the win, so that all that matters. But if the defense can play better earlier, they could have a much better chance to win down the stretch.
And though the defense has proven that they can get the job done — especially with the dynamic pass rush and Fabian Moreau playing on the outside — they still are prone to stretches of poor performance as we saw on the first two possessions against Panthers.
If the Redskins defense can continue to improve moving forward, the ‘Skins will build some solid momentum for next season, as they have a lot of young talent on that side of the ball. Moving forward, the thing that they need to improve on the most is their slow starts. Because if they can avoid them, they may be able to significantly limit some of the offenses they are facing down the stretch.