Washington Redskins Preseason Week 3 Matchup Preview
A first win this preseason won't be the only target for the Washington Redskins when they host the Cincinnati Bengals at FedExField on Sunday.
The Burgundy and Gold will be just as focused on seeing improvement from an offense that has been anaemic through two exhibition games. Washington's O-line crumbled against both the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers, and they can expect another tough test from a rugged Cincy defensive front.
The challenge will be for the Redskins to win the battles in the trenches and finally establish some semblance of a running game. Only the balance created on the ground will open things up more for the passing game.
If things do open up for the air attack, the onus will be on quarterback Kirk Cousins to make better, bolder reads. Specifically, No. 8 must show a greater willingness to attack coverage downfield and take advantage of the Redskins' deep threats.
Read on for a full preview of Washington's third preseason game.
Another Chance for Redemption for Offensive Line
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Pressure has been a common sight through two preseason games, while Redskins running backs have seldom seen inviting holes to attack. In other words, Washington's offensive line has been dire the last two weeks.
Facing the Bengals is another chance for a group with the talent to do better to redeem itself. The Bengals don't boast quite the fearsome D-line they did five or six years ago, but there is still talent along this front.
Familiar faces such as ends Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson, as well as formidable tackle Geno Atkins, are still around. So, too, are versatile rotational players such as Wallace Gilberry, Pat Sims and Will Clarke.
One rotational player the Redskins should be wary of is Chris Smith. The fourth-year rush end logged a sack in Cincinnati's last preseason game and has caught the eye.
Offensive tackle Eric Winston compared 6'1" Smith to Elvis Dumervil, per Dan Hoard of the Bengals' official website. Hoard noted how Smith has the potential to be the "closer" Cincinnati seeks for its pass rush.
Keeping Smith and Co. at bay will be a challenge, but it's one the Redskins must handle. Additionally, Washington's front five has to generate a stronger push to create some room for the running game.
Week 3 of the preseason will showcase how deep the problems are along the Redskins' O-line. Unfortunately, Rick Snider of the Washington Post believes the problems are more than just "vanilla play-calling," also pointing to issues with personnel, including the knee surgery set to keep center Spencer Long out for "at least the rest of the preseason."
Long's absence will give sixth-round pick Chase Roullier the chance to stake his claim for the job at arguably the most suspect position along the line. Fortunately, the 24-year-old has impressed so far this preseason, according to John Keim of ESPN.com.
Line coach Bill Callahan arrived in Washington in 2015 with a reputation as one of the league's best. His expertise must devise the kind of adjustments the Redskins need to stop the rot up front.
Rob Kelley Needs to Step Up
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When the line is struggling this much, every phase of the offense will follow suit. Even so, the Redskins running backs still need to step up and do more with the opportunities they have.
The ball-carrier under the most pressure to improve is Rob Kelley. Washington's de facto starter heading into the new season managed just nine yards from nine attempts during Week 2's loss to the Packers.
The fact those numbers came against Green Bay's starters is most troubling. Kelley needs to prove he can work over starting defenses consistently or else he won't merit leading Washington's rushing attack in 2017.
Whether he does is already open to debate.
Kelley endeared himself to head coach Jay Gruden when he supplanted fumble-happy Matt Jones last season. The former undrafted rookie out of Tulane proved tough, durable, dependable and versatile.
Yet, what Kelley rarely managed to showcase was a legitimate breakaway threat as a runner, despite averaging a respectable 4.2 yards per carry. Still, the 24-year-old lacks dynamic speed and natural shiftiness, exactly the things able to make life easier for a ball-carrier running behind a shaky line.
Kelley's struggles can't simply be explained away by saying "it's only preseason," though. The second-year back is no longer a plucky upstart. Now that he's been given more responsibility, he must prove he can handle it.
Samaje Perine's Development
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Kelley needs to sharpen up, because rookie Samaje Perine is starting to show why he can take his job.
While Kelley floundered against the Packers, Washington's fourth-round pick was the only runner to emerge with any credit.
Perine gained 45 yards on eight carries, albeit against mostly second-string defensive players. Even so, the former Oklahoma workhorse showed off the combination of acceleration and smashmouth force a limp running game needs to spark it into life.
Perine's promising display wasn't lost on Kelley, who praised the rookie's development, per Kyle Tasman of 247Sports.com:
"He was a whole different player from last week. Whenever you see the Samaje you saw on YouTube when you watch his highlight tapes—once he gets going, it's a problem. I think he's one of those guys that you put it on his shoulder, you're going to take it."
He experienced some teething problems in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, losing a fumble, but Perine is steadily beginning to show his potential. What Redskins coaches are seeing is a sudden burst from a naturally bruising runner who can punish defenses between the tackles, won't go down after first contact and will turn average gains into big ones.
Against the Packers, Perine also showed the Redskins some decent chops as a receiver, hauling in a 29-yard reception. He got downfield well on the route and showed off soft hands reeling the pass in.
It was just one catch, but every string Perine can add to his bow will boost his case to play a major role in Washington's running game in 2017. He must build on Week 2's efforts with another positive display against the Bengals.
