Say what you will about the Washington Football Team, it seriously keeps things interesting week after week. The same week Ron Rivera sends Dwayne Haskins from the starting lineup to the deactivation list, the former starting quarterback said he woke up with a stomach bug and was sent home from the team hotel by doctors. Chutzpah, thy name is Haskins.
Seriously, though. You’re probably thinking who can possibly be moving to the upside after such an overall stinker of a performance. Ah, but there are a few gems, emphasis on the word few.
Alex Smith:
This is a pretty easy one because it has nothing to do with stats or even performance. After almost 700 days, a compound leg fracture, infections, sepsis, rehab and everything else the ESPN documentary chronicled Alex Smith played in a regular season NFL game. Smith came in when Kyle Allen injured his shoulder late in the second quarter. Statistically of course, he was awful, just 9 of 17 for 37 yards. That of course does not tell the story. Smith needed 17 surgeries to repair his leg, he nearly lost it along with his life at least once and face it; neither you, me or anyone else ever thought he would play football again. As of tonight, Kyle Allen remains the starter but how many of us think Smith will be the starter before the seasons over? That’s what I thought.
Kendall Fuller:
The Rams hit some big plays but all of them were on the side of the field opposite Fuller. That in and of its self is a huge win for someone on this defense. Fuller also intercepted Jared Goff at the end of the first half. The pick lead to a Dustin Hopkins field goal that cut the Rams lead to 20-10 at halftime. Theoretically keeping the WFT in the game through most of the third quarter.
Any offensive lineman not in the starting lineup:
Seriously, ANY lineman. Keith Ishmel, Saadiq Charles, Cornelius Lucas, heck, bring Shar Pourdanesh back at this point I don’t care!
Ok, maybe that’s a little over reaction but this group is failing the eye test in a big way. Despite what Pro Football Focus might say, lean pockets seem to be few and far between. Geron Christian is on nylon roller skates with no plans, it seems, to get off them. As bad as he was, Wes Martin might have been worse. Aaron Donald seemed to feast on Martin beating him repeatedly. Chase Roullier wasn’t healthy and it showed. In all, the line gave up 8 sacks and 8 quarterback hits . Think about it, more than HALF of Allen and Smith’s throws were made under duress.
Which brings me to Charles. He’s a rookie that Rivera and his coaches were high on during training camp. Charles was slowed by a leg injury during the summer. Maturity questions have followed him to Ashburn from Baton Rouge where he won a national title with LSU last year. Still, if he’s got even a small grasp of the offense, start him and soon. It can’t get much worse, can it?