Washington Redskins: Creating the Blueprint for Optimal Offense in 2015
Making things easier for quarterback Robert Griffin III is the only way to create an optimal offense for the Washington Redskins in 2015. In fact, it's the only way the Burgundy and Gold can win in the new season.
Without more competent play under center, the Redskins will waste one of the more skilled contingent of receivers in the NFL. The recurring question marks surrounding Griffin and the rest of the quarterbacks on the roster are one reason why B/R's Chris Simms ranks an otherwise talented unit last among offenses in the NFC East:
Fortunately, the blueprint for making things easier for Griffin is simple. Better put, keeping things simple is the way to make Griffin more effective.
The Redskins can achieve this in three key ways. New general manager Scot McCloughan has already committed to the primary focus: Bolstering an offensive line that gave up 58 sacks in 2014.
He used two prominent draft picks on the position, as well as appointing a marquee coach to work with new talent and reshape the few competent incumbents.
Without better line play, any scheme changes or individual improvements will be irrelevant. Thankfully, the Redskins have finally gotten serious about improving up front.
It's also good news that the team is already well advanced with the other two ways of making Griffin and his offense more effective.
Establish and Lean on a Power-Based Running Game
A productive running game easing the burden on a quarterback is not something exclusive to Griffin. But there's no doubt Washington head coach Jay Gruden needs to lean on the running game more than he did in 2014.
A rushing attack that was previously one of the league's best sank to 19th in the rankings last season. It's no coincidence that number came in the same year Morris was given the fewest carries in his career.
Perhaps Gruden will be more likely to lean on the ground attack if its style is one he prefers and trusts. That's clearly the thinking behind moves to abandon the outside, zone-stretch scheme installed by predecessor Mike Shanahan in 2010.
In its place, the Redskins intend to attack defensive fronts between the tackles with smashmouth power. It's an intention that's been behind three major offseason moves.
The first was hiring Bill Callahan away from hated foe the Dallas Cowboys to coach the offensive line. Callahan tends to emphasize the kind of hat-on-hat, drive blocking that is essential to power schemes.
He certainly did that in Dallas as overseer of a massive front five comprised almost exclusively of prime draft picks. Nobody in D.C. would have been more thankful than Callahan to be given monster offensive tackle Brandon Scherff to bookend Pro Bowler Trent Williams.
B/R's Matt Bowen believes 6'5", 319-pound Scherff can be a breakout player for a strong unit up front, one built on the premise of hitting "people in the mouth":
Scherff won the Outland Trophy as college football's best O-lineman based largely on his ability to dominate on the ground. CBS Sports' Dane Brugler and Rob Rang dubbed Scherff a "force in the running game" and an "outstanding drive blocker."
As the team's prospective starting right tackle, Scherff will be the cornerstone of the new power-based system. He's now part of a line that's also gotten bigger at other key positions.
Gruden and Bruce Allen recruited 6'3", 315-pounder Shawn Lauvao last offseason to play left guard because of his fit in a power scheme. Now the team has wisely cut lightweight, finesse-style right guard Chris Chester, according to Mike Jones of The Washington Post.
Jones indicates Spencer Long and fourth-round pick Arie Kouandjio, two 310-pounders, will now compete to replace Chester and add more bulk inside. Kouandjio certainly offers ample experience playing in a power system from his days at Alabama.
Whoever wins the job of replacing Chester, 2015's O-line is going to be bigger. It will also receive better coaching from an assistant determined to dominate on the ground.
But that determination is no empty promise. It couldn't be when Alfred Morris and third-round rookie Matt Jones are two sledgehammer-style ball-carriers.
Morris has the broad shoulders and thick base to run with power. But the 5'10", 224-pounder has so far made his name in the pros running behind zone blocking.
How quickly and successfully Morris adapts to life outside that system is one of the more intriguing questions facing Washington's offense this offseason. It's encouraging, then, that the three-time 1,000-yard rusher is already expressing his confidence about the new scheme, per Tom Schad of The Washington Times:
"It’s not new. I did all downhill in college with the Power I. Did a little inside zone, maybe a tad of outside zone, but mostly it was just downhill, so I feel like I’m better in downhill plays anyways. I’m excited for the new plays we put in, and some of the changes, slight changes, that we made, so I’m excited about it, but it’s nothing new.
"
Morris' reference to the Power I is great news for fullback Darrel Young. He should see the field more often in a ground attack that counts I-formation looks as a staple. Having one of the league's best blocking backs regularly in the lineup can only mean good things for this offense.
So can Jones' arrival. Even taking last season's reduced workload into consideration, Morris still has plenty of tread on his tires for a player who only entered the pro game in 2012.
It makes sense to have an insurance policy around to not only keep Morris fresh, but also guard against struggles he might have in the new scheme.
