4 things we learned from Washington’s hard-fought loss to Cowboys

The Washington Football Team nearly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Every loss stings. But the fact Washington gave fans what proved to be false hope in the closing minutes made it hurt that much more.

Throw in the fact that it came against Dallas, which had their own heated benches flown in (?) and whose head coach guaranteed a win leading up to the game and you have the ingredients of a good ol’ fashioned nightmare.

But that’s why silver linings were created, right? The fact Washington avoided a blowout is a testament to the team’s mental fortitude and they’re still in the hunt for one of the Wild Card spots in the NFC.

With that said, Sunday served as a reality check for Washington, one that was probably needed before the stretch run.

Here’s what we learned from the loss.

4 things we learned from Washington’s loss to Dallas

4. Brandon Scherff is not worth $18 million

It feels weird to say, but Brandon Scherff is very much a polarizing figure amongst Washington fans. While everyone can appreciate the team’s record when he’s in the lineup, the veteran guard has opened himself to criticism given how much money he thinks he’s worth annually.

If you asked us, we’d tell you he’s not an $18 million player and the evidence was on full display against the Cowboys.

On the turning point in the game, Scherff was wrecked by Micah Parsons, who went on to record a sack-fumble on Taylor Heinicke that was returned 37 yards for a touchdown to give Dallas a 18-0 lead late in the first quarter.

There’s a distinct difference between being consistent and being deserving of becoming one of the highest-paid guards in the league. It’s also worth noting that Scherff hasn’t played a full season since 2016. He’s done so just two times in his seven-year career, including 2021.

Washington’s OL has embraced the next-man up philosophy all year. Whether it be a cheaper option through free agency, promoting a rotational player or finding a gem in the draft, the group can get by without Scherff, who’s susceptible to the weekly penalty and is a below-average screen blocker.

Let another team overpay for him, especially at his desired price tag.

3. Injuries may derail playoff hopes

Washington knows how to overcome adversity.

They started the year 2-6 and rattled off four straight wins to catapult themselves back into the playoff picture. They fell behind 24-0 to the Cowboys, didn’t score their first points until two minutes left in the third quarter and were a late touchdown away from sending the game to overtime.

However, at some point, injuries begin to take a toll.

On Sunday, we learned just how badly Washington is missing some of their starters and even depth pieces. The already-depleted offensive line was embarrassed by Micah Parsons and Co. and will now be without Tyler Larsen for the foreseeable future, as the third-string center is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles.

Here’s some more for ya: Charles Leno left with a back injury, Logan Thomas just landed on season-ending IR, Terry McLaurin has to clear concussion protocol for next Sunday vs Philly, and Heinicke suffered two separate injuries, the second of which (a knee issue) knocked him out for good in the fourth quarter.

Are we missing anybody?

Washington has the requisite resilience to make the playoffs in the crowded NFC. That’s not a concern. The question is whether they’ll have the necessary manpower, on both sides of the ball, to pull it off.

2. Decision looms on Antonio Gibson

Man, what the heck does Washington do with Antonio Gibson?

Just when you think he’s turned a corner and ready to become the bell-cow back this offense desperately needs (358 rushing yards over the previous four games), he does the ONE thing that’s preventing him from making that leap.

In the third quarter, Gibson fumbled on a hit in which he was sandwiched between a pair of Cowboys defenders. It was his sixth fumble of the year (fourth lost), by far the most of any running back in the league.

To add insult to injury, the fumble came deep in Washington territory after the defense just forced a punt in response to Cam Sims’ highlight-reel touchdown grab over Trevon Diggs along the sidelines.

Yes, it only resulted in a field goal, but that’s not the point. For every step forward Gibson takes, he takes two steps back. He’s made massive strides as a runner, but he can’t protect the football and his struggles in pass protection reared their ugly head on a Taylor Heinicke sack on which he was caught flat-footed.

In other words, he’s still unproven, which is heartbreaking because he’s ridiculously easy to root for.

Running backs are pretty easy to find these days. Gibson, a former college wide receiver, is living proof of that.

However, his fumbling issues might force Washington to make a decision on his future as soon as this offseason. Let’s hope his teammates give him a strong pep talk, because the offense is going to need him for the stretch run.

1. Taylor Heinicke took a huge step backwards

The Taylor Heinicke hype train sure came to a screeching halt today, huh? It was always asking a lot for him to maintain a Pro Bowl-level of play, but we really thought he turned a corner as far as being consistent.

That consistency was nowhere to be found against Dallas. We’d even go as far as to say Heinicke was seeing ghosts out there. Late in the second quarter, he was 2-of-10 for 19 yards and an interception, equating to a 0.0 passer rating.

Every quarterback in the NFL should be allowed to have an occasional off game, but Heinicke, looking to assert himself as Washington’s quarterback for 2022 and beyond, can’t afford to turn in stinkers in high-leverage games.

For the contest, Heinicke finished 11-of-25 for 122 yards and a touchdown and interception apiece (55.2 rating). Did he face relentless pressure from the Cowboys’ front seven? No doubt, but that doesn’t change the fact that he missed a number of throws and was lucky to walk away with just one INT.

Heinicke also had a fumble that resulted in a Dallas touchdown, but that, as we noted earlier, was more Scherff’s fault than the QB’s.

Bottom line is Heinicke picked a bad time to have his worst performance of the year. Fans desperately want to buy into the idea that he can be the team’s quarterback of the future, but Sunday served as more evidence that he’s best suited as a game manager that relies on a dominate running game.

When the script goes awry, so does Heinicke.