Jordan Reed Must Step Up for Washington Redskins Offense
Forget Waldo, where's Jordan Reed? That's the question every other member of the Washington Redskins offense should be asking after the team's dynamic tight end has been persona non grata in recent weeks.
Reed has the talent and potential to be as productive as any tight end in the NFL. But you'd hardly know it from his latest numbers:
| Week | Game | Catches | Yards | Touchdowns |
| 14 | vs. St. Louis Rams | 3 | 25 | 0 |
| 15 | at New York Giants | 3 | 13 | 0 |
| 16 | vs. Philadelphia Eagles | 2 | 5 | 0 |
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That pitiful eight-catch effort began just two weeks after Reed had recorded his best game of the season and the second-most productive of his career. He hauled in nine passes for 123 yards against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13.
Before that, Reed had managed just three catches combined in two games against the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively. That dismal two-game run followed a three-week spell where Reed had tallied 20 catches for 186 yards.
Getting the picture yet? Reed is struggling to be consistent. He's also failing in one other notable area.
If you're wondering why a touchdown column was included in the table when it simply houses three goose eggs, it's because those eggs have plenty of company. Reed has yet to score a touchdown this season, a disturbing reality for a player with his excellent hands, agility and quickness.
Reed's inability to get in the end zone and his erratic overall form have robbed the Washington passing game of an invaluable outlet. "Move" tight ends—which is what a wide receiver trapped in a tight end's body like Reed is—can provide any offense with a matchup advantage and a natural source of big plays.
That's how things are supposed to work. It's exactly how they do work whenever Reed is at his best.
Sadly, that's been a rare occurrence this season. Even when Reed has played well, as he did in Indianapolis, there are still worrying flaws in his game that explain his inconsistencies this season.
Reed has been missing his natural escapability in recent weeks. He's not shedding coverage as easily as he once did. Nor is he turning short passes into long gains via yards after the catch.
That was obvious on a pair of third-down conversions against the Colts. The first came on Washington's opening drive in the first quarter.
Reed aligned split out as a wide receiver on 3rd-and-6 in the red zone. He was matched up with cornerback Greg Toler:
With Toler offering a substantial cushion, Reed's catch was a simple one. But the grab was made short of the first-down marker.
Reed's task was now to outrun Toler and linebacker Jerrell Freeman to secure enough yards to convert:
Rather than splitting the gap between the linebacker and corner, Reed attempted to run around Freeman and cut the play back into the middle:
But Reed wasn't quick enough or strong enough to leave Freeman trailing and escape the former CFL star's clutches:
Reed was stopped two yards short of earning a fresh set of downs. That meant the Redskins had to settle for a Kai Forbath field goal, failing to fully capitalize on Ryan Kerrigan's sack and forced fumble of quarterback Andrew Luck.
In the third quarter, Reed's sudden limitations after the catch proved even more costly.
On 3rd-and-8, Reed was part of a bunch set, paired with veteran Santana Moss in the slot. He would eventually be isolated against safety Mike Adams:
Reed made the catch in space and should have been able to make the most of his mismatch against Adams:
Unfortunately, Reed wasn't quick or nimble enough to press the play toward the sideline. Instead, he attempted to turn back inside:
But Reed didn't spin far enough beyond Adams. The veteran safety made a shoestring tackle while cornerback Vontae Davis had time to provide an assist:
Reed's failure left the Redskins facing 4th-and-1. Head coach Jay Gruden opted to go for it. But all his gamble led to was a sack and forced fumble by Erik Walden that the Colts returned for a touchdown.
This epic-scale disaster had its roots in Reed's struggles to be the type of athletic playmaker he is expected to be. To use his move skills to convert in clutch situations.
These failings help explain why Reed has made just two starts from 10 appearances this season. Meanwhile, Gruden has often preferred Niles Paul in his place.
It wasn't always this way. Earlier in the season, ESPN Redskins reporter John Keim detailed Reed's positive impact on football's money down during his rookie year:
"Last season, in nine games, Reed caught 14 passes on third down, with 13 going for a first down. In weeks 6-11 last year, Reed’s longest stretch of the season and when he became a bigger focal point in the passing game, Washington converted 53.8 percent of third downs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. For the 2013 season, the Redskins converted 40.4 percent of third downs.
"
Regression in this key area during his second season is proof of Reed's disappointing lack of progress.
But it isn't just on third downs where Reed's struggles are harming this offense. Too often he's been missing in action near the goal line.
On the opening drive against the Philadelphia Eagles, Reed couldn't get open on 3rd-and-goal. He began the play flexed into the slot and would soon match up with cornerback Nolan Carroll:
Although Reed signaled as if he was open, he'd hardly gained much separation from Carroll:
Perhaps it didn't help that quarterback Robert Griffin III had stared down Pierre Garcon and very quickly tossed the ball the wide receiver's way. However, had Griffin even seen Reed it's difficult to believe there was enough separation to make this an easy and inviting throw.
Reed certainly wasn't elusive enough or subtle enough out of his break to get beyond Carroll. He'd have given Griffin no obvious throwing lane.
But it's not just Reed's move skills that have deteriorated this season. His overall athletic dynamism, the quality that helped him stand out as a rookie, has diminished.
That was clear on a pass play from the 8-yard line against the New York Giants in Week 15. Reed was split out wide, one of Washington's favorite ploys near the end zone.
The tight end was in a favorable matchup against safety Antrel Rolle:
In this case, Griffin did exactly the right thing. He launched a jump ball for Reed and Rolle to compete over in the air. Again, this is a matchup that should have favored Reed and the Redskins:
But 6'2", 237-pounder Reed wasn't strong enough to work his way in front of the 6'0", 206-pound Rolle:
Instead, Reed was behind Rolle and in a poor position to outjump the defensive back, who had gotten his body between the tight end and the ball:
Rolle knocked the pass away. The next play saw Griffin's ill-fated scramble for what seemed like an apparent touchdown only to be ruled a fumble. The Redskins had earned no points because Reed hadn't made his matchup advantage count.
Making third-down conversions and being a terror in the red zone are the things a talented "Joker-style" tight end like Reed is supposed to thrive in. Monday's article discussed how a get-out receiver would be invaluable to Griffin.
But it's Reed who should be the quarterback's go-to target. Think Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers.
Gates is the template all tight ends who are built and move like Reed should aim for. The 34-year-old still hasn't lost his knack for getting open.
It was his performance that inspired the Chargers' thrilling Week 16 comeback against the San Francisco 49ers. It was Gates's 28-yard grab on 3rd-and-4 halfway through the second quarter that really got the Chargers rolling. There's that third-down conversion.
Later, Gates made a one-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter to pull San Diego to within two scores. There's the proficiency in the red zone Reed is sorely missing.
Obviously, Reed faces an uphill battle to draw favorable comparisons to Gates. But he has the talent to eventually do so. He certainly has the ability to produce much more than he is doing now.
It's true that injuries haven't helped his quest for consistency and progress. As a rookie, Reed missed seven games and made only four starts. This season, he's been sidelined for five games.
But it's what Reed has done—or more specifically, not done—when he's been available that should be Washington's bigger concern. It's high time a player who should be one of the best young weapons at his position in the NFL delivered on his promise and stepped up for the Redskins offense.
All statistics via NFL.com.
All screen shots courtesy of CBS Sports, Fox Sports, NFL Network and NFL.com Game Pass.
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