- When: Sunday, December 15, 2013 1:00 P.M. (ET), Atlanta, Ga.
- TV: FOX
- Radio: ESPN 980AM, 94.3/92.7 FM, Compass Media Networks
- Series History: Redskins lead overall series, 15-7-1,
- Redskins lead regular season series, 14-7-1,
- Last meeting: Oct. 7, 2012 (24-17, ATL)
Covering the Washington Redskins recently has been like watching a train wreck or building fire… it’s an awful sight and yet you just can’t turn away.
Redskins’ head coach Mike Shanahan took to the podium Wednesday and, during the presser, tried to explain (read: ‘defend’) his actions in shutting down starting quarterback Robert Griffin, III in favor of backup Kirk Cousins — even though RGIII is 100% healthy.
As he spoke, the head coach was at times defensive and at others, impatient. He frequently cut reporters off before questions could be completed, apparently already knowing what was going to be asked. On occasion he struggled with exasperation. But as he said towards the end of the presser when asked if there was anything else he’d like to share:
“No, I’ve talked more right now than I have in the last six months.”
He talked. But what, exactly, did he say?
Strangely, were one to just read the transcript of both Wednesday’s and Thursday’s sessions with the media — to take the words at face value — one might think he had finally come clean and was truly acting in the “best interest of the organization.”
Here is an absolute truth… it’s difficult to believe much of what he says now because of how much he has NOT said in the past. Any truths that he might have spoken on either day were too little, too late… for this city, for the media, probably for the owner and possibly for the team. This head coach has never been what you would call “transparent” and this is coming back to bite him on the backside. If he is now finally trying to be truly honest, it’s a shame.
In that vein, the best quote from Wednesday (which has, for understandable reasons, been highly publicized and which I might just tattoo on the back of my hand) is:
“What I’m trying to do is be as honest as I can, and I don’t normally do that…”
While Shanahan did follow those words up with “…because I don’t really think it’s anybody’s business except the guys in our locker room,” the first two fragments of his statement truly summarize the way this head coach has appeared to conduct business in this town.
Shanahan was no dummy by picking this game in which to bring Kirk Cousins. The Atlanta Falcons are themselves dealing with benchings and a bad record. Rather than having to worry about veteran cornerback Asante Samuels, rookie Robert Alford will be in the defensive backfield at the position. Veteran free safety Thomas DeCoud (concussion) did not participate in practice Thursday and is declared out for Sunday. Although a youngster, 2013 first-round pick Desmond Trufant will be playing opposite Alford and he is a talented young cornerback. According to Stats LLC., Trufant’s 14 passes defended so far in 2013 are the most by a Falcons rookie in a single season. Obviously it’s in his blood. Desmond is the third Trufant brother to play professional football (Marcus Trufant plays for the Seattle Seahawks and Isaiah plays for the New York Jets).
If Cousins gets any sort of decent pass protection Sunday, he could have a big day. Atlanta is ranked 20th in pass defense and 30th in rush defense. They rank 29th in points allowed (27.8) and 26th in yardage (379.4). That bodes well for the Redskins’ 17th (passing) and 2nd (rushing) ranked offense. Even as inconsistent as Griffin has been over the past five games, he would likely have done really well against the upcoming opponent and it puts Shanahan even further into the doghouse for benching him this week.
While the Falcons’ pass rush has been inconsistent this season, they have a talented group and it’s going to be important for Cousins to get rid of the ball quickly. The Redskins need to avoid helping two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora (who has provided 6.5 of Atlanta’s 27 sacks) and second-year defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi join the ranks of defenses that come to Washington to get healthy and improve their ratings.
Although not officially ruled out of playing as of Friday’s injury report, tight end Jordan Reed will likely not be back on the field for this game. This is unfortunate because Cousins would have had a mighty weapon with which to create a nightmare match-up for the Falcons’ young secondary. Reed’s absence has been a real problem for Washington, especially on third downs. At least fullback Darrel Young will return from a hamstring injury, providing both the run game and pass protection a boost.
As bad as their record is, the Falcons’ offense can still produce. They rank sixth in passing yards and defending this will be a challenge for the Redskins’ besieged secondary. So far in 2013, the Atlanta quarterback has attempted 525 throws and completed 345 of them for 3,677 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Falcons’ veteran running back Steven Jackson can never be counted out, regardless of his age or current stats (112 runs for 410 yards, three touchdowns and a 3.5 yards-per-attempt average). This three-time Pro Bowler can pull off the long-haul with one good juke (his longest run of the season was 50 yards against the New Orleans Saints in Week One) and it seems to take an entire defensive squad to bring him down once he builds up steam. The Redskins’ defense is going to have to tackle better to contain this power runner. Able to catch out of the backfield as well, Jackson has 22 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown in 2013.
