Washington Redskins: 5 Ways the Team Can Improve During Its Bye Week

I don't think Redskins fans can complain too much about the team's 3-1 record or the job well-done by Mike Shanahan and the coaching staff.

But, seeing as how we are fans and the Redskins aren't undefeated, there's always going to be some kind of gripe or another. In this case, however, it's more about focusing on certain aspects of their play rather than griping.

For the most part, the Redskins have played great football through four games. Their defense ranks as one of the best in the league, the running game appears to be coming along and Rex Grossman has somehow found a way to keep the lid on this thing.

The honest truth is that Redskins fans know that this team isn't necessarily a Super Bowl-caliber team. At least not yet. But we've seen plenty of teams make late pushes and deep runs in the playoffs, ones that no one ever deemed possible.

The Washington Redskins could very well be one of those surprise teams, but there are a few things in particular that have to be corrected first, or at the very least, improved.

5. Keep the Torain Train on Track

It’s hard to say, “keep the guy healthy," simply because it’s an uncontrollable situation. However, I remain strong on my word that Ryan Torain has the potential to be a top-10 back in the NFL if he can play 16 games.

He doesn’t even need to be 100 percent! Just so he is healthy enough to take the field and start in 16 games, Torain would rank up there statistically with Peterson, CJ2K, The Burner Turner and MJD.

Before Torain’s breakout game against the Rams last week, the Redskins were averaging just over 100 yards per game, which was good for about 20th in the league. After Torain’s 135-yard performance, the Redskins are sixth in the league with an average of 127 rushing yards per game.

In order for the Redskins to be successful, the running game has to be effective.

Not only does it take pressure off of Grossman, but it also opens up the offense. With a three-headed monster in the backfield consisting of Torain, Tim Hightower and Roy Helu, the Redskins could do some serious damage.

4. Don't Lose Interest in the Big Play

The injury to wide receiver Anthony Armstrong did more damage to Washington's offense than people realized.

In the last two games without Armstrong, try and count the number of long balls thrown by Grossman. Not that Grossman really has a long ball, but notice the lack of stretching ability on the outside.

Santana Moss is the man, and his contribution to the Redskins is very much appreciated, but he’s getting older and he’s not the deep threat he once was. That is now the job of AA. Without Armstrong, the Redskins don’t have the vertical threat necessary to keep opposing defenses on their toes.

So far this season, the Redskins have just one play of over 40 yards, and that was a Fred Davis reception in which I’m pretty sure he made the bulk of those yards after the catch. This is where we need Armstrong.

The Redskins also rank 13th in the league with 14 plays over 20 yards. This is a good thing, but it’s the big plays that really deflate a defense. If Grossman can get a bomb (or bottle rocket) down the sidelines to Armstrong on second-and-short and we pull in a 50-yard gain, the opposing defense will be in a state of temporary shock.

If we score, they'll be hating life and suddenly the Redskins will have momentum. This sort of situation is huge, and we need more of it.

3. Keep Grossman Clean

It won’t take anyone much time from reading just a few of my rants to realize that I’m not the biggest fan of Rex Grossman being the Redskins' starting quarterback. However, I trust the coaching staff enough to support whoever it is that they put out on the field.

At the end of the day, Mike Shanahan may know a little more than me.

With no mobility and very poor pocket presence, protecting Grossman isn’t an easy job for any offensive line. Even when a quarterback is scrambling, the offensive line is still blocking and working with the quarterback to buy time.

But when you have a chubster who drops back to the same exact spot in the pocket each and every time and has no clue how to move his feet faster than those of a sloth, the line is going to have their work cut out for them.

That being said, the offensive line is still a group of professional athletes getting paid millions of dollars to help keep their team’s quarterback clean. Through four weeks, and given the circumstances, they haven’t done all that badly.

Although they’ve given up eight sacks, I don’t blame all eight of them on the line. What the line must eliminate, however, is the number of times Grossman gets hit.

The Redskins are 23rd in the league in terms of keeping their quarterback clean, as they allowed Grossman to be hit 24 times in four games. Now, even as much as I’d like to see someone else under center for the Redskins, I don’t want to see an injury happen to any athlete.

