5 Washington Redskins Who Need To Step Up in Week 2

As an excited fan, you won't catch me being too critical of the Redskins opening win over the New York Giants.

Were there things the Redskins could have done better? Of course. But the same could be said for some 30 other teams too.

In terms of specific player performances, the Redskins seemed to really mesh together in the second half. And even after outscoring the Giants 14-0 in the third and fourth quarters, there are still a few guys that need to improve their play against the Arizona Cardinals this week.

5. Rex Grossman

Before anyone freaks out, please hear me out.

Even as a strong advocate for starting John Beck this season, I am 100 percent behind Rex Grossman and the decisions made by our new and intelligent front office.

Against the Giants, I thought Rex Grossman was as close to perfect as Rex Grossman can get. He did a phenomenal job of managing the game, he showed great awareness in the pocket, he clearly demonstrated knowledge of the offensive system and (other than the fumble) he did a good job of protecting the football.

Continuing my appreciation for Grossman's performance last week, I would very rarely ever criticize a Redskins quarterback that finishes a game on 21-of-34 passing for 305 yards, two touchdowns and NO interceptions. Hell, this has gotta be one of the best quarterback performances of the past decade for the Redskins.

That being said, I place Grossman on this simply because I don't want him to get to comfortable. As a fan, and even as a interested football fan of what John Beck has to offer, I always want to Grossman to feel that Beck is breathing down his neck in terms of competition.

It wouldn't take much argument to convince anyone that this is Grossman's last hoorah. At 31 years old, if Grossman fails now as a starter, he likely wouldn't contend for a starting role the rest of his career. And because Grossman isn't an idiot, he understands this.

I also believe that this is the best position Grossman has seen for himself in his entire nine-year career. He knows this system, he's in tight with the offensive coordinator and he has weapons around him that can drastically improve his play.

But regardless of Grossman's position in his career, the weapons I think he has around him or the 300-yard performances he dishes out every Sunday, I still think Grossman should be striving to get better with every week.

This Redskins team relies on one another, but they can only go as far as their quarterback takes them. Of course, the offensive line and rushing attack is a major contributor, as is the play on the defense, but Grossman is in the spotlight whether he likes it or not and he is in a MUST perform scenario. Not only for this team, but for his career.

4. Anthony Armstrong

In my opinion, Anthony Armstrong remains one of the best-kept secrets in the entire NFL.

Arguably the fastest guy on the Redskins roster, Armstrong has earned himself a spot on the roster by being committed, catching some really sick balls and showing Mike Shanahan that he's a worker day-in and day-out.

Armstrong did well against the Giants last week, grabbing two catches for 24 yards and a touchdown. However, Armstrong could have finished with a much better stat line had he not dropped the easy ones.

Now, when I say easy, I'm not speaking as if I could make any catch on the football field. All I am saying is that I know what good receivers do—and it's catch passes.

I was disappointed in Armstrong's play, I'm not bashing him and I still find him to be one of the most fascinating players on the team, but I'm pointing out the fact that the receiver position is deep and no one's roster spot is guaranteed.

Is Armstrong in danger of being cut? Absolutely not. But if us fans are looking forward to big things from this 2011 Redskins squad, then everyone has to be on top of their game.

Having been just one game, there shouldn't be much concern over Armstrong or a couple of dropped passes, but we all know that he's capable of being a very well-respected receiver in this league and I would imagine that we would all like to see him succeed.

For a guy like Armstrong, who fought long and hard for his shot at the NFL, he'll probably go off against the Cardinals next week, just to prove to himself that he can have much better games than two catches for 24 yards.

3. Roy Helu and the Rest of the Backfield

This is in no way the fault of any of the Redskins running back, as it falls directly on the strategy and calls of the coaching staff. However, for the sake of Tim Hightower's health and the effectiveness of a gameplan and its ability to keep an opposing defense on their toes, the Shanahan and the Boys need to adjust their running game just a tad.

