5 2014 Stats Washington Redskins Must Improve Upon in 2015
It's not just in fantasy football that stats matter.
You know the player and coach culprits from the Washington Redskins' dismal 4-12 campaign in 2014 by now. But do you know the stats that all but assured Washington would miss the playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons?
No? Let's find out then. Here are five 2014 stats that the Redskins must improve upon in 2015 if they're to contend for a playoff spot.
Coverage Sack Percentage: 28.6
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You'd think otherwise since the Redskins allowed an NFC-high 58 sacks in 2014, but as it stands, they are set to return the main cast of characters from last year's offensive line.
To date, Tyler Polumbus is the only offensive lineman of significance Washington has shown the door. The draft could bring an intriguing prospect or two into the fray, and new offensive line coach Bill Callahan could get the most out of the NFL's fourth-highest paid offensive front, per Spotrac.
But now for the reality check. At best, these additions will merely elevate the team's offensive line from poor to mediocre. With that in mind, the team is going to need a better showing from its quarterbacks and receivers in 2015.
According to ESPN Stats & Information (h/t ESPN's John Keim), Washington sported the second-worst percentage of coverage sacks in the league last year with 28.6 percent.
This is a direct result of Washington's trio of quarterbacks holding the ball too long. While some of this does fall on the team's receiving corps, head coach Jay Gruden cited the need for his quarterbacks to be more decisive with the football, per Keim.
With a year under their belt in Gruden's system, whether it's Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins or Colt McCoy under center, the team should see marked improvement in this area in 2015.
3rd-Down Percentage: 32
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Despite fielding an offense that featured DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Alfred Morris, Washington was 26th in scoring last season with just 18.8 points per game.
Regardless of its bevy of weapons, the team was undone by its poor showing on third downs. The Redskins converted an NFC-low 32 percent of their 197 third downs last season.
And wouldn't you know it, of the 15 teams that converted under 40 percent of their third downs in 2014, only two made the playoffs.
If Washington is to make progress, it'll have to improve its effectiveness on first and second down. In 2014, the team faced 3rd-and-long (more than six yards to a first down) 48 percent of the time, per ESPN.com.
They were far from elite when it came to running on first and second down (4.2 yards per carry) last season. But when you take into account how frequently they netted negative plays in the passing game on early downs (230 yards lost on 33 sacks), running the ball more is the remedy for the Redskins' woes.
Sacks: 36
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Wasn't the pass rush supposed to be a strength of Washington's defense in 2014? Against the Jacksonville Jaguars it was, the team had 10 sacks. The other 15 games, though, it netted just 26.
No wonder the team scurried to acquire Terrance Knighton and Stephen Paea in free agency. But they alone won't be enough, and fortunately, this is something Gruden already recognizes.
Speaking to ESPN's John Keim, he expressed his desire to add another pass-rusher.
"To add another pass-rusher would be outstanding, whether it's first, second, third, fourth, whatever round we get. There are some good pass-rushers in this draft—not just early, but late," Gruden said. Owners of the fifth overall pick, the Redskins' best bet is to fill this void early.
Of the top 15 prospects on the Big Board of ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., six prospects specialize in getting after the quarterback.
Time will tell which pass-rusher, if any, the team picks. But one thing is for certain: With the secondary in flux, it'll be up to the pass rush to keep the pass defense afloat.
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Pass Defense: 32nd
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An improved pass rush will help. Chris Culliver will help, too. But when you're ranked as Football Outsiders' worst pass defense, as Washington was last season, the help can't stop coming.
Across the board, the team couldn't defend the pass. Its defense was rated 28th and 30th against opposing No. 1 and No. 2 receivers, respectively. Looking to their coverage against tight ends, it was much of the same. The team was 29th in the NFL in defending tight ends.
Most of all, though, Washington was hit for too many big plays. It was rated 30th by Football Outsiders in defending the deep ball, surrendering 56 receptions of 20-plus yards and 12 catches of 40 yards or more.
Between Ryan Clark missing tackles, Brandon Meriweather blowing coverage assignments—David Amerson too, now—and a litany of injuries ravaging the team's depth in the secondary, these misgivings aren't the least bit surprising.
With the Culliver signing and DeAngelo Hall's return, in addition to "hopeful" improvement from Amerson and Bashaud Breeland, the team's cornerback position is at least solidified now. The safety position is another matter.
Jeron Johnson was brought aboard to challenge for a starting job, but with just one career start, he's hardly a proven commodity. And the same can be said for any prospects the Redskins select in the draft.
A salary-cap casualty could bolster the outlook at safety on the open market down the line. But for the time being, the team's pass defense will hinge on someone among Phillip Thomas, Duke Ihenacho, Akeem Davis and Trenton Robinson stepping to the plate and earning a starting gig.
Turnover Margin: -12
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More games are lost than won in the NFL. The Redskins epitomized that in 2014.
Not only was the team 30th in the league with a minus-12 turnover margin, but opponents scored 91 points off its 31 turnovers, per SportingCharts.com.
In its four wins last year, it didn't lose the turnover battle once. So while Washington needs its defense to churn out more than 19 takeaways, protecting the ball has to be the chief concern of the team and its quarterbacks.
In addition to throwing 18 interceptions, six of the team's 13 fumbles can be attributed to the quarterback position.
How can this improve?
For starters, Cousins should be kept out of the lineup. Despite appearing in just six games, he tossed nine interceptions. According to SportingCharts.com, his interception percentage of 4.4 was only eclipsed by Jake Locker's and Matt Cassel's last season.
Fortunately, this showing put Cousins behind McCoy and Griffin on the depth chart.
When you consider that McCoy and Griffin carry career interception percentages of 2.8 and 2.2 percent respectively, health is the only obstacle Washington has to overcome here.
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