Washington Redskins vs. Chicago Bears: The Armchair Coach

Welcome to the Armchair Coach, Washington vs. Chicago.  We'll call this week's article the Damage Control Edition. 

The first string of the Redskins were outplayed in nearly every facet of the game last night by the Bears.    We'll discuss the second half later, but for starters we need to point out that many of the issues the Redskins seemed to face last night happened because this is the preseason.

What do I mean?  Well, lets look at four things to take away from the game that, while not necessarily positive, don't mean the sky is falling either.

This week, fans need to remind themselves that preseason is a time of experimentation, development and conservative thinking by coaches.  Assuming this is the team we'll see come week one in New Orleans is simply wrong.

There is going to be some histrionics, hand wringing and glass-half-empty articles coming out this week about the Washington Redskins, their Quarterbacks and their defense. 

Don't believe the hype. Read on to see why.

There Is No QB Controversy Brewing

Robert Griffin III struggled mightily in the face of an unrelenting attack by the Bears.  He Fumbled the ball.  He got sacked three times.  He learned that games are not easier than practice.

Kirk Cousins was nothing short of incredible.  Three touchdown passes to three different receivers, erasing a 20-point deficit and almost winning the game.  Composed in the pocket; accurate; polished.

Oh yeah, he also played against the Bears second and third strings.  RG3 played against the brutally effective first string Bears defense. I promise you Cousins would not have fared any better behind that offensive line in the first half than RG3 did.

What this game proved is that Shanahan knew better than all of us when he selected Cousins to be the future backup to RG3.

RG3 learned more about how to be an NFL QB against the Bears than he did against Buffalo.  The learning curve for a rookie is tough, especially when you are asking him to be your starter on day one. Rough games and rough situations provide teachable moments that will only make RG3 a better player, sooner.

Remember that Robert Griffin is our starter, Kirk Cousins is playing to oust Rex Grossman as backup and that playing a preseason half against a third string defense should be a lot easier than facing the first string.  RG3 and Cousins: Apples and oranges.

The Offensive Scheme Works, but Can the Linemen Play Their Part Effectively?

What we are able to take away from last night is the fact that Kyle Shanahan's offense can put up numbers, so long as our offensive line can do their job. 

Aye, there's the rub, isn't it?

Last night the already patchwork Redskins line was outmatched, outgunned and outplayed by the Bears defense.  If you want to console yourself, remember that Jammal Brown, Chris Chester and Kory Lichtensteiger were out, Trent Williams was playing hurt and Montgomery has never been considered better than average anyway.

If you want to panic, realize that Brown will likely be out often, if he even plays at all, and there is no guarantee that the 'Stieger will be able to handle a full season either.  But either way, understand that Williams will get better, and the young guys are getting valuable experience that will translate into more effective performances should they need to rotate in during the regular season.

Watching the second half, where the line was more evenly matched up against the Bears defense, we watched Kirk Cousins put on a "Kyle Shanahan scoring machine" clinic.

I've said it before and I'll repeat myself today: the Redskins will go exactly as far as their line can take them this season.

This Is Not the Redskins Defense You'll See in September

Brandon Meriweather and Brian Orakpo got hurt.

London Fletcher and Kedric Golston sat the sidelines and did not play.

There was some significant experimentation in the secondary, including leaving DeAngelo Hall all alone as a single safety several times.  The experiment did not work very well.

Even before the two troubling injuries to Orakpo and Meriweather, the Redskins were literally pushed around and manhandled by the Bears offense.  Afterwards, it was just ugly.

But this is preseason, and the coaches were evaluating schemes and players, not trying to win a football game.  We don't yet know how serious the injuries are, but there was no way either starter was coming back in after leaving the field. 

It's preseason, not the playoffs.  There was no reason to force the issue and risk our starters.  The Washington Redskins are preparing for the regular season, not trying to win the preseason.

The Washington secondary has huge questions that need answering and the only way to get those answers is to see what happens in these meaningless games.  Players are going to play unfamiliar positions, new schemes will be tried, and mistakes will be made.  It's all part of the learning process for an almost entirely new secondary.

Fear not, Redskins faithful, the defense you saw Saturday is not the defense that will take the field in week one versus the angry and hungry Saints.

There Was Some Exciting Growth and Development

Alfred Morris tears off a 21-yard blast on the first run of the game.  He missed a key block on the fumble later, and he's still a rookie looking to earn his place, but he's making it hard for Shanahan to consider him a practice squad player.

Brandon Banks does his thing with a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown.  That play also showed that the Redskins are beginning to get their blocking down on special teams which was sadly lacking last year.

Aldrick Robinson goes 104 yards in six catches and accounts for one of the three second-half touchdowns.

Robert Griffin runs 14 yards on a third and five, showcasing a taste of what we can expect this year from his feet.

Kirk Cousins made a strong statement that he deserves to be the backup to RG3 by going 18-of-23 for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

The Washington Redskins had a rough outing against the Bears, and that cannot be debated.  Just remember to keep it in perspective.

The sky is not falling.  The end is not near. In fact, the beginning is near.  This is a whole new season, and the Redskins fans have a lot to be excited about.