To be completely honest, as a fantasy owner that picked Hightower extremely high with the belief that he'd have a career season in 2011, I enjoyed the fact that Hightower was absent on only one carry the entire game. But as a Redskins fan, giving a guy like rookie Roy Helu somewhere around ten carries a game could be a vital piece of the offensive puzzle.

Again, last week's game was only one of many and no one knows how the gameplan will change—I understand that. We can all rest assured that Shanahan knows about Helu's explosiveness and the speed-change that he provides for the Redskins running game. Not to mention, a healthy Ryan Torain could really help lighten the load for a down-hill running teammate like Hightower.

I should also note that I think Shanahan will alter and adjust his gameplan multiple times in a week, perhaps even during the game, to whatever the opposition gives him. In other words, Hightower may have been on the field for 25 carries and three catches simply because he was the best tool to use against a depleted New York defense.

Like I've said all along, I support whatever moves and calls Shanahan throws out. Being a believer in Mike Shanahan means being a believer in his strategy, his gameplans and his coaching.

Don't get me wrong, I love the newly acquired Hightower seeing more than a fair share of the action (remember we got him in DC by giving up Vonnie Holliday), but I don't want the excitement to exceed the risk.

2. Graham Gano

Throughout camp, kicker Graham Gano received praise from Shanahan and special teams coach Danny Smith for showing up much improved from last season.

Gano had spent the entire offseason working on his accuracy and polishing his technique, as the power had always been the easy part of his kicking game.

During the preseason, Gano had crushed all ten of his field goal attempts, impressing Redskins fans and instilling the belief in us that we finally had a reliable kicker.

While Gano may still be a solid placekicker, and hopefully the kind that Danny Smith and fans hope for, his 39-yard attempt that he pushed right against the Giants last week didn't exactly give you that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Being an actual fan of Gano may sway my opinion just a bit, or it could be the fact that the dude can kick a ball from here to China. And while we're on Gano's power, let's not forget his value on kickoffs, where he consistently puts the ball into the stands by way of touchbacks.

From what I've read and heard, Gano is one of the good guys in Washington, but Shanahan and the coaching staff haven't placed him on an infinite leash. If Gano can't deliver, someone will be getting a phone call. And with that, Gano may just need to wait on opportunities—and, of course, capitalize.

1. Reed Doughty

The absence of strong safety LaRon Landry serves as a huge blow, not only to the Redskins defense, but to the entire Redskins team.

Landry was on his way to the Pro Bowl last season after just five games, until an Achilles injury forced him to the sidelines.

After recovering from the Achilles injury, Landry tweaked a hamstring during camp—an injury that could be far worse than expected and linger much longer than anticipated. And, as we can all tell, the Redskins defense is nowhere near the same without Dirty 30 on the field.

With that, I'll say this—I'm a fan of safety Reed Doughty. However (and this is a huge however), the poor guy couldn't cover a single bed with king-sized quilt if he was paid millions of dollars to do so.

Currently, Doughty is paid millions of dollars to cover opposing receivers, but he doesn't quite fit the bill. At the same time, Doughty is one of the best tacklers on the entire Redskins team and he plays his ass off on special teams, a coveted skill set that typically goes unnoticed.

Doughty has "survived" a series of coaches, which conveys to me that he definitely offers something to the team, regardless of scheme or defensive strategy. Whether it be Joe Gibbs, Jim Zorn or the current Mike Shanahan, Doughty has been kept as a solid part of this team.

Over those years, I'd find it hard to believe that there wasn't a better strong safety on the market that could cover just a little bit better and play backup man to superstar LaRon Landry. But again, Doughty was kept on for reasons possibly beyond that of which he provides on the football field. Whether it be his leadership, his tackling, his special teams contributions or a combination of everything, Doughty has earned a spot on this team for six years running.

For now, Doughty is the Redskins' best option at strong safety. And although I don't believe that Doughty's job is in danger, I do believe that his roster status could be effected if his coverage skills do not improve. Depending on the severity of Landry's injury, Doughty may need to be moved to third-string if he can't help the secondary in coverage.