Washington Redskins vs Houston Texans: Full Report Card Grades for Washington
If the Washington Redskins' 17-6 loss to the Houston Texans is any indication, Washington once again may be one of the biggest teases in the NFL this season.
Despite edging Houston in yardage, first downs and red-zone attempts, the Redskins fumbled their way to a ninth-straight loss.
Already, there's a sense of urgency for Washington to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants set to follow them on the schedule.
"On the team's sense of urgency, @RGIII: "There is always a sense of urgency after a loss...No one wants to go 0-2...We want to get to 1-1."
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) September 7, 2014"
Completing 29-of-37 passes for 267 yards, Robert Griffin III didn't appear to be any more comfortable in the pocket then he did in his much-maligned sophomore campaign. Sacked three times, Griffin's lack of pocket awareness was evident and it forced head coach Jay Gruden to ditch any plans to attack down the field.
As a result, the likes of Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson were limited to a paltry 7.7 yards per reception.
With Alfred Morris' effectiveness running the ball, you can't help but feel that Washington under-utilized the third-year back. Finishing the game with an average of 6.5 yards per carry, Morris only had 14 carries.
Outside of a 76-yard touchdown by DeAndre Hopkins, the Texans offense didn't move the needle against an improved Washington defense. Be that as it may, the eight points the Redskins surrendered on special teams make this a moot point.
What should've been the first victory in a potential 2-0 start, this loss could be a damaging blow to the Redskins' playoff prospects at season's end.
But enough of the future talk. Let's take a look at the position grades for this contest.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Who said numbers never lie?
On the surface, Griffin's numbers don't look that bad. He completed 14 of his first 15 passes and connected on almost 80 percent of his throws on the day. Still, due to poor protection and his lack of pocket awareness, Griffin was limited to short passes. On two of his ventures down the field, Griffin missed on possible touchdown connections with Garcon and Andre Roberts while under duress.
Griffin only averaged 7.2 yards per completion, and the majority of that was acquired after the catch. Factor in Griffin's three sacks and two fumbles, one of which was lost, and he did little to silence his doubters.
While it's far from time to spark up any conversation of Kirk Cousins, a similar performance next week against the Jaguars could intensify the pressure on Griffin with the Eagles and Giants due to close out the first quarter of Washington's schedule.
Grade: C-
Running Back
2 of 10
With 131 rushing yards, Washington's rushing attack delivered against a stout Houston front seven. Still, there remains a mystery as to why the Redskins only rushed the ball 23 times.
Washington's lone scoring drive, literally, was driven by the rushing attack. Covering 46 yards, all plays on that drive were runs. Finishing the game with 91 yards, Morris in particular wasn't utilized enough.
He only had eight carries in the first half and finished the contest with just 14 touches. Tallying 61 yards on just six touches, Roy Helu also performed well.
With the pressure that the Jaguars put on Philadelphia in the opener—they registered five sacks—you have to hope that Gruden will play to the strength of his offensive line and run the ball more in Week 2.
Grade: A-
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Brought in to be a deep threat, DeSean Jackson didn't stray too far from the line of scrimmage in this contest. Although he recovered from a lackluster start—16 yards on his first five receptions—Jackson only had 62 yards on eight receptions.
While he is more accustomed to garnering his yardage after the catch, this was also the case for Pierre Garcon. He had 10 receptions for 77 yards on the game.
Peaking at the production from the tight end position, Washington again has to be pleased. Even with Jordan Reed exiting the game with an injury, Griffin completed all seven of his passes to this position group.
Leading the team in receiving with 86 yards, Niles Paul turned in the team's only big play in the passing game. Registering a 48-yard reception, Paul was set to put Washington on the brink of tying this contest, but he promptly fumbled at the end of the play.
It may not be the production we'll grow accustomed to as the season progresses, but given the circumstances—poor pass protection—this unit got the job done.
Grade: B
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The weak spot of Washington's offense last season, it's somewhat surprising that Shawn Lauvao is the only new member in the starting lineup. With the draft picks the team invested on this group, though, this may not remain the case all season.
While the offensive line paved the way for Morris and Helu to run effectively, this unit was overpowered consistently in pass protection. Despite boasting the weapons to feature a potent vertical attack, the lack of time Griffin was given to pass forced Gruden to employ short passes over and over again.
Sacked three times on the game, Griffin's transition into a pocket passer will be a failed one if the offensive line allows the franchise quarterback to be hit 14 times again.
Grade: D
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Carrying over its performance from the preseason, Washington's defensive line had a constant presence in Houston's backfield.
