Washington Redskins: 6 Things We Learned in Loss vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Washington Redskins final notable preseason game—as far as the starters go—had a lot of positives and negatives to it.

Next week should see very few of the starters even involved as we approach the regular season, so there were a lot of lessons learned that will carry into Week 1 in September.

Here are six things that should have a notable impact on the team's regular-season performance.

Rex Grossman Will Be the Starter on Opening Day

Rex Grossman all but announced himself as the team's starting quarterback last night. Grossman wasn't perfect, but his veteran command of the offense and understanding of the Ravens defense was very significant in comparison to John Beck.

In my mind the Redskins can run an effective offense with Grossman at the helm provided he doesn't go through a crazy spell in which he goes color blind and keeps throwing the ball to the opposition as he has done in the past.

He has good accuracy and looks to have created some good chemistry with starting receivers Santana Moss and Jabarr Gaffney.

The Redskins don't have a Peyton Manning or an Andrew Luck, but they shouldn't need one because...

The Washington Redskins Will Have a Strong Running Game This Year

Tim Hightower looks like one of the most astute additions of the offseason. The Arizona Cardinals are likely regretting letting him go now after Ryan Williams went down.

I was a fan of Hightower in Arizona and thought, if anyone was to be let go, it should have been Chris Wells.

Wells is only still there because he was a first-round pick. His aggressive running style and big body will allow him to endure hits while still punishing defenders repeatedly.

With Mike Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme and the talent on the Redskins offensive line, there is no reason this fluency from the preseason won't translate into the regular season as the run game stood up well to a proper test last night.

The only person that got a better deal than the Redskins from this trade—the Redskins gave up 35-year-old Vonnie Holliday and a late-round pick next season—was me after I drafted Hightower to be my starting running back in the ninth round of my fantasy draft!

Beck Simply Took Too Long to Develop

Had John Beck played like this and been a 22-year-old rookie, the Redskins would have been delighted with him.

However, Beck made mistakes that showed he wasn't ready to be a starter, and he's too old to be the team's quarterback of the future, so they can't wait around for him to develop.

You can read more on Beck here, but the likelihood is that he will remain a backup for as long as his NFL career lasts.

Kyle Shanahan Runs One of the Best Designed Playbooks in the League

The Redskins offense is magnificent.

For a team without any real stars offensively, they could be a top-15 offense this year. The running game is, as you would expect, exceptionally designed, but it perfectly fits as part of the offense.

Kyle Shanahan has shown this off throughout the preseason.

If this team had even one big piece, such as an Adrian Peterson, to give them a dominant running game or not even a Peyton Manning but a Matt Ryan or a Sam Bradford, they would easily move into the top 10 as a group.

Shanahan has recruited well for his team, also.

While Leonard Hankerson has struggled early on, Jabarr Gaffney was a brilliant acquisition, and re-signing Santana Moss was vital. The pair run expert routes which show off the potential of the Redskins offense.

When you compare the Redskins' offensive talent to that of other teams around the league, there is no hope that they will be one of the best.

But, with better quarterback play and one or two more pieces, they could be one of the best offenses in football within three to five years.

The Redskins Aren't Equipped to Play Such an Aggressive Defense

Throughout the preseason the cornerback play has been somewhat of an issue.

Aggression is an aspect of any great defense, but there is a reason that not every team in the league is approaching the game in that way.

The Redskins are putting too much pressure on their cornerbacks with Jim Haslett's play calling and approach to the game.

DeAngelo Hall can make plays on the football, but he has never been close to a shutdown cornerback.

Josh Wilson is a good player, but he's better suited to be playing zone coverage rather than lining up man-to-man with receivers, and this is what happens when the team blitzes or chases down running plays so hard that they are exposed to play-action.

The Redskins aren't the New York Jets, but, if they play things correctly, their defense as a whole could be just as good this year. The Redskins front seven is close to being a top-10 group and the secondary is solid with a great safety pairing.

Allowing teams to pick on their cornerbacks in single coverage is not a smart way to play.

The Redskins Have a Problem at Receiver... A Good One!

There is no doubt over who is starting in Washington. Jabarr Gaffney and Santana Moss have been reliable catching the football and are consistently getting open.

However, past them there is a muddled picture of receivers stepping up to the plate.

Terrence Austin once again impressed last night as he has throughout preseason, while Anthony Armstrong showed off his potential to rip off big plays at any time.

With Donte' Stallworth showing his speed in previous games, it's going to be difficult to determine the team's best third-choice receiver.

Either way, Rex Grossman will have plenty of pass catchers when you throw Chris Cooley and Fred Davis into the mix and also with Hightower coming out of the backfield.

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I also write for Irish Central and Fantasy Football Life.