2017 Season Grades so Far at Washington Redskins' Bye Week

It says a lot about the progress the Washington Redskins have made through four games of the 2017 NFL season that losing on the road to the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 felt like an opportunity wasted, rather than simply the inevitable coming true.

Summing up the 2-2 Redskins after four games is easy. It's a case of good but could—and should—be better.

Improvements on defense, particularly in the pass rush, have been undermined by a general lack of discipline. Needless penalties have cost the Burgundy and Gold at least one game.

Meanwhile, the offense has been Jekyll and Hyde thanks to the struggles of a passing attack to thrive without DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. Running the ball hasn't been a problem, at least on those occasions head coach Jay Gruden has let his team do it. Yet, injuries and inconsistency continue to plague this crucial phase of Washington's O.

Find out what grades the different areas of Gruden's team merit at the quarter mark of the season as they enter their bye week.

Passing Offense

Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

Grade: C

It's been stunted stuff through the air for Washington without Jackson and Garcon, but multiple factors have contributed to the inconsistencies.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has veered between mediocre and irrepressible. Mostly, No. 8 has been right around average.

Cousins' problem has been missing too many open targets or rather, overlooking them altogether. A prime example came in the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium.

With his favorite target, Jordan Reed, wide open, Cousins launched a deep strike the way of Josh Doctson. Granted, the second-year wideout should have brought the ball down in the end zone, but Reed offered Cousins the easier throw, something the quarterback acknowledged afterwards, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

Speaking of Doctson, his critical drop against the Chiefs was one more example in a disturbing pattern for the Redskins receivers so far this season. Put simply, they just can't hold on to the football and it's costing this team at critical moments.

Doctson's drop prevented six points from going on to the scoreboard with under a minute left, leaving the Chiefs only needing a field goal to win. As Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch showed, Washington's first-round pick in 2016 had to complete the catch.

Earlier during the game against Kansas City, Terrelle Pryor Sr. was guilty of letting one get away. This gaffe came on 3rd-and-3 in the second quarter when it was easy to question how badly he wanted the ball with Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters in close proximity.

In general, the wide receiver has struggled to replicate the big plays Jackson delivered. Sure, he burned Peters for a 44-yard score on Monday Night Football, but Pryor isn't tearing it up the way his performances during training camp promised.

Part of the problem has been getting the converted quarterback involved. ESPN.com's John Keim wrote before the Chiefs game how Pryor had "received only eight targets over the past two games—resulting in four catches for 50 yards."

Those numbers came during the wins over the Los Angeles Rams and Oakland Raiders. They left Pryor "on pace to finish with 53 catches and 619 yards for the season," and needing a big game, per Keim.

Sadly, a big game eluded Pryor in Week 4, with the 28-year-old hauling in three catches for 70 yards.

Cousins and Pryor still haven't forged a true rapport. Nor have Gruden and his coaches identified and exploited the core plays built on their new receiver's strengths.

Pryor isn't the only receiver the Redskins have had trouble working in. It's been a similar story for Jamison Crowder, who caught just one pass for minus-seven yards in KC.

As Marc Sessler of the league's official website detailed, "that was Crowder's only target in 36 snaps, magnifying a down start that's seen him account for just 106 yards on 14 catches as a starter across from Terrelle Pryor."

Crowder and his speed and elusiveness from the slot should be one of the features of the Redskins' revamped passing attack, especially without Garcon around to be Cousins' safety valve.

At least Cousins has been able to rely on other intermediate and short-range targets. Reed's injury woes haven't helped his quarterback, but 33-year-old tight end Vernon Davis turning the clock back has.

Davis has averaged 20 yards on eight catches, while dual-threat running back Chris Thompson is putting together a career year, having 14 receptions to his credit already.

Reed's return to health will improve things considerably in this area, but not as much as Pryor and Doctson becoming the vertical threats Cousins is missing.

Rushing Offense

Peter Aiken/Getty Images

Grade: B

When the running game has worked, it's been a dominant part of Washington's offense. At times, the Redskins have shown they are capable of taking games over on the ground, thanks to a combination of power running, good scheming and an offensive line bullying opponents the way it was built to do.

All of those things were obvious during Week 2's 27-20 road win over the Rams. It was a victory built on 229 yards rushing against one of the most talented defensive fronts in the NFL.

Talent counted for little after the way Washington's front five routinely pushed L.A.'s front seven off the ball and knocked open holes for a trio of runners. Rob Kelley, Samaje Perine and Chris Thompson each gashed the Rams for solid yards.

Yet, it was as much about the way Gruden, offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh and line coach Bill Callahan called plays as it was the physical dominance up front. Inside zones, stretch plays, counter-treys and overloaded fronts have all been a part of the improvements in the running game.

