Washington Redskins Week 4 Stock Report
Headed into Week 4, there's been a significant drop in stock for the two men at the top of the 2015 Washington Redskins. Neither the head coach nor his chosen quarterback covered themselves in glory during Week 3's 32-21 defeat to the New York Giants.
Jay Gruden found himself and his staff clearly outcoached by Tom Coughlin and the Giants. They were second-guessed on both sides of the ball.
As a consequence, quarterback Kirk Cousins was taken out of the comfort zone he needs for the Redskins to win on his watch. Instead, No. 8 reverted to the type of mistake-ridden outing that already has fans and pundits clamouring for the return of Robert Griffin III. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, indeed.
But it's not all doom and gloom for the Burgundy and Gold. Washington can at least point to solid outings from two offensive playmakers as reasons for optimism headed into hosting the Philadelphia Eagles.
Read on for a full accounting of the Redskins' stock report as Week 4 approaches.
Stock Down: Joe Barry
1 of 5
Washington's defensive coordinator merits his place on the negative side of this list after implementing and overseeing a game plan that was way too passive against the Giants.
Big Blue passer Eli Manning could easily have phoned in his 279-yard, two-touchdown performance. He certainly wasn't under duress at any point in Week 3.
Manning, despite playing behind a reshuffled offensive line, consistently enjoyed a clean pocket because Barry's defense got nowhere near him. Washington's pass-rushers were persona non grata because they weren't winning individual battles in the trenches.
Yet rather than mix things up with some blitz calls or a few different looks to create more favorable matchups, Barry stuck rigidly to a very vanilla brand of defense.
His formula of rushing four and dropping seven has produced the second-worst turnover ratio in the NFL, per Anthony Gulizia of the Washington Times. Gulizia quotes several defensive players, including cornerback Bashaud Breeland and D-tackle Ricky Jean Francois, talking up the need to force some takeaways.
He also cites Gruden lamenting the lack of pressure as the root cause for just one forced turnover this season:
"We’re not getting enough pressure when the quarterback is throwing the ball. If we’re not going to get pressure, we have got to get some hands in the throwing lanes, tip some balls. We’re playing hard on defense. We’re stopping the run fairly well.
They’re doing a lot of good things but we’ve just got to figure out ways to get the ball out, get them into some third-and-long and then bring some pressure.
"
Gruden is absolutely right. That's not a sentence I feel particularly comfortable typing.
But "playing hard" is only going to take any defense so far. Every unit needs to produce splash plays. The current formula isn't helping the players do that. So it's up to Barry to get creative with his pressure and coverage concepts to try and force some big plays.
There is a balance to be struck between Barry's restrained approach and the overly complex ideas of previous play-caller Jim Haslett. That balance needs to reveal itself against the Eagles.
Stock Up: Jamison Crowder
2 of 5
If there was a ray of light from Week 3, it's shining on Jamison Crowder and Chris Thompson. The former showcased his potential to be a major weapon in Washington's underneath passing game.
The public-relations section of the team's official site detailed Crowder's breakout showing against Big Blue:
"Wide receiver Jamison Crowder recorded career highs in receptions (six) and receiving yards (45) and scored the first points of his career on a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.
The two-point conversion from Cousins to Crowder was the Redskins’ first since Nov. 17, 2013 at Philadelphia, a game in which the Redskins recorded two successful two-point conversions.
"
Crowder displayed a true knack for creating separation in tight zones. He also showed off reliable hands and very useful quickness after the catch.
The first of those qualities has been missing from the supplementary receiver corps this season. In particular, veteran Andre Roberts continues to waste both his talent and the ample opportunities Gruden has afforded him.
Citing Pro Football Focus stats, CSNMidAtlantic.com's Tarik El-Bashir highlighted Roberts' ongoing issue hanging onto the ball: "Roberts has been credited with two drops this season, according to ProFootballFocus.com. Last year, Roberts reeled in only half of his targets (36 of 72) and dropped a team-worst seven passes, also according to PFF."
Every offense needs a sure-handed possession receiver who can consistently turn short passes into solid gains. It's especially valuable for a young and developing quarterback who has struggled with efficiency issues the way Cousins has.
Since Roberts hasn't been providing that type of outlet, Crowder's impressive night is very timely. He's got the right attributes to thrive from the slot, including the type of make-you-miss moves that can give his quarterback a quick and easy read.
Stock Down: Kirk Cousins
3 of 5
By now, you ought to know the book on Cousins in Week 3 by heart. Two bonehead interceptions, one missed touchdown strike (two if you broaden the requirements of quarterback play to superhuman feats of eyesight and literally throwing through people) and the kind of edginess that made every pass attempt an exercise in dealing with fear.