In his Washington debut, import Jason Hatcher registered his first sack and had one tackle for loss.
Looking at how this unit fared in the running game, the stats once again don't tell the complete story.
True, Arian Foster did have 103 yards, but it took him 27 carries to get it. Registering over four yards per carry his whole career, Foster only had 3.7 yards per carry in this game.
The lone negative from this group was the injury suffered by Barry Cofield:
"Barry Cofield's high ankle sprain is a situation. Neild already hurt. Thin at NT. I'm guessing lots of Baker.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) September 7, 2014"
While not a death sentence because of the improvement of Jarvis Jenkins and versatility of Chris Baker and Kedric Golston, at the very least, Washington's depth along the defensive line is now compromised.
Grade: B
Linebacker
6 of 10
With the likes of Trent Murphy, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan in tow, Washington's pass rush was expected to be one of the strengths of this team.
In the opener, the team's lone sack came from the defensive line. Even with that said, it wasn't as if this group didn't pressure the quarterback. Already known for his quick release, Ryan Fitzpatrick was aided by Houston's play calls.
Through the use of quick hitters and screen passes, Fitzpatrick evaded Washington's rush and was hit just four times. Shifting the focus to the men in the middle, Perry Riley and Keenan Robinson turned in solid performances. Combining for 12 total tackles, this duo kept Foster from breaking into the secondary. His longest rush was just 10 yards.
With Houston only completing three passes to its backs and tight ends, this unit held up its end on pass defense as well.
Grade: B
Secondary
7 of 10
With Hopkins' touchdown being the headliner, the Redskins' secondary was once again the weak link. From the missed tackles in the open field to the lofty cushions the cornerbacks gave Houston's receivers, this unit wasted a valiant effort from the front seven.
Now, this group did allow only two receivers to register receptions. Problem was it was Hopkins and Andre Johnson who garnered them. Combining for 10 catches and 182 yards, the majority of this duo's yardage came without the presence of tight coverage. Too often Washington's defensive backs conceded short receptions.
Considering some of the Fitzpatrick's errant throws, you can't help but think that the Redskins missed out on turnover opportunities by virtue of playing soft coverage. Minus Tracy Porter and Brandon Meriweather, one would think that this group will improve upon their return.
Grade: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
Different season, same old Redskins special teams. While the return game looks to be improved with Andre Roberts—he averaged 28 yards on kick returns and 18 yards on punts—even this glimmer of hope was overshadowed by Washington's miscues on special teams:
"Watch: Darrel Young's wonderful tackle of teammate Andre Roberts on a Redskins punt return. Oy. (via @_JakeRussell). https://t.co/QwIWfCK1WD
— Nick Mathews (@Nick_Mathews) September 7, 2014"
Allowing an extra point and a punt to be blocked—which was returned for a touchdown—you could say legitimately that the difference in the game was the Redskins' porous showing on special teams.
Solid but not elite on offense or defense, Washington isn't at the point where it can overcome such deficiencies on this unit.
Grade: D-
Coaching
9 of 10
From Gruden's aversion to running the football to defensive coordinator Jim Haslett's passive defense, Washington's coaches didn't put their team in the best position to succeed.
Particularly in Gruden's case, his choice not to move Griffin outside the pocket was curious. While he did implement screen passes to evade Houston's rush, his play-calling became predictable. With the success Washington had running the ball, some play-action rollouts would've provided Griffin with additional time to survey his options down the field.
On defense, Haslett's decision to limit Houston's big plays backfired. While it kept Washington in striking distance, the lack of aggressive play calls enabled a turnover-prone quarterback like Fitzpatrick to avoid the type of mistakes that his defenses typically thrive off of.
Grade: C-
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
| QB | C- |
| RB | A- |
| WR | B |
| OL | D |
| DL | B |
| LB | B |
| Secondary | C |
| Special Teams | D- |
| Coaching | C- |
| Cumulative Grade | C- |
Now on a nine-game losing streak, the Redskins had plenty of glimpses in this contest that indicate the talent base is improved. Even with that said, it's hard to overlook the fact that in a game Washington clearly should've won, it lost by double digits.
As the result of this contest indicates, NFL games aren't won, they're lost. Until the Redskins can get out of their own way and avoid the miscues that are the hallmarks of bad football teams, they'll remain on the latter end.
This team was a prime candidate to have a turnaround season, and with a bit of fine tuning, the team can still follow that script. With Jacksonville next on the schedule, Washington has a prime opportunity to gather itself and build some confidence entering its slate of divisional games.
All stats are courtesy of ESPN.com.
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