Washington Redskins' Week 2 Stock Report
The stock's up for the leader of the Washington Redskins' running game headed into Week 2. But Alfred Morris has plenty of company.
Specifically, a member of the defensive line appears primed and motivated to put a disappointing 2014 season behind him. He was in game-wrecking mode during Week 1's 17-10 home loss to the Miami Dolphins.
There's also more good news for the offense. A key weapon for the passing game showcased the excellent hands and dynamic athleticism that make him such an obvious matchup nightmare for defenses.
The Burgundy and Gold's roll call of villains is a short one despite the new term beginning in defeat. There's a place on the list of shame for a special teams player who did as much to contribute to that loss as anyone.
He's joined by a veteran wide receiver whose lack of concentration continues to undermine his talent and prevents him from making a niche role in the offense his own.
Read on for a full accounting of Washington's stock report as the Redskins get ready to host the St. Louis Rams.
Stock Up: Jason Hatcher, DE
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In what was generally a solid defensive performance, Jason Hatcher managed to stand out. He was a consistently disruptive force against the Dolphins.
Whether it was in the run game or collapsing the pass pocket, the veteran Hatcher gave Miami's offensive line fits. The 33-year-old was in on four tackles, including three solo stops, logged a sack and batted a pass down.
Hatcher looked like his old self. Not the old self who suited up for the Redskins in 2014. That version of J-Hatch was a mere shell of the true game-wrecker within.
Instead, this was the player who earned a Pro Bowl berth with the Dallas Cowboys in 2013 as one of the deadliest interior pass-rushers in the NFL. That's great news for a Washington defense that needs Hatcher in dominant form this season.
The unit needs his ability to make big plays on both base and sub-package downs. It's a need reflected by Hatcher pacing all Washington D-linemen by playing 43 snaps in the first week, according to Keith McMillan of the Washington Post.
His performance against the Dolphins proved two things, both of which will please defensive coordinator Joe Barry.
The first is that Hatcher has responded well to the greater emphasis on one-gap principles in this season's defense. Those principles certainly suit a player more comfortable shooting past blockers rather than merely occupying them.
Second, Hatcher looks primed to return to his Pro Bowl level, to once again merit the moniker "Big Daddy." He addressed both concerns this offseason during an interview with Redskins Nation host Larry Michael (h/t CSN Mid-Atlantic's Tarik El-Bashir):
"The scheme has changed. I can get back to being ‘Big Daddy’, upfield making plays and not just holding up blockers. You just got to do what they pay you to do. If they tell you to hold up blockers, that’s what you got to do. But this year, they can kinda turn me loose and I can go upfield and do what I do. Hopefully Big Daddy will be back in the building.
"
Based on Week 1, it's safe to take Hatcher at his word.
Stock Down: Tress Way, P
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Tress Way knows he messed up in Week 1. He knows he cost the Redskins the chance to win and helped gift the game to the Dolphins.
Way knows his punt to Jarvis Landry gave an already-suspect coverage unit little chance to make a play. The Dolphins wideout returned the kick 69 yards for a touchdown after noticeably encountering next-to-no resistance along the way.
Way knew he messed up, something he made clear after the game, as noted by ESPN.com's John Keim:
"I was trying to flip the field a little bit and get momentum going. I usually hit the ball straight up in the air and specialize in hangtime. I tried to unleash it and flip the field.
Usually my punt has a wobble to it so when it came down pretty quick, I had a bad feeling in my stomach that I gave him too much room. Sure enough he came up the gut and took it to the house. I left everyone hanging out to dry.
"
Way's issues on the kick speak to the continued failure of Washington's special teams unit to play in sync. As DC Hot Read's Chris Russell pointed out at the time, Way probably did outkick his coverage (something the player later confirmed). But linebacker Perry Riley Jr. was still culpable in coverage.
Add the two things together, and you have failures in both departments needed to ensure a stable kicking game. Of course, a stable kicking game is not something Washington has been used to in quite some time.
To be more precise, Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post noted how the Redskins have given up nine kick and punt return or blocked kick scores in 33 games since 2012. Ouch, and ouch again.
