Washington Redskins: Winners and Losers of Today's Game

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We can blame the refs, the defense or anything at this point. That said, the Redskins didn’t get the job done. You have to credit Andy Dalton and A.J. Green, they are two young and emerging talents.

I liked the fact that the Skins proved they were able to come back from a deficit. That game could have easily been a blowout and they continued to fight.

The major issue is that the Skins are putting up big numbers, but it’s not equating to wins. Adjustments need to be made.

The best way I like to the describe the Redskins is that they are an entertaining team, not a good one. And that’s okay, I would expect a game like this to be won later on in the season.

Below are the winners and losers of today’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Winners: Rob Jackson

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Jackson’s touchdown in the end zone marked the first time since 1994 that the Redskins have had a defensive touchdown in consecutive games.

With Brian Orakpo out for the rest of the season, Rob Jackson is going to have his hands full. You have to root for a player like him too. He's paid his dues, having been on the practice squad for the first two years of his career.

Since then, Jackson has looked best suited as an outside linebacker in this scheme (he was originally a defensive end).

It wasn’t just the interception that makes Rob Jackson a winner of today’s game. It was his work against the run as well.

Is he better than Orakpo? Of course not, but Jackson will be learning on the fly along with other quality backups such as Chris Wilson and Markus White.

He will need to work on his pass coverage if he wants additional opportunities, but I was overall impressed with his first career start.

Winners: Robert Griffin III

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I knew RGIII was going to be good. I didn’t know he was going to be this good. You can argue that he’s already the Redskins' best player.

I will admit, however, that my heart stops for a second every single time he gets tackled. There’s no way that any quarterback can survive those kinds of hits routinely throughout an entire season.

Without his left tackle, Griffin didn’t have the pass protection to throw the ball down the field. Still, he took what the defense gave him, made good decisions and remained poised despite another frustrating loss.

The scary thing is that he’s only going to get better with more experience and the return of his No. 1 receiver, Pierre Garcon.

Winners: Fred Davis

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I was wondering where he went. The talented tight end had seven catches for 90 yards. He can stretch the field, is effective on the play-action and makes plays in the red zone.

Going into the season, I figured Davis and RGIII would connect frequently. He’s been an afterthought in the first two games and we were finally able to see more out of him.

As Davis is playing in his contract year, he’s going to need to have many games like today if he wants to be assured of a long-term contract.

Either way, I would like to see him utilized downfield more often. He’s an incredible athlete and matching him up against linebackers will work towards his favor. 

Losers: DeAngelo Hall

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I know the Redskins play primarily zone and that A.J. Green is a premier wide receiver in this league. However, the Skins are paying DeAngelo Hall like he’s a lockdown corner and Hall himself has stated the same.

That all said, opposing receivers are making a mockery of the Redskins' secondary with Hall being the culprit more often than not.

I’ve stated before that we can accept a few of the head scratching plays DeAngelo Hall makes because he always comes back with a big play. The problem is that he isn’t making those plays anymore.

Losers: Jordan Black

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Other than RGIII, Trent Williams is the most valued player on the offense. Williams’ backup certainly proved that.

Jordan Black is the veteran swing tackle that Mike Shanahan covets for depth purposes. He was clearly shaky in his Redskins debut as Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson had a field day with him.

Without ample time, Griffin faced pressure on a consistent basis, thus preventing the Redskins from making a big play.

Washington will be facing some of the best pass-rushers in the league throughout the season. Not having an effective left tackle is a major concern. If Black plays like he did today, they will need to look elsewhere.

Losers: DeJon Gomes

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Last season, I thought, given the circumstances, that Gomes showed potential as a rookie and should be given a fair opportunity as a starting safety.

Now I can see why the Redskins signed Brandon Meriweather. In the past two games, Gomes has been targeted by the Rams and Bengals in the passing game and he’s struggled against the run too.

It is obvious that the secondary needs the most work on the team. Help is needed.