There's now true variety in how the Redskins are attacking defenses on the ground. Variety is in the play-calling, as well as in the rushing styles of Perine and Kelley, who represent the power backs union, while Thompson is the speedster who works the edges.

More important, there is also a commitment to the run, most evidenced by Gruden's continued use of three-tight end sets and extra offensive linemen. The Redskins have become fond of overloading the line of scrimmage to create double teams inside and still get blockers out into space.

It hasn't all been rosy, though. Kelley injured his ribs against the Rams, during a game when he was looking better than ever. He returned against the Chiefs, but another strong start was marred by more injury woes.

Then there's been the sadly all too familiar willingness of Gruden to give up on the run too early. The trait reappeared when Washington owned a 10-0 lead against the Chiefs.

As Al Galdi of The Morning Blitz pointed out, the Redskins began losing the time-of-possession battle they had been bossing. Running is the main part of controlling the clock, and sticking it with it is a useful habit Gruden must learn.

Overall, though, the numbers have been respectable for Washington on the ground, per Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Passing Defense

Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

Grade: B-

The overall numbers are hardly eye-popping. Washington's defense ranks 17th in the league against the pass, surrendering 222.5 yards per game.

Yet those numbers belie the strides made rushing the passer, as well as the tougher tackling in the secondary. The Redskins have recorded 12 sacks, good enough to tie for the third-most quarterback takedowns after four weeks.

What's been so impressive is how those sacks have been shared between multiple pass-rushers. Preston Smith has the team lead with four, just half a sack shy of his mark for the whole of last season.

Ryan Kerrigan has chipped in with 2.5 sacks, while Matt Ioannidis, he of the practice squad for portions of his rookie year, has logged two. Speaking of rookies, Jonathan Allen has a sack to his credit, while veterans D.J. Swearinger and Junior Galette have combined for 1.5.

More than just the numbers, the Redskins are generating a ton of pressure on the pocket with most pass plays. The greater pressure is being created by the superior talent up front, thanks to new arrivals such as Allen and Stacy McGee.

Yet, the improvement of holdovers such as Smith and Ioannidis has also made a major difference. The latter's remarkable progress was charted by Pro Football Focus after Week 4:

"Ioannidis led the Redskins defense with 6 pressures on a night where they accumulated many against Kansas City. That gives Ioannidis 15 total pressures in his last three games. Ioannidis ended the game with a pass-rush productivity (PRP) of 17.0, which puts him among the elite at his defensive end position and only behind Aaron Donald's 19.9 this week."

What the Redskins need is for more opportunism and efficiency in the secondary to go with the pressure up front. Big plays have been in short supply for a unit with only four interceptions, but big hits haven't.

Washington's defensive backs aren't always keeping the ball in front, but they are hitting for keeps when they do. Two of the most bone-jarring collisions came against the Chiefs, with cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland and Josh Norman delivering the thump, per Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Norman, Breeland and Kendall Fuller are playing well, while Swearinger has also caught the eye. The other safety berth has recovered from Su'a Cravens opting out of the season, with Deshazor Everett and rookie Montae Nicholson both decent.

What comes next is for this secondary to become more disciplined in its zones and more physical with man coverage on the outside. Both those things will keep the ball in front more often and force under-pressure passers to throw hurriedly and short to receivers waiting to be decked.

Rushing Defense

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

Grade: B

Like the pass defense, Washington's ability to stop the run has only shown itself in flashes so far this season. At times, the Redskins have been miserly on the ground; at others, the Burgundy and Gold have been worn down by steady running between the tackles.

Breaking things down to the bare essentials reveals the Redskins have stood up well to teams with a suspect rushing attack, but they haven't fared quite as well against game-breaking running backs.

Week 1 saw Washington hold the Philadelphia Eagles to just 58 yards rushing. Yet this was an Eagles team with a past-it LeGarrette Blount, as well Wendell Smallwood and Darren Sproles, two backs more comfortable catching the ball than sharing the carries.

Two weeks later, the Redskins swarmed all over Marshawn Lynch, holding the Oakland Raiders' workhorse to just 18 yards on six carries. However, Lynch is no longer the "Beast Mode" everybody remembers.

The flips side of this coin is Todd Gurley averaged 5.5 yards per carry on his way to 88 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries for the Rams. Meanwhile, Kareem Hunt piled up 101 yards in Kansas City, averaging 4.8 yards on 21 punishing carries.

Hunt's performance showed how the league's 11th-ranked run defense can be worn down. Of course, a big part of the problem against the Chiefs was the Redskins offense not staying on the field and the defense being gassed.

The overall picture is good for the run defense, a major weakness the previous two seasons. As with the pass rush, new faces have made all the difference.