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Young Defensive Backs Impressing Early
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A franchise with a lengthy recent history for being woeful in the defensive backfield should be encouraged by how its young cover men have been faring this preseason.
Rookies such as cornerback Fabian Moreau and safety Montae Nicholson have shown early signs of promise. Those pointers can only augur well for a secondary talented at its primary positions but seemingly short of quality depth.
Third-round pick Moreau can provide such quality, based on his efforts against Green Bay. ESPN.com's John Keim applauded the former UCLA corner's ferocious temperament:
"He's aggressive and willing to play physical. He also was beat down the right sideline for a 38-yard gain against Green Bay, though he was in position and it took a perfect pass."
Keim also noted how Josh Norman was left impressed by what he saw. The Redskins starter's endorsement speaks to the potential Moreau brings to the rotation.
Such potential is why the Burgundy and Gold used a third-round pick on a player not long removed from a torn pectoral muscle at the Bruins' pro day.
Ultimately, what the Redskins need is for Moreau to emerge as a credible third cornerback behind Norman and Bashaud Breeland. Ideally, the rookie will prove capable of working the slot while also providing insurance against the team losing Breeland in the 2018 free-agency market.
An obvious next man up at the primary cornerback spots is something missing from Washington's secondary. Specifically, a cover man with the size and tenacity to lock up receivers over the middle, qualities lacking in Quinton Dunbar's game.
The 6'0" and 206-pound Moreau has needed only one game to show the physicality and smarts needed for this key role. Now he must build on his initial positive impression.
It's a similar story for fourth-round safety Nicholson. Like Moreau, the former Michigan State ace stood out against the Packers, per Keim:
"Like Moreau, he played for the first time this summer. He rotated well on one deep ball—he was in good position to intercept, but still helped defend. He showed good timing on a blitz off the edge, racing in from 10-yards deep."
Nicholson's combination of coverage skills and downhill aggression are more than welcome in a safety rotation looking short behind prospective starters Su'a Cravens and D.J. Swearinger.
With Cravens still out, Nicholson gets another chance to turn heads.
Special Teams Improvement
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After a rocky outing against the Ravens, Washington's special teams showed signs of life against Green Bay. In fact, elements of football's third phase were downright impressive for the Redskins in Week 2.
Among them, the coverage units were buoyed by rookies such as Moreau stepping up. The first-year cornerback's punt coverage provided a few highlight moments, according to Stephen Czarda of the team's official website:
"After the offense went three-and-out on their opening possession, punter Tress Way lined up to boot a 57-yard punt before Moreau perfectly timed a hit on Packers returner Trevor Davis to jar the ball free from him just seconds after bobbling an attempt to field the ball.
"Moreau got around Packers cornerback Kevin King in a hurry before racing down the middle of the field to slide into Davis.
"The ball would hit the grass at FedExField before tight end Niles Paul gobbled up the ball at Green Bay’s 16-yard line. But Moreau wasn’t done just yet.
"On Way’s next punt, Moreau once again was the first Redskins player down the field, this time halting Davis for a one-yard return."
Moreau's ability to make plays on kick coverage dovetailed well with Way's quality punting. The latter routinely pinned the Pack deep and helped win the field position battle, per Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com.
There has rightly been a lot of focus on Washington's bid to improve defensively. However, the importance of getting better on special teams can't be overlooked.
Dominating field position thanks to the kicking game, as well as forcing a litany of big plays in the coverage and return games, can play as significant a role in a winning formula as a stingier defense.
Think of the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs, who went from 2-14 to 11-5, as a prime example of what a deadly defense and special teams combo can do for a team.
The Redskins aren't in this territory yet, but preseason is at least showing the potential for improvement in what is a crucial area of the kick and coverage units.
Gutsier Play from Quarterback
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Kirk Cousins didn't fool anybody with his performance against the Packers. His numbers may have appeared solid, but how they were accrued told an altogether different, more troubling story.
Cousins put up 144 yards and threw for a touchdown against the Packers. Yet Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch was among those left less than impressed by the performance.
The problem was how most of those yards came on short and risk averse dumpoffs. Worse still, those intermediate, high-percentage throws often came at the expense of longer, downfield strikes.
Cousins appeared reluctant to challenge coverage vertically, or else he simply missed the chances for big plays altogether. Mike Jones of the Washington Post noted examples of where Cousins didn't see receivers downfield and instead settled for checkdown throws.
An offense predicated on creating and exploiting big plays through the air needs its quarterback to be bolder and more decisive in the pocket. More sustained protection will help Cousins work through his reads, but ultimately it's down to the quarterback to know where his big plays are.
The Redskins have moved on from DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, but their pass attack will still be defined by its vertical-strike capability. Replacements such as 6'4" Terrelle Pryor Sr. and 6'2" Josh Doctson are big targets who will be most effective challenging defenses deep.
Cousins has to know what type of receivers he has and how to use them.
Facing the Bengals will provide a necessary examination of Washington's offense and its ability to click into gear with the start of the real action rapidly approaching.
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