The Redskins were never going to win this game. They weren’t even supposed to compete. The box score will show a 33-7 loss for Washington, but the first-half performance speaks a lot louder than any numbers could.
There is still an endless list of things in which the Redskins can improve, but they proved on Sunday that they haven’t given up on the season. The offense was awful again, amassing only 210 total yards, with just 75 yards in the air. Colt McCoy doesn’t appear to be the answer, and we’ve seen that neither Case Keenum nor Dwayne Haskins can currently get the job done either.
While coach Jay Gruden has now dropped to 0-5 on the season, he will likely keep his job, at least for another week, because of the effort and heart shown by the defense on Sunday. Let’s take a look at a couple of our biggest takeaways from this game.
The Redskins showed heart early
The final score may have been ugly, but the Redskins kept it a close contest for the first half and much of the third quarter as well.
After Washington jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, the defense was able to stifle New England’s offense and hold Tom Brady to just 12 points in the first half and 2-for-8 on third-down tries. Twice the Patriots were gifted the ball deep in Washington territory, but both times the Redskins defense held strong and forced a field goal.
While the offense wasn’t anything above mediocre, they at least put a few points on the board and didn’t let New England’s top-ranked defense cause too much damage. It was rumored earlier this week that Gruden might have lost some of the players in the locker room, and it would start to become apparent on the field if it hadn’t already. The Redskins played with passion and fire on Sunday, and they proved that narrative wrong.
A new beginning for the defense
Contrary to the first two weeks of the season, it was the Redskins defense that put on a show against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Though the final scoreboard will reveal that the Patriots scored 33 points, Washington showed great improvement in several areas that they needed work on.
The defensive line consistently got pressure on Brady, sacking him four times total, including three times in the first half. The Redskins, who are one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to getting off of the field on third down, held the Patriots to 5-for-15 on that down and 0-for-1 on fourth down.
New England rushed for 130 yards and one touchdown, and Brady finished the day going 28-for-42 for 348 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. For an average defense, this is not anything to write home about, but for the Redskins’ historically disappointing unit, it’s cause for celebration. Washington proved that they can keep a game close if their offense can put a few points on the board. Compared to any of the weeks prior, Week 5 was a marked improvement.
