Washington Redskins – Is the Threat of the Deep Ball on Hold

On the Washington Redskins second offensive series in their game against the Miami Dolphins, wide receiver DeSean Jackson had to leave the game with a left hamstring pull while running down a deep ball thrown by quarterback Kirk Cousins. To some, with Jackson sidelined for two to four weeks, the minimum the Redskins have appeared to have lost is their deep threat.

But is that really so?

The Redskins have set themselves up this offseason with some nice offensive pieces, especially at the wide receiver spot. Jamison Crowder, Ryan Grant and Rashad Ross will be the young weapons that will be relied upon to put pressure on the defense and make them respect the deep ball.

“We think the receivers we have – [like] Jamison… can run obviously,” Head Coach Jay Gruden said about the team’s abilities to go deep in Jackson’s absence. “Ryan Grant can do some things and obviously Ross had an excellent preseason. He’s got excellent speed also. We have to utilize them. That’s the only option we have. So those guys have got to step up and make some plays. [They] might have to double-move some people as opposed to just running by them. There’s a lot of things that you can do but it starts up front. We need the good protection to get those deep shots. We have to feel good about our protection. This will be another great challenge with Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn and the St. Louis Rams’ defense. We’ll have to figure out a way to take some shots because it’s very hard against the St. Louis Rams defense to go 15 plays, 80 yards. We’re going to have to find ways to get some chunks of yards somehow.”

What Crowder lacks in height he makes up for in speed and solid route running abilities. The 5′-8” wide receiver out of Duke has great instant acceleration. He has the ability to burst out of cuts and gain separation when working underneath. He is a guy that can be underestimated by defenders and gets on top more quickly than they expect. Some may look at him as more of an inside slot guy but Crowder has the ability and experience play both. With his 4.4-second-40 speed, he brings an asset that will enable the Redskins to stretch an opposing team’s defense.

Coming out of Arizona State, the 5′-11” Ross was known for his speed, speed, speed. His 4.34-second-40 speed gives Washington a great opportunity to stretch the field as well. Ross — who made great strides this preseason in his route-running as well as the control of his speed — will be counted on to make up for some of Jackson’s playmaking ability by picking up large chunks of yardage. This can only help Cousins against a strong Rams defensive front.

Ross flashed in the preseason, recording a team-high 15 catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns.

”We’ll see. I like Ross’ approach,” Gruden said. “His approach this whole training camp has been good. We had him last year and he was a little bit all over the place, not sure where and who to block… [his] routes were short. He showed great speed and all that stuff. This year he came in with a great mental approach as far as learning the system, where to line up, how to line up, the routes, he was very sharp in all his cuts — in-breaking routes, out-breaking routes, go balls, posts… all that. I was very impressed with him and he’s done a better job in the run game. Throwing him out there against the St. Louis Rams… how much, how often, how will he do? We’ll see. We have a couple [of] days of practice [to] see how much we can get out of him. Worst case, he can be a good kickoff returner. He’s an excellent kickoff returner also for us.”

With the inconsistencies shown by wide receiver Andre Roberts, Grant is a versatile guy. He’s not quite as fast as Ross but can tracks throws and shows terrific body control when he has to adjust. He is a guy who, when he gets his hands on the ball, can snatch throws out of the air away from his body. He also brings the up field quickness needed to pick up yards after the catch.

One thing is for sure; it is not all about the pass. In order for the Redskins to have that opportunity to go deep they must establish the run early. Giving their offensive line the ability to be physical at the point of attack and opening up holes for running back Alfred Morris should keep the defense honest and allow them to get some chunk yards with the deep ball.