Code Red
What’s up Redskins Nation?! Preseason is in the books and the final 53 is set. It is officially game week and I am already calling this a code red. Ok maybe that is a little over the top, but given the fact Jay Gruden is 0–4 in season openers, this feels like a must win. If the Redskins put together an uneven performance, everyone will point to the lack of playing time for starters/key players during the preseason. When you look back at all four of Gruden’s openers, there is a common theme — turnovers and undisciplined play. I do feel more comfortable with Alex Smith at the helm — for what it’s worth, he’s 3–1 in his last 4 openers. However, Sunday will be the first time he shares the field with Chris Thompson, Jamison Crowder, and Jordan Reed. It’ll be interesting to see if the offense can get on the same early, which has been a challenge in recent seasons. On the flip side, can the defense take a step forward and show signs of improving against the run? David Johnson will present a hell of a challenge right out of the gate. In the meantime, here are some of my observations from preseason and outlook for Sunday afternoon.
Quick takes –
Aside from Guice going down in the first preseason game, this team is relatively healthy going into week 1 (collective knock on wood). In order for the Redskins to be playing meaningful football in December, they’ll need better fortune in the injury department.
Secondary looks promising, but very young outside of Norman. I feel like there could be some growing pains early with this group (especially since the immediate depth has no NFL experience)
Hopkins missed a 35 yard field goal in the last preseason game. Even though he’s made over 80% of his kicks as a Redskin, I always feel he’ll have a crucial miss at some point during the season.
I’m very concerned with the Offensive line depth. After the starting 5, Ty Nsekhe seems like the only reliable back up. We saw last year how injuries along the offensive had a negative impact.
How much does AP have left in the tank? He looked very impressive in his only audition against Denver, but can he keep that up over a 16 week season. I think you need to feed him early and often this season.
The combination of Allen & Payne seems to have the potential to be dominant for years to come
In Jay Gruden’s 4 season opening losses, the Redskins have committed 10 turnovers (Kirk being responsible for 7 in his 3 season openers with the burgundy & gold). Alex Smith has a history of taking care of the football.
Wide receiver group is still unproven. Richardson has 1 good year on his resume, Doctson was up and down in his sophomore campaign, and Crowder had a down year by his standards in 2017. Like the secondary, the depth behind them is young and inexperienced.
Jamison Crowder and Preston Smith are both in contract years. Their overall production this year will dictate if they will be back in 2019.
Week 1 is huge for this team. Laying another egg in an opening game would make for a very uneasy home opener at FedEx. The vibe feels different this year, and players have echoed that belief throughout camp and preseason. Now it is time to back it all up. A winnable game on the road to start your season is there for the taking. If you want to be considered a contender for the playoffs, these are games you have to win. Do I feel confident? I honestly don’t know. The last time the Redskins won their season opening was 2012, which RG3’s rookie year. So yeah, it’s been a while. Jay Gruden’s seat is already a little warm after missing out on the playoffs the past two seasons. It’ll cool off just a tad if he can improve his record in openers to 1–4. Here’s to hoping Monday is a victory Monday…
Cheers & Hail,
Kevin — Your Fellow Die Hard Fan
