The Washington Redskins were in first place in the NFC East until the Eagles knocked them off of their perch last week. Sitting at 3-2 after the first six weeks of the season, here's what the Redskins did to get to above .500 and let's see what they'll need to do to stay there ...
What Went Right
Head coach Mike Shanahan has not had the distractions of quarterback Donovan McNabb and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth that plagued his first season in Washington. Rex Grossman may have shown his true colors last week against the Eagles throwing four interceptions, but the M.O. has been if Grossman played well the Redskins won. The pressure was taken off Grossman by Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme up front which has made Tim Hightower and Ryan Torain effective runners this season.
Last season, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett was left to create a 3-4 defense with 4-3 personnel. First-round draft pick Ryan Kerrigan has been an outstanding complement to All-Pro Brian Orakpo at the outside linebacker spot. Up front on defense, the Redskins added some under-the-radar free agents in Stephen Bowen and Barry Cofield to bolster the line. The defense, overall, is third in the league in points allowed and sixth in yards allowed.
What Went Wrong
As good as the defense is, the offense doesn't provide much of a cushion. After winning their first two games, the Redskins are 1-2 in their last three and have scored 16 points, 17 points and 13 points respectively. The offense has some good pieces, but lacks an explosive element. The blueprint is simple - take out the run game and make Grossman beat you with his arm. The Eagles worked this perfectly last week.
There's not much you can complain about the defense. They didn't allow a single second-half point to the Eagles last week. In their previous loss to Dallas, the defense didn't allow a touchdown in an 18-16 defeat.
Breakout Player
You could make a strong case for Kerrigan, but the player that a lot of people don't know about is tight end Fred Davis. He is second on the team with 22 catches and paces the Redskins with 343 receiving yards this season, but only has one touchdown to show for his efforts. Last week against the Eagles, Davis had six catches for 95 yards. Davis is tied for second among all tight ends this season with eight catches of 20 or more yards. In fact, he is tied for seventh in the league in that category equaling the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.
Rookie Report
There were draft experts who questioned whether Kerrigan, a 4-3 end in college, could make the transition to a 3-4 linebacker. Well, Kerrigan, the team's first-round selection, has 2.0 sacks, an interception return for a touchdown and a pair of forced fumbles. Second-round pick defensive end Jarvis Jenkins was lost for the season with an ACL injury. Third-round pick, running back Roy Helu from Nebraska, is the change-of-pace back with 132 yards on the season. He also has seven catches for 66 yards.
Second-Half Outlook
After John Beck's duty in relief of Grossman against the Eagles, the Redskins have a quarterback quandary. Beck gets the call this Sunday against the Panthers and if he can eliminate the turnovers, the Redskins will try to continue to play smart, efficient football to grind out wins. Beck is a little more athletic and can make more plays out of the pocket than Grossman. The defense is sound and will keep the team in pretty much every contest. The other situation to watch is along the offensive line where the Redskins lost starting guard Kory Lichtensteiger for the season due to a knee injury against the Eagles. The Redskins don't have a lot of depth along the line as it is, so for their running game to be successful they'll need everyone to step up.
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