5 Adjustments Washington Redskins Must Make in Week 4 Matchup with Philadelphia
Days removed from a heavy defeat to a bitter NFC East rival, the Washington Redskins still need only minor adjustments to right their season against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4.
Those adjustments involve getting two sub-package playmakers more involved on offense. The fleet-of-foot pair can turn short passes into big gains and give struggling quarterback Kirk Cousins vital checkdowns against pressure.
On the other side of the ball, Washington defensive boss Joe Barry needs to mix things up. It's vital he stirs the pot to produce a heady brew of more elaborate pressure designs and aggressive coverage.
Read on for a full breakdown of the five adjustments the Redskins can make ahead of welcoming the Eagles to FedEx Field.
Get Creative Defensively
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This is the big one headed into Week 4. Barry has to roll the dice more often defensively. It means taking a few more risks at both ends of his unit.
Up front, Barry needs to send extra rushers, while his front four continues to struggle generating meaningful heat. Barry's current formula of a four-man rush in front of a seven-strong coverage structure just hasn't been working.
That's a shame considering it hasn't taken much more than a four-man rush to disrupt the Philly offensive line. Both the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys made life miserable for quarterback Sam Bradford by winning the individual battles in the trenches.
They did it with edge-rushers who consistently won on the outside. Hybrids such as O'Brien Schofield and Jeremy Mincey gave the Eagles fits.
The Redskins have similar flexible rush ends in rookie Preston Smith, Trent Murphy and Ryan Kerrigan. But the difference is that trio hasn't been winning this season, evidenced by just 1.5 sacks between them through three games.
So the onus is on Barry to riff the formula to create more pressure. He ought to explore how other teams use a host of pass-rushers who have crossover skills between defensive end and outside linebacker.
The New England Patriots are, unsurprisingly, one of the league's best in this area. They've been wrecking protection schemes simply by moving edge players all over the front in different combinations. There's nothing whatsoever stopping Barry from doing the same.
More pressure doesn't automatically mean pushing the blitz button. Barry can use the illusion of the blitz to set his edge-rushers free more often.
That might involve stacking the A-gaps on both sides of Eagles center Jason Kelce with inside 'backers and safeties. This will force Philly's protection to pinch inside and create one-on-one matchups or even free rush lanes on the outside.
Either way, Barry has to do more to scheme a pass rush after his defense barely got within touching distance of Eli Manning and the New York Giants in Week 3.
Tighten Up the Coverage with More Aggressive Techniques
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As important as getting more pressure, the Redskins have to tighten things up in the secondary. Fortunately, it's a quick fix for Barry and secondary coach Perry Fewell.
Simply put, they must let their cornerbacks play more aggressively. That means allowing both Chris Culliver and Bashaud Breeland to do what they do best, namely, press receivers at the line.
The pair must get physical with Philadelphia's wideouts in a way they never did against the Giants. ESPN Stats & Information highlighted how prolific Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle were allowed to be: "Manning was 14-of-16 for 195 yards, 11 first downs and two touchdowns targeting Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle."
Despite Eagles receivers not reaching similar heights this season, the Redskins can't make the same mistake again. In particular, Jordan Matthews is an underrated danger man who will burn this below-par secondary if he's given too much freedom.
Of course, there's simply no reason not to let Culliver and Breeland play press. After all it's the technique most closely aligned to their respective natural games.
Rolling the corners up tight on receivers can also help neutralize the Philadelphia running game. Playing a tight Cover 1 or Cover 3 shell will put 10 defenders in the box and challenge the Eagles passing game to carry the offense in a way it hasn't been able to do all season.
Most important, a more physical brand of coverage, doled out at close quarters, will bring out the best in Breeland and Culliver.
Get Chris Thompson and Jamison Crowder More Involved
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The main bright spot to coming out of the 32-21 loss to Big Blue was the dual performances of running back Chris Thompson and wide receiver Jamison Crowder. They both showcased their talent for turning safe plays into hefty gains thanks to speed and skill in space, particularly after the catch.
First-year receiver Crowder caught six balls for 45 yards against the Giants. Thompson was even better, reeling in eight for 57 yards and a score.