Way's stock is down, but he's merely one cog in a clapped-out old machine that continues to undermine this team season after season.
Stock Up: Jordan Reed, TE
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The most tantalizing and frustrating player on the roster was at it again in Week 1. Jordan Reed offered another reminder of just how dominant he can be if only he'd stay in one piece.
Reed hauled in seven catches for 63 yards against the Dolphins, including grabbing Washington's lone score. In typical Reed fashion, not all of those catches came from a classic, in-line tight end alignment.
Instead, the gifted and versatile 25-year-old again proved a roving "Joker," one who lined up flexed in the slot, split out wide and even in the backfield. Miami's coverage couldn't track No. 86, and he became quarterback Kirk Cousins' favorite outlet.
Honestly, there's no real surprise in any of this. It's merely how things are supposed to work with Reed. But wait, that elephant still won't leave the room.
What happens if he gets injured? Scratch that. What happens when the best tight end on the roster gets injured?
That's a question Cousins doesn't want to answer, not after Reed played 67 snaps against the Dolphins, second-highest among all Washington skill-position players, according to Steinberg. Cousins needs Reed to keep providing him a mismatch from multiple spots on the field.
To that end, Rams linebackers James Laurinaitis and Alec Ogletree will provide a tougher test in Week 2. Both are competent in coverage.
But in this form, Reed can make a fool out of any linebacker and outmuscle any defensive back. His stock needs to continue to soar.
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Stock Down: Andre Roberts, WR
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Andre Roberts should be a major part of this team's passing game. He runs smart routes and possesses legitimate field-stretching speed. If it wasn't for those pesky hands of his.
Roberts let two passes slip through the most buttered fingers on the team in Week 1. One of those drops preceded Way's ill-fated punt, according to 106.7 The Fan's Grant Paulsen.
A second drop prompted Russell to have a little fun with Roberts' increasing reputation as one of the least reliable pairs of hands in football. The real tragedy is this is a talented player wasting his opportunities to fill vital roles on the team.
Roberts has not stood out as a return man, something special teams still lacks, among the laundry list of things that group needs. But worse still, Roberts isn't a reliable third receiver.
His veteran presence and versatility should be huge assets in this offense. That's especially true since primary outside weapon DeSean Jackson was ruled out for about three to four weeks with a hamstring problem, as noted by ESPN.com news services.
Roberts must start playing himself into a more prominent role. If not, extra pressure will be heaped on the shoulders of young pass-catchers—second-year man Ryan Grant and rookie Jamison Crowder.
Stock Up: Alfred Morris, RB
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Entering a contract season and with a new kid on the block ready to take his place, Alfred Morris proved there's still life in the old dog. No. 46 barrelled his way to 121 yards on 25 tough carries in Week 1.
In the process, Morris looked every inch a three-time 1,000-yard rusher, rather than a back inching toward the scrapheap. He ran with patience and power, picking cutback lanes well and almost always making whoever tackled him pay a heavy price.
Of course, partial credit for the performance of Morris and the running game as a whole belongs to Washington's offensive line. Anthony Gulizia of the Washington Times detailed how the young right side of rookie guard Brandon Scherff and second-year tackle Morgan Moses "neutralized" Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake with "a variety of cut blocks and zone schemes."
He also singled out center Kory Lichtensteiger and left guard Shawn Lauvao for praise. The line delivered big in Week 1. If it repeats the trick against the Rams' formidable D-line rotation in Week 2, its stock won't just be up—it'll be above the clouds.
The O-line clicked into gear, and the play-calling emphasized the run. Morris was the biggest beneficiary of this combination.
Provided head coach Jay Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay stick with that plan, Morris is in line for a monster year.
In fact, there was enough evidence during the season's opening game to suggest this will be a better year for the team as a whole. There's a definite identity on both sides of the ball.
Letting the run continue to lead the way on offense while the defense swarms to the ball, led by playmakers like Hatcher, will mean the Redskins won't stay winless for long.
Unless otherwise stated, all statistics and player information via NFL.com.
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