Jackson, legendary tight end Tony Gonzales (providing he plays), underrated receiver Harry Douglas and wide out Roddy White will all be problematic for a hurting Redskins’ defense. White has caught 18 balls over the last two games and, while not the leading scorer for his team, he moves the chains so that guys like Gonzales and/or Jackson can punch it into the end zone. The Falcons do have issues with pass protection (Ryan has been sacked 31 times this season – seven less than Griffin) so if the Redskins’ defensive front can get it together, Washington linebackers Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo could have a good day.
How Washington’s secondary deals with White, Gonzales and Douglas (13.6 yards per catch) will be crucial. If the Redskins decide to put underrated cornerback DeAngelo Hall on just one of these guys, it would free up the rest of the defensive backs to contain everyone else. Hall can hold his own as long as everyone else does their job. Depending on the scheme that Redskins’ defensive coordinator Jim Haslett dials up, I can see cornerback E.J. Biggers being called in to cover the speedy Douglas on certain packages.
Washington’s defense must tackle better than they have recently. This essential component to any scheme seemed to be missing in last week’s ugly loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I didn’t think the secondary tackled very well as a whole,” Haslett said during his Thursday press conference. “We missed more tackles last week than we’ve missed all year in the back end. The disappointing thing is we let the running back get to the back end, so it’s a little combination of both.”
The coach was honest about his squad having problems. No doubt the tackling has been a concentration this week in practice. Rookie safety Bacarri Rambo has had problems with it the entire season and if he doesn’t get better, he’s not going to get called onto the field.
“That’s something he’s going to have to make a conscious effort on trying to get better,” the D-coordinator said when asked how to help the youngster. “Because if you can’t tackle in this league then it’s hard to be a player in this league. Whether you’re a defensive lineman, linebacker or corner, the good teams make the DBs tackle — corners, safeties — they make them tackle, because you get mismatches. DeAngelo Hall is a perfect example. I think he’s one of the better tackling corners in the league. If you don’t have guys that can tackle, it’s hard to play the run.”
It’s pointless to address anything about the special teams unit in these final three weeks. They just have to start playing like they are part of a professional football team.
THE LATEST LINE
The Falcons are favored by six-and-a-half to seven points as of this writing depending on which odds-maker you’re following. That could certainly change depending on the final injury report and whatever additional drama might surface from Ashburn before kick-off.
FRIDAY INJURY REPORT
Washington
DID NOT PRACTICE / QUESTIONABLE: RB Evan Royster (Ankle, IR) TE Jordan Reed (Concussion – probably out),
FULL PRACTICE / PROBABLE: G/C Kory Lichtensteiger (Stinger), S Brandon Meriweather (Chest), S Trenton Robinson (Ankle), FB Darrel Young (hamstring)
Atlanta
DID NOT PRACTICE / OUT: S Thomas DeCoud (Concussion), RB Antone Smith (Knee),
LIMITED / QUESTIONABLE: TE Tony Gonzales (Toe)
STAT OF THE WEEK
Despite a record of only 3-10 in 2013, Redskins’ wide out Pierre Garçon is the only player in team history to record at least five receptions in each of the first 13 games of a season, and with five more receptions on Sunday, he would move into second place in team history for receptions in a season. He is currently on pace to finish the year with 109 receptions, a total that would break the team record of 106 receptions set by Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Monk in 1984.
Can you imagine what his stats might be if the team had been playing like they did in 2012?
KEY MATCHUP: The Redskins’ defensive line vs. Ryan and the Falcons’ offensive line
Ryan has been sacked a career-high 31 times and is one interception away from a career worst (he currently has 13). The Falcons’ minus-11 turnover margin ranks second-to-last in the NFC. If the guys in the Redskins’ defensive trenches can get good push on Ryan’s O-line and harass him, he is apt to make some bad decisions and bad throws, increasing that ratio. Kerrigan and Orakpo should be able to get after the Falcons’ QB, making things easier for Washington’s struggling secondary.
D. Hall can hold his own vs. whatever receiver Haslett assigns him. It’s the rest of the defensive backfield that could be a problem unless the D-line and backers excel Sunday. Cornerback David Amerson is a rookie and Rambo hasn’t been tackling well. It’s going to fall to the guys up front on the defense to set the stage.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“What I’m trying to do is be as honest as I can, and I don’t normally do that because I don’t really think it’s anybody’s business except the guys in our locker room.”
– Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan
FACTOID
The Redskins now have a 1,000-yard rusher (RB Alfred Morris) and a 1,000-yard receiver (Garçon) in the same year for the first time since 2008.
Hail.
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Diane Chesebrough is Chief Editor, writer and photographer for Sports Journey Broadcast Network and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Accredited media with the NFL, she has been a feature writer for several national magazines/periodicals. Follow her on Twitter: @DiChesebrough