Like last season, I again suggest a Surgeon General warning for Redskins fans due to the cardiac risk that watching their games entails.
This season was 24 inches away from being completely over.
Now that there is a pulse, however slight, let's lay out some post game notes.
1) Kyle finally listened and showed improvement as a play caller. He stuck to the run. He opened a few (but not too many) new plays. He did try and get too cute with the 3rd option pitch to Moss – that almost ended in disaster. He also called a horrific play with the game on the line on 3rd and 8 during the Redskins last drive of regular playing time. Why on earth would you bunch up Reed and Garcon within 3 feet of each other? A defensive back would need brain damage not to know where and how to go on that route. The route for Reed also took no advantage at all of what he does best.
Kyle has got to get off the 'know-it-all, I grew up with a football daddy' high horse and take a look a look at what the Colts are doing with TY Hilton. There is no reason Aldrick Robinson cannot be a TY Hilton for the Redskins. You just need to build the guy's confidence with your play calling. We know Aldrick is not Albert Einstein, so keep it simple. Robinson made an amazing catch against the Chargers but his route was too short. Kyle stop making the first Robinson throw in a game a 3rd down conversion! Give the guy a break.
You may also want to take a look at how football teams have successful screen passing games to their running backs. It's getting close to the time to give Chris Thompson a try in the backfield or slot receiver after he is activated for Special Teams (Speaking of – kneel Josh kneel! How can you watch special teams and not talk to the TV as if you are about to give a dog a biscuit? How on earth are they letting Morgan run anything out of the endzone?)
It's amazing how Robinson makes a drop and he is sent into exile. Santanna Moss drops EVERYTHING and he is still getting a fair amount of playing time. Moss and Morgan are clearly playing their last year in Washington.
2) The Shanny gang gets kudos for putting Tom Compton into the game as an extra lineman. Let's hope that continues to the point where Polumbus is finally benched. Also, Leichtensteiger is a disaster this season. Get Gettis in ASAP. Too bad LaRibeus isn't quite ready yet. Usually when you say a player is 'hungry' that's a good thing except in his case.
I wouldn't be surprised if Compton goes in at Left Guard, because he and Trent are a nasty duo and Kory is playing even worse than Tyler (I'd never thought I would say that). Montgomery is called Monty because he does a great Monty Python imitation whenever anyone of 300 pounds pushes on him. Except to see more blocked passes off the back of his helmet as he is getting rammed in to RG3.
3) The defense has improved in gang tackling but still needs to take that next step where the second or third tackler needs to strip the ball.
Kudos for giving Rambo a second chance.
The Redskins need to overhaul to their pass rush. Something has gone awry. It looked like their front 7 was going to fierce in the preseason, and they have since then they have only looked really good against the Raiders.
It was also a rare treat to see that the only scalping during a Brandon Merriweather game took place with tickets outside the stadium.
4) Special teams is going to need some of kind of special babysitting all season. Now the fans have near cardiac arrest a) every time Rocca punts b) every time a fast returner catches a punt or kickoff c) every time Forbath kicks off or attempts a field goal and d) every time Morgan does anything.
The Redskins have a LOT of work to do to potentially make a run for the NFC East. Be honest, after the blocked RG3 pass for a TD disaster and the blocked Forbath field goals, did any Redskins fan not think 'is this team cursed??'
The Redskins are FAR from out of the woods.
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