Between QB Colt McCoy’s mistakes, the lack of health on the offensive line, no run game and the lack of defense; a lot went wrong in the Washington Redskins 31-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. To add insult to injury, the officials were horrendous, missing some obvious calls and making some baffling others. But most everything that went wrong can be fixed and every player has said they are working toward that end before their Monday Night Football game against the Philadelphia Eagles… especially McCoy.
“Takeaways from the Cowboys game, whenever you lose, it’s always tough,” he said. “Losing in the division is even tougher, so there was a lot to clean up there but a lot to learn and moving forward to the Eagles now. We’ve watched that tape, kind of put it to bed and thankful to have a little bit of extra time to prepare for these guys a couple extra days, so I could use it all.”
McCoy is a backup but he’s not terrible. He was coming off a short week having not taken any snaps with his starting offense (other than the previous week in relief of injured starting signal-caller, Alex Smith) and early in the Dallas game, it appeared that he felt the entire game was on his shoulders. But more practice snaps with TE Jordan Reed, wideouts Josh Doctson and Maurice Harris will help as they get used to each other. The return of RB Chris Thompson and receiver Jamison Crowder from their injuries is likely and they will provide McCoy with needed and unique additional weapons. As well, McCoy knows the system and can get the ball out of his hands quickly… just running the offense smoothly.
Having to combat guys like Eagles DT Fletcher Cox, ILB Jordan Hicks and safety Malcolm Jenkins; getting rid of the ball fast is going to be imperative, especially because the O-line is so beat up. Left tackle Trent Williams might be returning though and, if he feels good enough, his return will be significant. But even if he doesn’t, the backup guys have proven that, under the tutelage of Offensive Line Coach Bill Callahan, they can be more than adequate.
Across the line of scrimmage, if Redskins safety D.J. Swearinger is right about the team needing to focus more on the basics and ‘play’ less, then the defensive issues can be fixed as well. The team needs to get back to what it was doing earlier in the year when it held the Carolina Panthers’ RB Christian McCaffrey to 20 yards on eight carries, the Cowboys’ Zeke Elliott to 33 yards on 15 carries and the New York Giants Saquon Barkley to 38 yards on 13 carries. In those victories, all 11 guys on the field were tackling well and, as a gang. They displayed sound gap integrity in the trenches and they never let up on a play until whistles were blown.
The Eagles offensive line is ranked No. 7 now after their 25-22 comeback win over the New York Giants. Defensive linemen Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Matt Ioannidis will have to keep that line occupied so that OLBs Ryan Kerrigan, Preston Smith and/or Ryan Anderson can get to QB Carson Wentz. And if/when Wentz does get rid of the ball, be it to RB Josh Adams or TE Zach Ertz; Redskins LBs Zach Brown and/or Mason Foster —whichever players gets the call — are going to have to wrap up and bring the Philly player to the ground. And whoever’s nearby needs to jump in there and help.
One element in the defense’s lack of success the last few weeks is their feeling that they have to do more because of the team’s offensive struggles.
“Maybe guys are pressing,” LB Mason Foster said this week. “But, at the end of the day, we just didn’t make enough plays, know what I mean? And that’s what it comes down to. Any game that we give up big plays or don’t make big plays on defense, it’s always been a tough game each and every game this year. So we’ve got to go back and stop the run and make plays, get turnovers, strip/sacks… whatever we’ve got to do. And just take the ball away and then we’ve got to just keep going.”
The Redskins don’t have a good history of prime-time-in-front-of-the-nation games. Fortunately, three weeks ago, the Eagles didn’t have such a good showing under the bright lights either. They played Dallas and lost 27-20 in a game that many pundits thought they would win easily. Perhaps Washington can, once again, pay attention to the fundamentals that made RB Adrian Peterson a force with which to be reckoned and the front seven a run-stopping wall. In other words, maybe they can do what they were doing early in the year… bounce back in the face of adversity and, in front of the NFL-watching world, show they belong in the playoff discussion.
Running back Chris Thompson and WR Jamison Crowder’s returns from injury bring elements to the game that Smith didn’t have. More time with his offensive weapons for McCoy (while remembering the entire game doesn’t rest on his shoulders) — and the defense getting back to the fundamentals — could be all the Redskins need to get back on track, play well enough to beat Philly and retain the NFC East lead.
Washington is 85-75-5 against Philadelphia all-time; however, the Eagles have won the last two games. In their most recent matchup at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles left with a 34-24 victory.