As the Washington Redskins entered week 14 they knew they no longer controlled their own destiny. The one thing they did know was that in order to get where they wanted to be, they need to get right on defense. Did they do that? Not exactly! However, they were able to do some good things on defense. Here are my 3 observations from Sunday’s victory at Philadelphia.
Pressure creates mistakes
The Washington Redskins defense was able to create modest pressure on Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz. They forced him to make several bad throws and even a couple of turnovers. Throughout the game, the Redskins front was in the backfield forcing Wentz out of the pocket. The issue is still on the backside. As much pressure as there was, at times, they Eagles should not have amassed over 300 yards passing. The secondary was not rewarding the front with their coverage. Even though the Washington Redskins were able to generate four sacks, they may need to find a few more creative ways to get pressure so that their secondary can keep their coverage.
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Rob Kelley, Rob Kelley, Rob Kelley
I think the Washington Redskins have found their running back. Rob Kelley has proven time and time again that he is worthy of the starting job. In fact, he has locked this position down to the point that previous starter, Matt Jones, has been inactive for the past 5 weeks. The bad thing is that the Redskins do not utilize him enough. In Sunday’s game at Philly, Kelley only carried the ball 16 times for 63 yards. In fact for the game, the Redskins only had 23 carries as a team. I know that the NFL is a pass-first league, but you still need a successful running game to be a winning franchise. Especially during this time of the year. Weather plays a significant role in the passing game and if you do not have a running game to counter, you could be in big trouble. Rob Kelley has proven that he can turn nothing into something. You have to feed this kid the candy and he will munch them down.
Be aggressive
The Washington Redskins seem to be the type of team that feeds on aggression from its coaching staff. Head Coach Jay Gruden, Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay, and Defensive Coordinator Joe Berry need to continue to be aggressive in their scheme and play calling. If they continue this, going forward, I could see this team possibly making some noise in the NFC Playoffs. This team definitely has the talent, it just needs to be put in the right situations. Being aggressive is a great situation for this team. I not only think it will help with play calling but will also help with playmaking.
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Things line up for the Washington Redskins to be in great shape. Yes, they are outside looking in and needing help. I feel the help will not only come but that this team will also make a statement in the coming weeks. When that statement comes, I would not want to be the team that receives it. ALWAYS HTTR!!