Revitalized Running Game Can Transform Washington Redskins' Season

Don't celebrate the 40-burger, Washington Redskins fans. Don't even big up your team equaling its entire win total from 2014. Instead, rejoice about how the Burgundy and Gold found the formula that can transform their season and keep them alive in the NFC playoff race.

It turns out the Redskins can still run the ball effectively. They just forgot how for six games. But the return of the running game keyed Week 10's 47-14 beatdown of the New Orleans Saints. It also showed how prolific the team's Kirk Cousins-led offense can be.

Mike Shanahan, we should have believed you. You said Cousins can cut it when he's supported by a run-first offense, per an interview with 106.7 The Fan (h/t Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post): "If you put a guy like Kirk Cousins in and you run the ball 30 to 35 times a game, and then you look back at the success that he had, you’d say, holy cow, look at those stats — when it’s a balanced offense.”

Shanahan was right, and the proof isn't in the pudding. It's in the numbers. Specifically, Cousins' numbers, some of the best in the league this season, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post and ESPN's John Keim detailed:

The Redskins didn't quite have balance against the Saints. But they came awfully close. They kept the ball on the ground 31 times.

This healthy mix of run and pass yielded some mind-boggling numbers, like this one, courtesy of Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Of the 500 yards, 213 came via the running game. What was so impressive was how everyone got in on the act.

Alfred Morris amassed 92 yards off 15 totes. Ol' No. 46 proved there's still some juice left in the tank by running smart on signature cutback plays. But Morris' revival also owes a lot to the support he received. Namely, the 110 yards rookie Matt Jones and second-year Chris Thompson combined for on just 13 carries.

This is how things are supposed to look for Washington on the ground.

OK, so the caveat is obvious. It was only the New Orleans Saints, owners of one of the worst defenses in league history, a unit directed by Rob Ryan, the most overrated assistant coach in this or any other sport (along with Mike Tice).

Yet, as bad as they are, it was easy to think the Saints might have stood up well to the run at FedEx Field. After all, the Redskins have struggled lugging the rock in recent weeks. If there's a strength on the New Orleans defense, it's up front in the form of linemen Cameron Jordan and John Jenkins. Although the decision to trade the woefully under-appreciated Akiem Hicks looks worse every week.

But the Saints' woes can't detract from what Washington produced running the ball.

The luxury of this much production on the ground gave Cousins the time and freedom to pick his poison through the air. Yet, as well as No. 8 played, even the passing game reflected the revival on the ground.

Evan Vucci/Associated Press

Many of Cousins' best plays came off screen passes and play-action rollouts where the initial pre-snap look screamed run. A lot of these plays looked like the "'sell-it' play-action blocking scheme" ex-New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride developed, according to Conor Orr of the league's official site.

It's a ploy Orr describes as one "in which offensive linemen are employing strict run-blocking principles and techniques to a play-action pass."

The point here is a simple one. Everything good the Redskins did to dismantle the Saints was built off the running game. 

With the ground attack pounding a hopeless New Orleans D, Washington played beat-'em-up football, the type of game new general manager Scot McCloughan envisaged when he promised, "You're going to feel us."

No wonder, then, that McCloughan couldn't contain his joy as his smashmouth team left the field:

OK, so where's this running game been since Week 2? Why did it work so well in Week 10?

Credit the coaches. Specifically, head coach Jay Gruden, offensive coordinator Sean McVay and offensive line coach Bill Callahan.

Gruden deserves praise for establishing the run early, particularly on first down, and then sticking with it all day. Props go to McVay for helping design a myriad of formations that favored the run. The Redskins played I-formation with the fullback (hello, Darrel Young), overloading lines with Tom Compton and three-tight end sets.

But all plans look good on the chalkboard. They only work on the field thanks to flawless execution. That's just what Washington got from Callahan's front five.

Despite missing center Kory Lichtensteiger and left guard Shawn Lauvao, Callahan refused to water down the plan. He mixed zone and man techniques, played power and ran traps, draws and stretches.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

With so much creativity in scheme and personnel, along with linemen planting a not-for-sale sign in the trenches, Washington finally had the running game it needed.

There aren't many limits on how far a revitalized rushing attack can take these Redskins.

The playoffs, the NFC East title. Why not believe both are possible?

At 4-5, Washington is suddenly a legitimate contender in this race. Especially since the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants all suffered defeat. If more results go the Burgundy and Gold's way, the moment will be ripe for Gruden's men to strike.

There's four division games still ahead for the Redskins. The best news is that every one of the Cowboys, Giants and Eagles rank in the bottom half of the league's standings defending the run.

With a run-first offense able to beat up defenses and make Cousins better, Washington can be the team to fear in this NFC East race.

All statistics and player information via NFL.com, unless otherwise stated.

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