Washington Redskins vs. Arizona Cardinals:Full Report Card Grades for Washington
In the Washington Redskins' 30-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals it was much of the same. The Redskins play their opponent close, then implode late.
Thanks to four turnovers in the fourth quarter, Washington extended its year-long losing streak on the road to 10 games.
Despite outgaining Arizona 407 to 317, Washington struggled to find the end zone. Converting just two of 12 third downs, the team didn't surpass 20 points for the fifth time in six games.
Sporting a 1-5 record, the return of Robert Griffin III is the lone thing Redskins fans have to look forward to in this lost season.
But back to this Week 6 bout. Here are the position grades for Washington.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Now that he has eight career starts under his belt, there's enough of a sample size to evaluate Kirk Cousins as a starting quarterback.
While his 1-7 record certainly stands out, ball security, or lack thereof, has to be the biggest takeaway. In his seventh consecutive loss as a starter, Cousins had three interceptions.
True, he did complete over 60 percent of his passes, throw for two scores and amass 354 yards through the air, but all of Cousins' turnovers came in the fourth quarter. This is a trend going back to his outings against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. When it's crunch time and the pressure mounts, he doesn't rise to the occasion.
Talk about his command of the offense all you want, as Michael Phillips of the Richmond-Times Dispatch notes, Cousins isn't the team's best option at quarterback, Robert Griffin III is:
"If it wasn't clear three hours ago, it is now. Robert Griffin III is this team's only long-term option. #Redskins
— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) October 12, 2014"
With Griffin believed to be returning in Week 8, next week's contest against the Tennessee Titans could be Cousins' last chance to showcase himself as a starter to other teams.
Grade: C-
Running Back
2 of 10
Coming off a 29-yard outing in Week 5, Alfred Morris was once again a non-factor. On 13 carries, he netted just 41 yards.
Not known for his elusiveness, Morris has been set back by the offensive line's inability to open rushing lanes.
Spelling Morris, Roy Helu had more success. Rushing for 26 yards on three carries, Helu also made an impact in the passing game, garnering 40 yards on two receptions. Helu was an effective outlet for Cousins when Arizona sent pressure, and he held his own in pass protection.
Billed as the foundation of the team's offense at the onset of the season, the 72 yards Washington tallied on the ground isn't going to cut it going forward. While the average of 4.2 yards per carry is an upgrade over last week, behind this offensive line, the team's quarterbacks won't excel if they don't have the running game to keep defenses honest.
Grade: C-
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Finally sporting its full array of weapons, Washington showcased its depth of talent at receiver and tight end.
Led once again by DeSean Jackson, this position group had 21 receptions for 300 yards. Resigned to gaining the majority of these yards after the catch, because of Arizona's pressure, the Redskins' wideouts didn't do much damage deep downfield.
That doesn't mean they didn't produce big plays, though. Jackson beat Patrick Peterson on a slant route for a 64-yard touchdown. For the game, Jackson had three receptions for 115 yards.
Seeing his first action since the season opener, it was Jordan Reed who led the team in catches, with eight. Going against his former employer, Andre Roberts also made an impression. While he had a crucial (though questionable) fumble late in the game, Roberts did net 55 yards on five catches.
A forgotten man in Week 5, Pierre Garcon was targeted only six times against Arizona, third on the team. Tallying four receptions, 31 yards and a touchdown, Garcon has to be involved more going forward.
Grade: B+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Maligned as the weak link of the offense, Washington's offensive line held up well.
In pass protection that is.
Despite being constantly outflanked by an aggressive Cardinals defense, the team allowed only two sacks and four quarterback hits. Additionally, this group sprung the Redskins' receivers in the screen game.
Be that as it may, the running game once again never got untracked. While some of this was due to Arizona loading the box, there were multiple occasions when the team's offensive line got pushed back at the point of attack.
With the Cardinals front already down Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett, that shouldn't have been the case. Slated to go against a Titans defense that is 26th in rushing defense, the Redskins' offensive line will get its shot at redemption in Week 7.
Grade: C
Defensive Line
5 of 10
A week after getting gashed to the tune of 6.3 yards per carry, the Redskins were stout against the run in Arizona.
Resembling the team that held LeSean McCoy to 22 yards earlier this season, Washington held the Cards to 74 yards rushing.
Despite facing a back in Andre Ellington that possesses big-play ability, Washington allowed a long of just 18 yards. Surrendering just 3.2 yards per rush, Washington's defensive front did its job and forced Arizona to be one-dimensional.
