Four Washington Football Team clunkers vs. the Browns

For the second week in a row, there are no game balls to award following the Washington Football Team’s debacle in Cleveland.

The Washington Football Team marched into FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday with a lot of confidence, but left with an embarrassing loss and a poor performance.

Hopes were running high before the game and the teams, fans, and local media had visions of going 2-1 after three games.  Instead, Washington is 1-2 and it’s starting to feel like an impending disaster.  The Washington Football Team did show some glimpses of positive play, but like a derecho marching through the upper midwest, the Browns converted four of Washington’s turnovers into 24 points and dealt the visitors a humiliating loss.

We hope to get back into the business of awarding four game balls sometime soon, but we now feature a new part of this series today.  Following a loss, we will hand out the dubious distinction of featuring four clunkers when Washington loses.  It’s not a pleasant exercise to talk about when the team comes up short, but awarding game balls after a defeat is really not a good idea.  With that in mind, let’s get right to the four clunkers from the Browns game.

Strong safety Landon Collins is on this list for the second week in a row.  Oft-maligned free safety Troy Apke actually had a far better game on Sunday and Collins was a complete clunker.  The former Alabama product continues to get burned by tight ends, running backs, and wide receivers.  He seems to be out of position more than coaches would care to admit.  He typically takes poor angles and is often one of the players who has a blown assignment – by a very wide margin.

There is no exaggeration here.  Collins makes a lot of money, but that does not place him above other players. If No. 26 doesn’t improve soon, it is time to bench him in favor of a player who is willing to work hard and give 100 percent.

Quarterback Dwayne Haskins is a definite clunker this week after a performance that was one of his worst in a Washington uniform thus far.  He is directly responsible for the Browns scoring 24 points after tossing three interceptions and a losing a fumble.  If there is one person where you can squarely put the blame for Sunday’s loss, it would clearly be on Dwayne Haskins.

A substantial number of analysts shortly before the season mentioned the Washington Football Team as a team that will be picking a quarterback in the first round of the 2021 draft.  Haskins did nothing on Sunday to subdue that kind of talk and if he continues to struggle in 2020, the burgundy and gold will have no other choice but to look for a new starter at quarterback next spring.

Struggles along the offensive line are no secret after three games, but much of it is not a monumental disaster.  Geron Christian has been serviceable.  Chase Roullier is playing at a high level.  Morgan Moses continues to be a fighter.  However, one player on the line is not only a clunker this week, he is a huge liability and hasn’t enjoyed a positive game thus far.

Wes Martin is an obvious clunker this week and he will probably be a clunker for all of 2020.  It’s time to see if there are other options on the roster or practice squad.  Martin is simply not the player to be working on the left side of the interior offensive line.  Pass rushers maul right through him and run stuffers quickly push Martin aside.  The former Indiana Hoosier is on the cusp of being a fourth-round bust.

Steven Sims had a decent day as a punt returner on Sunday, but his impact as a receiver on against the Browns was one of a clunker.  He had all of zero catches.  None.  He was a non-factor for the offense on Sunday and Sims seems to be in a sophomore slump.  Is it possible that his status as an undrafted free agent from 2019 is finally catching up to him?

Steven Sims and offensive receptions seem to be antithetical in 2020.  If the Kansas Jayhawk is not careful, Isaiah Wright will quickly take his place and not look back.  Ditto Antonio Gandy-Golden.  Wright and A.G.G. are bigger and stronger and it is not a stretch to think both of them could supplant Sims on the depth chart sometime soon.

Each clunker from Sunday has the ability to bounce back in the coming weeks and that is the hope for now.  Collins and Haskins have a longer leash, but Sims and Martin are probably on notice.  Let’s hope they can quickly improve and make a difference each week.

Next week’s task against the Ravens seems almost futile, but we would like to hand out some game balls.  It sure is better than calling out the clunkers.