For a final word on what the new system may look like, ESPN's John Keim offers this detailed description:
"Florida Atlantic ran a lot of power with Morris, focusing on runs between the guards. His job: break inside the pulling guard's block and stay downhill. It requires patience, something Morris always showed -- he excelled at pressing the hole, setting up his blockers on the backside for success.
"
Keim's reference to pulling guards is a telling one. Linemen moving around the corner as lead blockers is something fans should expect to see a lot from this revamped rushing attack in the new season.
Callahan was a key figure for a Cowboys offense that let DeMarco Murray power his way to a league rushing title in 2014, so there'll be a lot of lead draws and other assorted north-south plays for Morris and 231-pound bruiser Jones to execute.
Consistent power running will not only punish and wear down defenses. It will also control the clock and give Griffin more manageable down-and-distance situations.
What he does with those situations will depend largely on how the receivers around him are used.
Feature Matchup Receivers on Quick, Safe and Simple Throws
Quicker reads and more efficiency with the ball—that should be Griffin's mantra for 2015. To help him realize it, Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay should scale back their playbook.
Specifically, they should replace complex, timing-based route progressions with a series of safe, underneath throws that put shifty playmakers in space. The first step has to be featuring the right kind of shifty playmakers.
For the Redskins, that means a speedy and elusive running back who can be moved around the formation to manipulate coverage looks and turn short passes into big gains. Two obvious candidates exist in the form of brittle Chris Thompson and undrafted rookie Trey Williams.
Both are in the pint-sized, scat-style mold to be matchup nightmares in space. Griffin has never had this kind of player during his three years in the pros. In truth, the franchise has lacked an obvious back of this type since Joe Washington and then Kelvin Bryant were in town.
For a useful lesson or two in how to use this type of player effectively, Gruden should take his cue from the Kansas City Chiefs. He should borrow a page from head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Doug Pederson.
OK, so you probably knew it was coming, but just indulge me. Few would argue Alex Smith is a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback, but he has guided the Chiefs from a 2-14 finish to consecutive winning seasons.
Smith's play took him to the Pro Bowl in 2014. It also earned him a lucrative, $68 million contract. Remember, this is a quarterback that was once considered a draft flop and a mere "game manager."
But the Chiefs weren't stubbornly tied to the desire to get Smith to live up to his billing as a first overall draft pick. Instead, they crafted an offense that would maximize his strengths, a quick and accurate release on short throws, while hiding his weaknesses, the lack of elite arm strength.
The foundation of Reid and Pederson's approach has been a passing game based on short throws targeting backfield receivers in space. Here are two great examples of how it works.
The first comes from the Wild Card Game following the 2013 season, a road game against the Indianapolis Colts. Smith and the Chiefs faced a 3rd-and-5 in the second quarter.
Kansas City's two-back set soon spread the Colts' nickel personnel out by flexing Dexter McCluster in motion out into the slot:
With McCluster in the slot, the Colts had to match up with either slot corner Darius Butler or a safety. Just by moving McCluster, the Chiefs had forced the Colts into an obvious single-high safety, man coverage underneath look.
On this occasion, McCluster would swing toward the underneath flat:
With wide receivers running vertical routes to draw coverage away from underneath areas and McCluster escaping under those routes, notice how easy a target he presented Smith:
Smith had a quick and simple throw to make, one that put the ball in McCluster's hands in space. What the Chiefs had really executed was an elevated screen.
Wide receivers Donnie Avery and Dwayne Bowe established and maintained blocks to give McCluster an obvious lane to attack:
With those blocks established, McCluster had two paths to take:
He took the outside lane and gained 19 yards. That's 19 yards simply from flicking the ball into the hands of a nifty back running a short-range, underneath route.
It can be that easy for Griffin provided he's given plenty of plays like this. A later play from the Chiefs' tilt with the Colts is simplicity itself and another example of stealing positive yards.
It's another screen, this one dumped off to Knile Davis. The idea was to beat an Indy blitz:
Misdirection was the key to this play. Kansas City pulled a real shuffle by drawing the Colts' coverage one way while freeing Davis on the other side. Notice how every other viable receiver attacked the other side, drawing would-be tacklers away from the opposite flat.
Even though Indianapolis brought two blitzers off the play-side edge, Smith had the ideal play to beat it with a quick and simple throw:
With coverage pulled in the other direction, Davis had plenty of open field to attack and rambled his way for 13 yards:
Again, that's 13 yards off a throw you or I could have made. Another great aspect of this play was having Davis as a target.
The 227-pounder is a thickly built inside runner, but that doesn't preclude him from making an impact as a receiver. Because he may lack speed, the Chiefs adjust to find ways to give him more space.
How's this relevant to the Redskins? Well, it means Gruden doesn't just need Thompson or Williams to emerge as a viable threat. He can also trust Young, a fine receiver, as well as Jones, an underrated one, to contribute to the passing game.