The latter also displayed his potential as a manipulator of coverage and a mismatch nightmare. Had it not been for a pass-interference penalty incurred by tight end Jordan Reed on the game's first third down, Thompson would've burned the Giants for a huge gain from a wide receiver's alignment.
He'd split out and was isolated against a linebacker. Cousins targeted him on a vertical route up the sideline. It's a ploy many teams, including the Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys, have used this season. Thompson offers Washington's passing game the same means for exploiting defenses.
But the biggest advantage both Thompson and Crowder afford Cousins and the Redskins is a quick read for the quarterback. Late in the game against the Giants, Cousins started to beat the rush and make smarter decisions, thanks to safer throws underneath to Crowder and Thompson.
He'll need that same luxury against the Eagles. The Philly defense is no slouch when it comes to making quarterbacks eat dirt. The unit, led by standout D-tackle Fletcher Cox and hustling edge-rusher Connor Barwin, has logged five sacks already this season.
More plays for Crowder and Thompson will help Cousins keep Eagles pressure at bay.
Produce More Big Plays Through the Air
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It sounds overly simplistic, but there's been a distinct lack of big plays from Washington's offense this season. It was most obvious against a Giants defense otherwise susceptible to giving away chunk gains.
Mike Jones of the Washington Post has detailed how those tasked with moving the ball for the Burgundy and Gold have struggled to push it down the field this season:
"Big plays have proven elusive for Washington. The offense has scored only one touchdown of 30 yards or longer, that play being the 39-yard Matt Jones touchdown run versus St. Louis. The unit’s longest pass was a 35-yard pickup that didn’t result in a touchdown. All three of Cousins’ touchdown passes have come from four yards out (one to Jordan Reed, one to Pierre Garcon and one to Thompson).
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Jones also pointed to the absence of defensive turnovers and game-changers on special teams as clear problems. But in an offense-driven NFL, the onus is on that unit to stretch the field.
The task will get easier for Cousins and Co. if legitimate burner DeSean Jackson returns from injury in time to face his old team. Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post believes deep-threat receiver Jackson has a chance to feature in Week 4.
Giving Cousins a home-run target who can take the top off a defense in one play will make things easier for No. 8. Not only will it force the Eagles into a more passive brand of coverage, it will also serve to open things up underneath.
That would be great news for Reed, Thompson and Crowder—three skill-position playmakers who can get yards in chunks for Washington's workmanlike offense.
Even without Jackson, head coach Jay Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay can't be afraid to have Cousins go vertical. That might mean sending Thompson long or pushing Reed further into the secondary.
Whatever the method, the Redskins need big plays through the air against an Eagles team that's already given up nine pass plays of 20 yards or more, according to the league's official site.
Re-Establish the Run
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Call me Captain Obvious, but the most important thing on Gruden's agenda between now and the Eagles coming to town must be re-establishing Washington's powerful rushing attack.
After dominating the first two weeks of the season, Washington's running game certainly didn't click against those miserly Giants. Big Blue limited the Redskins to a mere 88 yards from 20 carries on the ground.
Citing New York's strength in this area is no excuse. Washington will win or lose this season based on its performances running the ball.
In particular, Cousins needs the support of a consistently effective ground attack, as Anthony Gulizia of the Washington Times has noted: "Once the game plan broke down, Cousins was a departure from the efficient game manager he was in last Sunday’s 24-10 victory against the St. Louis Rams, when he completed 23 of 27 passes for 203 yards."
Fortunately for Cousins, the Redskins certainly have the weapons to not say quiet on the ground for long. As CSNMidAtlantic.com's Rich Tandler suggests, Alfred Morris and Matt Jones give the team that's "on pace to run the ball 500 times this year" the chance to "have two 1,000-yard rushers in a season."
Of course, for that to happen, both Jones and Morris need to produce bounce-back efforts against the Eagles. It won't be easy considering Cox has been a nightmare for Washington blockers the last few seasons. Fellow D-lineman Bennie Logan is also an underrated force inside.
But the Redskins boast a tougher offensive front this season. The group's newfound tenacity will undergo a stern examination in Week 4.
By adding a little to the playbook on both sides of the ball, along with reasserting one of the core qualities of this season's team, Washington can put defeat to the Giants in the rearview and be well-placed to rebound against the Eagles.
All statistics and player information via NFL.com.
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