Washington Football Team: Studs and duds from Week 9 loss to Giants
Washington Football Team Dud: Alex Smith’s interceptions
It was definitely nice to see Alex Smith back on the field for Washington. Against the Giants, he looked significantly better than he did his last time out against the Rams. However, he did have some critical mistakes that ended up being costly as Washington looked to beat their divisional rival.
The first pick that Smith had wasn’t his fault. He was looking to throw the ball to J.D. McKissic but as he released, McKissic lost his footing and slipped to the ground. As a result, the ball ended up going toward Blake Martinez and he made a nice play to get under the ball and wrap it up. It was a frustrating play, but there wasn’t much Smith could’ve done about that.
While the first pick was forgivable, the two that came late in the fourth quarter weren’t as much.
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The second one was the worst. With the ball on the Giants’ 40-yard line and about three minutes left in the game, Washington had a third-and-10 opportunity that Smith was hoping to convert. The Giants got pressure and rolled out to his right. To avoid being sacked, Smith threw the ball back a bit across his body to find McKissic. The ball sailed over his head and into the hands of Jabrill Peppers.
The throw was obviously bad, but the worst part was the decision to make the throw. Smith could have just thrown the ball away to avoid the turnover and tried to convert a fourth-and-10. Or Washington could’ve tried to pin the Giants deep on a punt, which Tress Way has been good at during his career. Either way, throwing the ball short of the first-down marker on a risky play probably wasn’t the best decision though hindsight is, in fairness, 20/20.
The third pick wasn’t a good one either, but it was late in the game so Smith may have been trying to force the issue. Essentially, he was looking downfield and ended up throwing the ball right to Logan Ryan who turned it into a game-sealing play.
If Washington is going to win games, they have to avoid turnovers. Smith was unable to do that on Sunday. The early pick was understandable, but the two late ones were crushing for Washington’s chances of winning. And if they want to win or stay competitive moving forward, Smith, the confirmed starter for Week 10, will have to avoid turning the ball over.