Over the past few seasons, the Washington Redskins have had prolific passing attacks. Former quarterback Kirk Cousins thrived in Coach Jay Gruden’s offense with short passes and an occasional deep ball to the likes of former wideouts DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. In fact, Cousins would throw for over 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. Despite the gaudy QB numbers, the Redskins still lacked a dominant and efficient running game.
Washington has made the playoffs once during Gruden’s first four years at the helm. They won the NFC East division back in 2015 and lost their only playoff game under Gruden to the Green Bay Packers.
This year’s Redskins team looks entirely different under Gruden who in his fifth season has a more physical unit.
The Redskins are not the finesse team’s that could move the ball through the air but struggled to gain yards when needed in years past. This year the Burgundy and Gold are relying on a brute force attacking defense, and a physical in your face running game led by future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson.
The blueprint for a lot of championship teams’ starts with a dominant defense and a run game that can keep moving the chains.
It is no coincidence that the Redskins are 5-2 on the season and seem to be building momentum for a second-half playoff push and perhaps a run into the foreseeable future. They are winning games at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
A Redskins win over Falcons would …
Peterson has been a blessing that has brought a sense of professionalism and dedication to the Redskins that can’t help but rub off on younger players who look up to the 12-year veteran.
His running style has given the Redskins offense a new look previously not accounted for. Peterson’s 587 yards rushing and four touchdowns have taken the pressure off of a passing game that has yet to get going.
On defense, the Redskins have used the past three years to re-tool their defensive front and the benefits of those moves are showing up big time. Third-year player Matt Ioannidis, second-year lineman Johnathan Allen and rookie Daron Payne have all wreaked havoc on opposing offensive lines.
Coming into this Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Redskins defense ranks No. 4 overall in the NFL, No. 2 against the run and No. 14 against the pass. That was before this weeks acquisition of safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix who will be making his debut against the Falcons. Adding a Pro Bowl player to an already dangerous defense could propel the Redskins to even greater heights.
Injuries have started to creep up on the Redskins but they have still maintained a cohesive bunch on the field and inside the locker room. They welcome the physical play that will have to carry them for the remainder of the season. Defense, running the ball, and winning the turnover battle is the clear blueprint for the Redskins to have any hopes of reaching the playoffs since the 2015 campaign.