Redskins Disappoint in Loss to Panthers: The Armchair Coach

Continuing my new weekly column about the Washington Redskins for the Bleacher Report, the Armchair Coach has some pretty stern stuff to say about this week's loss to the Carolina Panthers.

This week was a mixed bag for the Redskins.  A few good things and some seriously worrisome ones.

The injuries for this week might be the biggest issues to arise from the loss to the Carolina Panthers.  We have an unknown injury to Tim Hightower's leg and Santana Moss has a broken left hand.

Just like that, the already shaky Redskins offense loses two huge play makers.

Lets see what else we have to worry about.

First, the Good News

John Beck is clearly the better QB choice for the Redskins. It's not so much the stats, but rather the host of intangibles he brings to the position that Rex Grossman simply does not. Becks' mobility, accuracy and general leadership all seem leaps and bounds beyond Grossman.

Beck is simply more exciting to have behind center.

The Redskins scored 20 points despite being forced out of their game plan and were able to both run and pass all over the field today. Beck threw for 279 yards and one TD while also running in for a score.

There were definite mistakes, including the game-ending interception in the fourth quarter, but overall, he has my vote to start next week and for the foreseeable future.

Twenty points, however, is still not enough. Last week, I mentioned the magic number of 21 as being the key to a double-digit win column. Well, 21 wouldn't have helped this week, but I still need to see it before I believe this team has a shot at being respectable and respected this season.

As for the Defense, I'm Not Sure Where to Start

How about with the almost total absence of pressure on Cam Newton in the second half? Last week, I blamed defensive coordinator Jim Haslett. This week, I blame them all, coaches and players alike.

This is not the same effort that shut down the offenses of the Cowboys, Eagles and Rams while holding the Giants and Arizona to under 22 points.

First off, as a defensive lineman, if you can't either beat your man or draw a holding call within four seconds of the snap, you are not doing your job. I counted five drop-backs in the second half that went over four seconds before Cam passed the ball. No coverage is going to last four seconds against a good receiver, let alone a great one like Steve Smith.

And what about turnovers? How can you forgive zero interceptions from Newton? That is squarely on the players' shoulders, as two picks were dropped by the defenders. One was an easy pick-six as well, which would have most likely ended the half with the Redskins up by seven rather than down by three.

What About Jim Haslett?

As for the defensive coaching, if you see that your front four aren't getting the job done, you have to dial it up on every play. I said it before, and I'll say it again: The Washington Redskins will live or die by the blitz this year. How does Haslett not get this?

The secondary is simply not good enough to cover an elite receiver without up front help.

Cam Newton untouched on a pass play is a mistake. Newton untouched after four seconds is unforgivable.

I saw two good blitzes picked up by Carolina that you can blame on the players. But I saw a four-man blitz on 3rd-and-long three times in the second half. All three were converted for a first. When the blitz got through, Cam was far from perfect, throwing in the dirt, getting sacked and missing his receivers.

What good does it do to get them back to 3rd-and-17 if you're going to give up 25 on the next play by letting Cam have all day in the pocket?

Mike Shanahan Seems to Get It

Head Coach Shanahan went all out aggressive today with an onside kick and attempted fourth down conversions. I applaud it and think it needs to continue even though they fell short today. It's time for the Redskins to start making things happen.

This team is very close to the make or break point for their season. After today, it could go either way. We could get the same old Skins we know and loathe from the last four years, or we could accept that our defense needs to be aggressive every down and build our offense into a 20-30-point-a-game team.

The personnel is there; will the coaches utilize it? The Panthers gave the Redskins every opportunity to win today, with over 115 yards in penalties and only nine points scored in the first half.

The Redskins only scored six points in the first half and had a costly turnover by Gaffney, the first turnover by anyone other than a QB for the Redskins this season. I attribute this score to a lack of comfort for newly-starting John Beck, but the second half was very encouraging offensively.

Final Random Thoughts from the Game

Unbelievably, the injury to our starting running back concerns me far less than the injury to our slot receiver.  Hightower has been fantastic, but with both Torrain and Helu in reserve, the running game should not suffer too much.

Conversely, losing a leader like Moss is painful to contemplate.

The fourth-quarter interception by Beck looked like a blown route by rookie Hankerson. That doesn't excuse Beck for throwing it to the wrong colored jersey, but it does mitigate it somewhat.

I think the verdict is finally in on Graham Gano.  He has gone from dud to stud.  I actually believed he was going to make that 49-yard field goal today. 

The defense picked this game to fall apart and give up 33 points. Awfully hard to beat 33 points, but it is just one game.

How the Redskins respond to this loss will determine their entire season. Lets hope it's with determination and a little chip on their shoulder.