Redskins vs. Jets: Some Observations

The Redskins didn’t enter Friday’s game against the New York Jets under the best of circumstances. Their prized starting quarterback made the trip to New Meadowlands, but didn’t take any snaps with the team because of a sprained ankle. And their spankin’ new 3-4 defense didn’t exactly put on its best performance last week against the Ravens, giving up 23 points and missing key turnovers in a smackdown loss. Not the ideal way to enter your season’s “dress rehearsal” game. So how did the Redskins look last night against the Jets?

They didn’t look spectacular, but they also didn’t look horrible. Here’s what I saw in the game:

• Kyle Shanahan’s new offense is taking some risks. No less than three times, the Redskins’ starting offense took deep shots down the field. While none of them were successful (two were overthrown and the third was dropped by Santana Moss), it at least shows that the team is going to be taking chances this year. Need more proof? The passing offense averaged a respectable 7.25 yards per attempt and an impressive 12.9 yards per completion. An offense that stretches the field is something that many in Washington have been waiting to see for a while.
• The starting offensive line played a tough game. This unit held its own against the Jets blitzing attack and generally gave Rex Grossman enough time to set his feet and make plays down the field. Rookie left tackle Trent Williams had what was arguably the moment of the night when he laid down a block on veteran Bart Scott to open up a hole for his running back. He knocked Scott’s helmet cleanly off his head. This group might not be all there yet, but gutty outings like this one show that they may actually help this offense out this year.
• There’s an intriguing battle underway at wide receiver. There’s a chance that Washington will keep six wideouts this year, something that is unusual for them to do. So who might get that sixth spot? Judging from three preseason games, it’s either going to be Brandon Banks or Terrence Austin. Despite fumbling against the Jets, Banks had a nice 20-yard pickup on a short screen pass and also took a punt to the house against Buffalo two weeks ago. While Austin hasn’t reached the endzone, he did show good quickness and agility last night, catching 3 balls for 34 yards. Hopefully one of these players will take the lead; otherwise, Mike Shanahan will have a hard time choosing between the two.
• The 3-4 defense could be a turnover machine. The Redskins new defense notched four turnovers against a sloppy Jets team. The first came when DeAngelo Hall took advantage of an ill-advised Mark Sanchez throw for his 2nd interception this preseason, the second when rookie LB Perry Riley showed some great hustle recovering a fumble before it bounced out of bounds, and the other two during the junk time at game’s end. Jim Haslett is clearly emphasizing turnovers and short fields this year, and if the team can carry this effort into the regular season, then they’ll quickly earn themselves a good reputation. Also, it would be a breath of fresh air to have a positive turnover ratio in 2010.
• The way I see it, John Beck and Richard Bartel are all but tied in the 3^rd-string QB competition. Beck has absorbed the offense quickly and put together a nice drive for a field goal last night. Bartel started out shaky and made a poor choice by throwing a deep ball up for grabs, but he recovered in time to lead a fourth quarter drive that ended with a screen pass to Larry Johnson for the score. Look for these two to get a lot of playing time in Arizona.
•  The Redskins had better find a ground game soon. Granted, they did face two of the best run defenses in the NFL the past two weeks. But the line has been struggling to open running lanes, while Willie Parker and Larry Johnson look just short of completely lost. In my opinion, these two veterans aren’t the ideal fit for the Shanahans’ new scheme and whichever player makes the team shouldn’t be any more than a third-down/short-yardage option, on account of each being power-style runners. By the way, if anyone’s interested, my money’s on Larry Johnson.

As you read this, you might be wondering at my optimism, especially considering that the Redskins needed a late rally to beat the Jets after the starting offense only mustered two field goals. But honestly, all circumstances considered, I thought it was a good showing. The O-line played with guts. The defense was tough on third down and forced turnovers. And Grossman wasn’t awful. Despite some overthrown deep balls, he played well enough to make me feel better about him possibly filling in for McNabb in case of injury (As for that fumble-turned-safety, I thought that Rex actually made a smart play. Even though he’d botched the snap, he remembered the score, and opted to give up two points instead of trying to be a hero and giving up a touchdown. He prevented a bad play from turning worse).

So while it wasn’t the dominant showing that Redskins Nation might have hoped for, it was far from the embarrassing beatdown that they feared it would be after last week’s lackluster outing. And with opening day less than two weeks away, it was a mostly solid performance that the team can build on.