Quick Hitters: Redskins @ Cowboys

Redskins fans have a right to be furious with the coaching in this game. All game long Sherman Lewis, Sherman Smith and Jim Zorn called the game as if the offensive game plan was for the defense to pitch a shutout. There was never any urgency to score points, as if they believed the Cowboys would never be able to mount a single scoring drive. No shots were taken down field, when the Redskins had a 3rd and 1 at the 20 yard line of Dallas and didn’t even take a shot at the end zone, it was clear that they intended to win the game with 2 or 3 field goals. I understand that the Redskins have a poor pass-blocking line, but so does Green Bay — QB Aaron Rodgers has been sacked more often this season than any NFL QB — and the Packers still take shots down field. The Redskins were 3-6 going into the game and had nothing to lose by taking a few chances to win a close game on the road. Instead, they played it safe and played it wrong. Washington’s offensive game plan was so conservative that the team’s leading pass receiver was RB Rock Cartwright.

The worst call of the game for the Redskins offense was calling a draw on 3rd and 2 near the Cowboys 30-yard line late in the 4th quarter. The Redskins had just run a draw play that hadn’t worked. They needed a first down badly and had already shown on a 3rd and 1 play that they could pass for it. One more first down in that situation probably seals the game, as the Redskins could run the ball three times, kill the clock some more, force the Cowboys to use their timeouts and then kick an easy field goal to go up 9-0 and essentially end the game. Instead, the Redskins ran another draw, it lost yards and the team then missed a 50-yard field goal. Instead of being the beginning of the end for the Cowboys, that 3rd and 2 was the beginning of the end for the Redskins.

Jim Zorn’s decision to kick a 50-yard field goal late in the 4th quarter was preposterous. Even good kickers often miss 50-yarders and the risks of a missed kick were considerable. If Shaun Suisham missed the kick, the Cowboys would get the ball outside their own 40-yard line and have a much shorter drive to score a TD. The correct call in that situation was to either go for it on 4th and 2 or punt and force the Cowboys to go 90 yards for the score. Zorn did the worst possible thing and it led directly to the defeat.

The Redskins missed DT Albert Haynesworth badly. He’s the best player on the defense and without him Dallas running backs averaged almost 5 yards per carry and the pass rush never showed up. Washington got only one sack — a coverage sack by DT Cornelius Griffin after Tony Romo held the ball too long.

Read it all at

http://dcprosportsreport.com/2009/11/22/quick-hitters-redskins-cowboys.html