Redskins Dominate Cardinals in Opener
What’s up Redskins Nation?! I can’t remember a more dominate performance in a season opener in my lifetime as a Redskins fan. It was quite the way to start the 2018 campaign. Still too soon to tell if the Redskins will be a playoff caliber team or if the Cardinals are just that bad. We’ve been fooled before so it is important to tamper expectations this early in the season. However, I will say in years past, this team has always been guilty of playing down to the level of competition. We’ll learn more about this team in their week 2 matchup against the Colts. Can they put back to back solid weeks together knowing a big showdown with the Packers is on the horizon? Andrew Luck is very capable of lighting up our defense so you hope the mentality and approach from the opener carries over. Here are my big takeaways from Sunday’s 24–6 win.
Offense
Alex Smith looked comfortable running Jay’s offense. He had command of the huddle, seemed to make all of the right reads, and made throws that give our playmakers the opportunity to run after the catch. His ability to improvise when plays broke down was evident on that 20 yard rollout to Reed, along with the shovel pass to Chris Thompson on 3rd down which kept the drive alive. He’s also a threat to run at any given time and that will keep defenses honest throughout the season. Overall, his Redskins debut was a huge success.
Speaking of Reed and Thompson, how good was it to have them back in the lineup on Sunday (and healthy). Thompson may be the best 3rd down back in the NFL and Reed is a top 5 TE when he’s right. Both are matchup nightmares in the passing game and that was evident on Sunday. Thompson’s ability to gain huge chucks on the ground and get yards after catch is such a valuable part of our offense. Alex looked to these two early and often, and that should be a consistent part of the game plan each week.
Adrian Peterson still has some juice left. Like Smith, he was also very impressive in his Redskins debut. His ability to stop on a dime, make a jump cut, and accelerate is something else. The question will be if he can hold up over a 16 game season at age 33, but if Sunday is any indication, chances look good.
Defense
The Cardinals ran 14 plays in the first half. 14. That is sign of a dominating performance from the defense. The ability to stop the run (against one of the elite running backs in the NFL) and play physical in the passing game was the key to early success. Bradford was never really comfortable and aside from a couple early bursts, David Johnson was shut down. Cardinals were also 1 for 8 on third down.
How good was Quinton Dunbar?! In his first true start, the 4th year undrafted corner impressed. He had multiple pass break ups and an interception. This should build some confidence early in the season, which can help take the load off of Norman on opposite side.
Tackling was sound on Sunday (unlike the dress rehearsal against the Broncos). Early in the game there looked like there were chances for Cardinal players to run after the catch, but Redskins defenders did a good job of wrapping up and limiting any big gains. This has been an issue in years past, and hopefully the gang tackling and players swarming to the ball is a trend that will continue throughout the season.
Other quick takes
I liked Jay Gruden going for is on 4th and less than a yard late in the first half. Aggressive coaching like that will win games (not to mention a QB sneak in that situation has a high probability of succeeding).
Aside from a couple of communication break downs, offensive line was solid throughout the game. When this unit is fully healthy, I think it is easily in the top 10 of the league.
Ryan Anderson recorded the first sack of the season for the Redskins. This is a good sign considering he now has one more sack than his total from last year. Perhaps he can take a big leap in his sophomore season.
Wide receiving group was quiet. Crowder had a couple of key 3rd down receptions, but aside from that the impact was minimal. The only deep shot of the game was to Richardson, but Smith overthrew him by a couple feet. They weren’t needed Sunday, but production from this group will have to improve.
The running game had multiple wrinkles built in — motion, sweeps, read option, traditional option, etc. This was a breath of fresh air from the vanilla run plays we’ve seen over the last couple of seasons.
Redskins’ home opener on Sunday is a big one. There is a prime opportunity to start the season 2–0 get off to that fast start this fan base has coveted for years. Colts shouldn’t be overlooked at all. Hopefully Jay will have his team ready to go for the 2nd week in a row. We’ll need the 12th man Sunday — even if there is still some rain in area from hurricane Florence. With the Giants and Cowgirls playing Sunday night, one of them will be 0–2. Let’s get a two game lead on one of our division rivals.
Cheers & Hail,
Kevin (Your Fellow Die Hard Fan)