Grade: B
Linebackers
6 of 10
Despite dropping back 45 times to pass, Carson Palmer was sacked only once, and that came about because of a fumbled snap.
Evidenced by the seven quarterback hits the team registered, Washington couldn't finish plays on Palmer. In one sequence, Palmer was wrapped up by Jason Hatcher and Brian Orakpo, but he still managed to get off a pass to Ellington for a first down.
Fatigued in the second half, the hits on the Arizona quarterback eventually came to a halt. Given a clean pocket to throw from, Palmer carved up a wounded Washington secondary and netted 15 first downs through the air.
Even with that said, this Redskins defense did limit the yards Arizona netted after the catch. The team-leader in tackles with nine, Ryan Kerrigan blew up multiple screen passes with sound tackling. On the coverage side, while the Cards tight ends and running backs combined to catch 14 passes, they only garnered 62 yards.
Grade: C+
Secondary
7 of 10
Already weakened by the loss of DeAngelo Hall and Tracy Porter, the Redskins lost David Amerson early in this contest to a concussion.
Fielding a secondary that featured rookie Bashaud Breeland as the top corner, it comes as no surprise that Washington allowed Larry Fitzgerald to run roughshod over its defense. Tallying six receptions for 98 yards, Fitzgerald easily had his best game of the season.
Allowing Palmer to complete 28 of 44 passes, Washington can take solace in the fact that it limited his completions downfield. For the game, Palmer averaged just 5.4 yards per pass. An offense that loves the deep ball, Arizona's longest completion was 24 yards.
All things considered, the Redskins were average. When you're relying on the likes of Breeland, E.J. Biggers, Chase Minnifield and a hobbled Ryan Clark to slow down opposing offenses, that's really all you can ask for.
Grade: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
You know Washington's special teams is bad when Ted Ginn Jr. not scoring a return touchdown is cause for celebration. Utilizing touchbacks on kickoffs, and with the aid of penalties by Arizona, the Redskins held Ginn to 58 yards on four returns.
A game that featured its share of punts, Tress Way shined by averaging 47.4 yards per kick. While his attempts were chippies, Kai Forbath did connect on both his field-goal attempts.
Still, when the Redskins really needed a big play, this unit didn't deliver. In its bid to keep its comeback bid alive, Washington failed horribly in its attempt to recover an onside kick:
"Those #Redskins special teams are quite simply dynamic. RT @BarstoolNate: Worst onside kick in NFL history. https://t.co/30bTskVqj2
— Joe Bianchino (@Joe_1045) October 12, 2014"
It wasn't your typical showing, but the Redskins play on special teams remains uninspiring.
Grade: C+
Coaching
9 of 10
Knowing that his offense would face its share of blitzes, head coach Jay Gruden planned accordingly. Through his use of screen plays, Washington was able to net its share of big plays in the passing game.
Even with that said, Gruden also had his miscues. A week after committing to the run, almost to a fault, Gruden went away from the rush in this contest. While Arizona loading the box surely played a part in this, Cousins has proven in the past that you can't put too much on his plate. And by throwing 38 times, that's exactly what Gruden did.
Shifting to Jim Haslett's side of the ball, what really could defensive coordinator do? When he called blitzes, his defense couldn't finish plays on Palmer. When he had his unit play coverage, take that back, he couldn't. When you field a secondary that features fourth-stringers and practice-squad players, you're limited as to what you can do.
Still, the penchant for allowing his DBs to give receivers 10 yards of cushion remains a mystery. Furthermore, his play-calling could be deemed predictable.
All told, though, both coaches aren't working with a full deck, and thus will be given some leeway.
Grade: C
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
| QB | C- |
| RB | C- |
| WR/TE | B+ |
| OL | C |
| DL | B |
| LB | C+ |
| Secondary | C |
| Special Teams | C+ |
| Coaching | C |
| Cumulative Grade | C |
Almost is a word Washington's players have to be tired of hearing by now. Of the team's five defeats, four have been one-score games at some point in the fourth quarter.
Down 20-13 in the fourth quarter, the Redskins had their chance to turn this trend around. And they dropped it, literally. Palmer lofted a pass right into the mitts of Brian Orakpo, and he simply dropped it.
Could he have scored? Who knows. That's not the point.
These are the plays Washington has missed out on all season. As a result, a team that started the year with promise now has a 1-5 record. All told, it's October and the Redskins are already playing for next season.
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