Cousins still has this kind of game in him. That's the main problem with playing 2012's fourth-rounder under center.
The other problem would be how every mistake from No. 8 is magnified and treated as a fatal blow to his chances of keeping the starting job.
We're three games into the season, and the Redskins are 1-2. They'd be 2-1 had it not been for defensive and special teams breakdowns against the Miami Dolphins on opening day.
Yet one bad game is all it's taken for talk of the return of RG3 to get so loud it's deafening. Mike Jones of the Washington Post notes how Griffin's presence "continues to loom over this franchise," and he believes No. 10's "days as a backup are beginning to dwindle."
Jones' view echoes the report from Bleacher Report NFL Insider Jason Cole stating franchise owner Dan Snyder still hasn't given up on the idea of the Griff' making it as Washington's starting quarterback.
Frankly, it's staggering that would even be under consideration given the litany of on-field woes and off-field controversy Griffin has generated the last two-and-a-bit years.
But Cousins doesn't have the luxury of crying about any perceived injustice. Ultimately, only better performances from No. 8 will silence the voices calling for RG3.
That means cutting out the mistakes and playing within a plan that allows him to manage a game rather than throw it away. Liz Clarke of the Washington Post noted how the problems are more about decision-making than mechanics. She also suggested the biggest challenge is calming Cousins down without making him retreat into a shell from which he'll be scared to attempt any throw.
It's a pretty big checklist for Cousins and quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh. But they must get these things right before entertaining the Eagles.
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Stock Up: Chris Thompson
4 of 5
No player helped themselves more in Week 3 than Chris Thompson. The pocket-edition pass-catcher out of the backfield showed this offense what it's been missing.
Namely, 2013's fifth-round selection gave Washington a quick outlet in the passing game, one who is a regular mismatch in coverage. The combination produced excellent numbers for Thompson, as noted by the team's official site:
"Running back Chris Thompson led the Redskins with eight receptions, marking the first time since Week 11 of the 2014 season that a running back has led the team in receptions in a game (Roy Helu, Jr. vs. Tampa Bay).
Thompson entered the game with seven career receptions for 37 yards. His career-high eight receptions and 57 yards more than matched his career total entering Thursday.
"
Thompson showed the Redskins what's possible when you get creative with a running back with a flair for receiving. He can be a matchup nightmare who will alter the look of formations pre-snap and pull ill-suited players into uncomfortable coverage assignments.
Those things can only be good news for Cousins. The more Thompson is used in the passing game, the more No. 8 will be seeing easy reads and favorable downfield opportunities.
Just like Crowder, Thompson's Week 3 effort needs to be just the start of an expanded role in this season's offense.
Stock Down: Jay Gruden
5 of 5
Tom Coughlin's won two Super Bowls, and despite recent struggles, he remains one of the game's best coaches. Based on Week 3, they are two descriptions that will never apply to Gruden.
From the way he managed the game to the way the Giants seemed to know what was coming from his team, Gruden was embarrassed against Big Blue.
His main failing was moving away from the running game too soon. Winning on the ground was never going to come as easy against the Giants as it had during the season's first two games.
After all, New York entered Week 3 having been pretty stingy to opposing runners. Yet the Redskins, a team that will win or lose based on how effectively it runs, gave up on its primary means for victory without much of a fight.
Gruden's explanation was to cite the game situation against the Giants, specifically falling behind by two scores at the end of the first quarter, according to ESPN.com's John Keim.
But this is a feeble excuse. It's more like a "go away and don't bother me with what you don't understand" type of rebuttal. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that a run-heavy team doesn't flip its script when down by 12 with three quarters still to play.
Patience should have been the order of the day on offense. By contrast, Gruden should have intervened defensively and demanded more aggressive concepts from Barry once it became clear Manning was under no pressure.
Instead, Gruden merely stood pat while his defense huffed and puffed with nothing to show for the effort.
The Giants were ready to rattle Cousins with well-timed blitzes and had clearly prepared for the hi-lo crossing combinations that are a staple of Washington's passing game. Offensively, New York shifted primary playmaker Odell Beckham Jr. around to create the coverage matchups it wanted.
Those things come from good coaching, specifically astute scouting and attention to detail. Gruden and his team showed neither in Week 3.
The Redskins have had ample time to get over their Week 3 beating. They've also had the opportunity to fix the many things that need fixing ahead of Week 4.
By the time the Eagles come to town, we'll know if Washington is content to trust that the status quo will eventually become a good situation this season. Or perhaps Gruden and his staff have been bright and bold enough to shake up the formula before it's too late.
All statistics and player information via NFL.com.
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