In the Washington Redskins preseason opening lost against the Atlanta Falcons, 23-17, like any game, there were some positive things you could take away as well as negatives. Let’s start with the positives first.
Positives from tonight:
Quarterback Kirk Cousins and the first team offense didn’t miss a beat in their only series of the game. They didn’t score but Cousins went 5-5 for 39 yards and the offensive line gave Cousins great protection, which enabled him to survey the field and find open receivers.
The first team defense held up their end of the bargain as well. They were able to create pressure on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, not allowing him to complete a pass in his two series on the field. The first team defense forced consecutive three and outs before their night was done.
A lot of young guys had the opportunity to play tonight and four in particular stood out to me. First was rookie quarterback Nate Sudfeld. Sudfeld was impressive in his professional debut. He went 10-15 for 89 yards and a touchdown. Head coach Jay Gruden said he had great command of the huddle and no delay of game penalties, which is half the battle for a quarterback coming out of college.
Second was rookie linebacker Su’a Cravens who played with high energy and aggression when he was on the field. Cravens made plays both on defense and special teams showing flashes of his versatility that excites Redskins’ fans. He finished the night with four tackles, two for a loss, and a pass deflection.
The final two players that impressed me were rookie running backs Robert Kelley and Mack Brown. After a non-existent running game in the first half, Kelley and Brown both provided a spark for the offense in the second half. Kelley did most of his work in the third quarter, scoring the first touchdown of the game for the Redskins. Kelley finished with 7 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown. Brown took over in the fourth quarter and took advantage of his opportunity. Making guys miss and running through tackles, Brown found ways to gain positive yards on the ground earning 7 carries for 28 yards.
Worth Noting: Kicker Dustin Hopkins and punter Tress Way look to be in midseason form already.
Negatives from tonight:
After the first team defense night was over, the Redskins’ secondary struggled giving up big plays down the field, in particular cornerback Quinton Dunbar. Dunbar was beaten twice by Falcons wide receiver Aldrick Robinson, leading to a field goal and touchdown respectively.
I mentioned it earlier, but the Redskins running attack didn’t look good. Matt Jones and Keith Marshall struggled to hit the hole and gain positive yardage, combining to rush for zero yards in the game. Backup quarterback Colt McCoy had the longest run of the first half for the Redskins for eight yards and as a team finished the first half with only 12 yards rushing. Not the start Jones and Marshall wanted for the start of the 2016-17 season, all be it’s only the preseason.
Special teams also has work to do, in particular the kickoff coverage team. They gave up a 101 yard kickoff return touchdown to start the second half. The Redskins had a day of practice dedicated to special teams only so far this training camp, but Gruden stressed after the game that special teams has to be fixed.
Yes it was only the first preseason game, but no coach wants to see the amount of penalties the Redskins amounted tonight. The Redskins finished the game with 14 penalties, showing a bit of undisciplined by the young guys playing in their first National Football League (NFL) game.
Takeaway from preseason opener:
Other than the first team offense and defense, Gruden and the rest of the coaching staff will have a lot of uncertainty when it comes to filling out their 53-man roster.