Inside linebacker Zach Brown is hitting everything, while versatile D-lineman Terrell McClain has looked formidable when given a chance. Whether he's played end or nose tackle, McClain has consistently generated a heavy push, split gaps and drawn double teams.

McClain and Brown have been leading the charge for a burgeoning run defense capable of becoming one of the stingiest in football.

Special Teams

Kelvin Kuo/Associated Press

Grade: C+

Problems with ball security in the return game have undermined a solid showing from the Redskins' kickers. It's been a carousel in the return game, as coordinator Ben Kotwica has struggled to find the right playmakers.

Anyone and everyone seems to have been given an audition returning kicks and punts this season. Breeland, Thompson and others have tried their hands on kickoffs but with meagre returns.

It doesn't help that Crowder is still struggling to change momentum and field position as a punt returner. In fact, No. 80 has fumbled twice as a returner.

At least Tress Way is helping dictate field position. The 27-year-old punter has put nine inside the 20-yard line and forced seven fair catches. He has been the most consistent playmaker in football's third phase for Washington.

Coaching

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Grade: C+

Let's start with the good things this season's coaching staff have done. Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky and line coach Jim Tomsula have fostered a more aggressive swagger and intimidating level of force from a unit skilfully revamped during the offseason.

It hasn't just been an attitude adjustment, though. Manusky has added some exciting schematic wrinkles to a system gone stale on predecessor Joe Barry's watch in 2016.

The more exotic nuances of this season's defensive blueprint were noticed by Mike Jones of the Washington Post. In particular, Jones highlighted an alignment with D-tackle Allen positioned as a middle linebacker, a look so different the confused Chiefs needed time to regroup, although it wasn't clear if Allen was confused himself.

More than alignments, Manusky sent different pressures at the Chiefs, including sending cornerback Quinton Dunbar blitzing off the edge and routinely rushing Brown or fellow inside linebacker Mason Foster through the middle.

Offensively, Gruden, Cavanaugh and Callahan have added layers to the running game, with fresh designs and different looks along the line of scrimmage. They've also concocted more ways to get Thompson involved in the passing game.

There's the good, now the bad. Coaches might have improved the X's and O's, but basic yet vital things such as discipline have regressed. Penalties were the main reason the Redskins didn't leave Kansas City with a win.

Basic mistakes on defense gifted the Chiefs at least 10 points. There was the horse-collar tackle by Breeland on Kareem Hunt, as well as the late hit by Galette on quarterback Alex Smith.

Those two personal fouls gifted the Chiefs 30 yards and put them in the red zone. Then, just as the Redskins thought they were getting off the field after forcing fourth-and-goal, Smith was flagged for lining up in the neutral zone.

Scarcely believable.

The Chiefs scored their second touchdown and took their first lead on the next play. Later in the third quarter, Breeland drew a penalty for hands to the face against Tyreek Hill on third down, keeping alive a drive that ended in a field goal.

As Nick Shook of the league's official website detailed, the cost of the Redskins' lack of discipline was high:

"Three penalties gave the Chiefs fresh sets of downs, and another gave Kansas City another shot on third down from Washington's 1-yard line, which resulted in a Smith touchdown. Thanks to these instances, Washington's seven penalties felt more like 17."

Teams coached to stay disciplined don't beat themselves the way the Burgundy and Gold did at Arrowhead Stadium. Getting the basics right has to be the first priority for any coaching staff. It's up to Gruden and Co. to create an environment where such mistakes won't be tolerated.

Washington's coaches also need to be more team specific when it comes to drawing up game plans. Then a player like Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce wouldn't dominate the way he did on Monday night.

It's common knowledge Kelce is the man who makes Kansas City's passing game tick. It's common knowledge to everyone except the Redskins after the way Kelce routinely exposed Manusky's defense, per Pro Football Focus:

"Kelce showed up in a big way Monday night, catching 7-of-8 targets for 111 yards. He was a matchup issue all night for the Redskins, as they tried having CB Kendall Fuller covering him and he caught a seam route for 32 yards. He also presented a mismatch for the Washington linebackers because of his route running ability, hauling in all four targets against them for 52 yards. His yards per route run mark of 3.06 leads tight ends for the week."

There needs to be a greater commitment to taking away a team's primary weapons, especially after Eagles tight end Zach Eertz, a familiar Redskins tormentor, also ran riot, catching eight passes for 93 yards in Week 1.

On offense, Gruden must learn to stick with what's working and fight the urge to get too cute. Letting a true run-pass balance develop would be a great start.

The Redskins will enter their bye week with more than a few regrets, but also with plenty of cause for optimism about the rest of the season. This team has the raw materials to create the consistency needed for a run at the playoffs.