Speaking of a contribution, Gruden will also need one from fourth-round pick Jamison Crowder. He's a natural fit to play slot receiver, something else Griffin needs.
Crowder is a 5'8", 185-pounder with a knack for getting lost in the shuffle underneath and finding the voids in coverage. With the ball in his hands, he's an elusive burner who can make people miss and give defenders fits after the catch.
Gruden already knows how to use this type of receiver. While running the offense for the Cincinnati Bengals, he had great success moving 5'7" Andrew Hawkins around to create yards during the 2012 season.
Two plays show how Gruden did it, and also reveal what he might have in store for Crowder. The first comes from a Week 13 win over the San Diego Chargers.
On 1st-and-10 in the second quarter, Cincy set up a quick pass to release Hawkins from the slot in a three-receiver, trips set:
Just like the Chiefs, the real concept was a screen in the flat. As soon as Hawkins reeled in the short throw from quarterback Andy Dalton, Cincinnati's outside receivers clamped onto their coverage and secured blocks:
On this occasion, the result was only seven yards. That's low for a quick and nifty slot receiver, but it's still a solid gain from a glorified pitched handoff.
But the main advantage of a prolific slot receiver is the ability to consistently win over the middle. Hawkins showed that skill at work in Gruden's offense one week later against the Cowboys.
Hawkins went in motion pre-snap on a 3rd-and-5. He flexed into the slot to put the Dallas Cover 2 shell under immediate stress:
Now in a favorable, one-on-one matchup, Hawkins made the most of single coverage to quickly get open over the middle. He gave Dalton an easy target to hit:
Because of how the Bengals' outside receivers stretched the field vertically, Hawkins had plenty of room underneath:
Notice how far the deep safety was from Hawkins. He was simply left to beat initial coverage, something a pocket-sized speedster with nifty moves can do easily and often:
It doesn't take much of a read for any quarterback to spot the lone receiver beating coverage underneath. Giving Griffin this type of read can speed up his release and create greater confidence making quick decisions on downfield throws.
Of course, all of these concepts rely on specific types of receivers. Crowder gives Washington one particular piece the offense needs. He'll be more explosive than either Ryan Grant or Andre Roberts.
But even if Crowder wins the job as this team's leading possession receiver, at least there's two more on hand for the type of plays needed to make Griffin more assured from the pocket.
The same is true of the double act at tight end. Both Niles Paul and Jordan Reed are "move" weapons who can manipulate and beat coverage from a variety of alignments.
Reed is certainly the more dynamic, but he's also extremely brittle, with his latest ailment a sore knee that's already caused him to miss time during OTAs, per NFL.com's Dan Hanzus. Reed's continued struggle to stay healthy offers another endorsement of McCloughan's smart decision to bring Paul back during free agency.
The point is even without an obvious scatback emerging yet, Griffin still has a small army of weapons who can execute the kind of can't-miss, quarterback-friendly plays that will improve his game.
The flourish can be applied to these plays by still releasing star wideout DeSean Jackson deep. His vertical threat is too good to ignore for long.
Given how a heavier reliance on the running game will create play-action opportunities, one of Griffin's core strengths, Jackson's ability to stretch defenses may be even more effective in 2015.
But the real key to one half of the offense will be getting Pierre Garcon more involved than he was last season. Although he managed 68 catches, Garcon was certainly marginalized following Jackson's arrival.
However, as a big-bodied target who becomes a bruising running back after the catch, Garcon is invaluable for the quarterbacks on this roster. Gruden needs to revisit some of the concepts, notably the middle screens, that let Garcon set a franchise receptions record in 2013.
Gruden wants to get Garcon the ball more often in the new season. In fact, he wants to spread the passes around more between Washington's ample list of pass-catchers, per Stephen Czarda of the team's official site:
"I think moving forward we get some stability at the quarterback position, you’ll see all the numbers go up for all the receivers hopefully. A lot of people would rather just hand it off, but I think we need to spread it out and be diverse in what we do and get these guys these touches. These guys work extremely hard. For us not to give them opportunities to make plays down the field is silly. So, Pierre, DeSean, Jordan Reed, Andre, those guys are going to get their opportunities.
"
It's a bold plan considering the uncertainty at quarterback. But Gruden's sharing scheme can work so long as the concepts are pared down and designed to put more onus on receivers than the man under center.
That has to be the basis of Washington's optimal offense for the new season, more important even than the necessary improvements needed along the line. The running game has to lead the way, but be complemented by a passing game that is also ball-control in design and execution.
Only then will the Redskins have a system that masks Griffin's limitations but still lets the team win.
All screen shots courtesy of CBS Sports, Fox Sports, NBC Sports and NFL.com Game Pass.
All statistics and player information via NFL.com.
.jpg?w=480 "NFL Combine Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Fans React to Simpson Pick")
.jpg?w=600 "Manning Asked Mendoza to Attend Draft")