Not to mention (and this is going to sound ass-backwards) that losing Grossman to injury could be disasterous. With Grossman out, we’d call on John Beck, with no indication of what he can do.

With Grossman out, we would be in need of a new backup quarterback. Without Grossman, we don’t have a quarterback who has the same familiarity with the offense. Without Grossman, dare I say, we could be kinda FUBAR.

2. Improve Turnover Margin

Almost as much as I preach the importance of the offensive and defensive lines to a football team’s success, I preach the importance of having a positive turnover margin.

Your chances of succeeding at anything, whether it be a game, getting to the playoffs or showing up in the Super Bowl, will be directly effected by a team’s turnover margin.

If your team turns the ball over and can’t manage a takeaway to match it, chances are you’re not doing well (i.e. Pittsburgh, Denver, Philly, Miami and Kansas City). But, if you can cause some turnovers and your offense can take care of the ball, then you’re probably doing okay (i.e. Detroit, San Fran, Buffalo and Green Bay).

Through four games, the Redskins are 21st in the league with a minus-one turnover margin. In my opinion, with a turnover margin like that, we’re pretty damn lucky to be 3-1 and not 2-2 or perhaps a little worse. Grossman’s seven turnovers are a big part of the problem, as the Redskins defense has forced six turnovers, including three interceptions.

It’s not like Grossman is going to change his ways in his ninth season as a pro. His hands will remain small, he’ll continue to be a sitting duck in the pocket, his decision-making will be a desperate attempt at Favre’s heroics and he isn't getting any faster.

Rex Grossman is Rex Grossman. The only thing we can hope for as fans is for the defense to continue to do what they’ve been doing.

The defense leads the league in sacks with 15, and their pressure is absolutely necessary in order to give the secondary a chance to make a play and ultimately force turnovers. Unfortunately for the defense, they need to understand that Grossman will likely be responsible for at least one turnover per game, meaning that we could really use about two forced turnovers out of the defense each week.

Maybe it’s too much to ask for, but it’s the only thing we can do shy of replacing the quarterback.

1. Score Touchdowns in the Redzone

As shocking as it may be, this isn’t going to have anything to do with Rex Grossman. That’s right, I’m actually not going to bash Grossman at all.

Why? Because Grossman is 11-of-18 for 79 yards in the red zone, and all six of his touchdowns have come from inside the 20-yard line. Grossman’s only knock is that he has tossed a pick in the red zone, but that has barely affected his 87.7 passer rating.

What I will bash, however, is the fact that Graham Gano is our team’s leading scorer in the red zone. I don’t mind getting points. I don’t ever have a problem with that. But when the Redskins get inside the 20, we have to execute.

I’m not entirely sure if it’s the play-calling or the execution by players, but something needs to change so that Gano doesn’t lead the team with 19 points. The closest guys to him are Moss and Hightower, who have just two touchdowns apiece.

The Redskins, whether people want to admit it or not, have very good red zone targets. Hightower is a perfect red zone back with his ability to run downhill, stay back in pass-protection and receive out of the backfield.

Tight ends Fred Davis and Chris Cooley are both huge targets with sure hands. Santana Moss and Jabar Gaffney are always reliable, and the veterans know how to create space and bring in a difficult pass. So saying that the pieces aren’t there is not an excuse.

I’d like to say that offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan could sharpen his pencil this week in order to call more quality plays in the red zone, but he wouldn’t have a whole lot to go off of.

What I would remind him of, though, is that plays that equate to negative yardage are three times worse in the red zone than they are anywhere else on the field. Therefore, don’t call plays like a moving shovel pass to Sanatana Moss with a slug-slow quarterback against a defense that’s stretched.

The most frustrating thing in a football game (besides the trash talking of one DeAngelo Hall) are the points that are left on the field. Again, thanks to Graham Gano for sticking ‘em home and getting us three points. But we need seven.

If the Redskins want to make a serious run at anything, then capitalizing in the red zone is an absolute must.