LANDOVER, Md. -- Thoughts and observations about the Washington Redskins' 44-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys:
This season wasn't just about Jay Gruden. Or Robert Griffin III. Or Jim Haslett. If it feels better picking a scapegoat, go ahead. But this is about an organization that just can't build a winning team. Remember, the only time owner Dan Snyder came close to building a winner was when he hired Joe Gibbs. Those four years didn't do anything other than serve as aberrations. So I'll ask again: Do you trust those in charge to make the right moves?
The Redskins lost nine games by 10 or more points this season -- and five of those occurred in their last seven games. They can't claim they're close to doing anything. They can't claim they're a talented team that only underachieved. If that's the case, it's on the coaches. But I don't think it's that simple. They have too many holes and must be honest about the direction they need to take. Difficult decisions await, but doing the same things with the same people won't get it done. This wasn't just about injuries.
Not going to spend a lot of time on Griffin. He did not have a good game; he was not the reason they lost. It is what it is, folks. He's a young quarterback who does not have the full confidence of the coaching staff. You can see the difference between Griffin and Tony Romo when it came to operating in the pocket. Romo has what Griffin lacks in the pocket: instincts. There are concerns Griffin never will develop that trait.
You can shout all you want about his age and how he needs a chance to grow and 2012, etc., etc. In some cases I'll agree. You can get mad at the messengers and hurl insults. But I'm just telling you what I know from talking to players and coaches. You can accept it or not -- and that's not to say this staff has figured it out. When you're 4-12, you don't have a lot of cache to suggest otherwise. But this is the situation.
The Redskins lost because they're a bad team -- an all-around bad team. They lost because they continue to make the same mistakes in all areas. They lost because they consistently give up plays on special teams and make almost none. Remember when everyone blamed Keith Burns last year? And how a change in coordinators would fix all? Didn't quite work that way.
I'm not blaming it all on Ben Kotwica because a lot goes into this area, and when you lose starters, the backups are elevated to the lineup -- and often taken off special teams -- so it becomes a mish-mash of talent. But the point is so much more needs to change, and just putting in a new coach doesn't solve all. You can fire Jim Haslett and point to his five-year record as the reason. That's fine. My sense on Haslett is he's at peace with whatever the Redskins do, and he has been for a while. But this is still about the people buying the groceries -- not the cooks.
I will not defend the defense, however. Something hasn't clicked, whether it's coaching or the assembled talent. I'm not smart enough to know, but I know how the league works. In some ways, they did better than you could have expected, given the player losses they suffered. They weren't All-Pros, but they were valuable to the Redskins. Still, they haven't gotten it done, and if you're not producing, for whatever reason -- sometimes fair; sometimes not -- changes get made. For what it's worth, that first half was ugly, and they played like a unit that wanted the season over. They showed more life in the second half.
The run game must become more of a staple next season. I'm big on finding a playmaker with the first pick (fifth overall) but also big on getting more talent and more competition along the offensive line. Dallas has become an example of drafting right -- it helped them overcome its salary-cap penalty. The Cowboys put together a line that dominated, which allowed them to consistently run the ball and help a weak defense. But they were committed to the run, and I don't know the Redskins were -- not on a consistent basis. Sometimes, it was about the score in a game; other times, it wasn't.
Gruden wants a power attack, and he'd like to run more straight ahead too. If you want a quicker fix, address this issue right now and put yourself in better situations on third downs. Put together the ground game you want because it was definitely more in transition this year than anticipated.
The funny thing is, while the defense is the side that gets criticized, it's also the side with more of the pleasant surprises: Bashaud Breeland, Keenan Robinson, heck, even Ryan Kerrigan's 13.5 sacks. Robinson should have a good future; it seems he has a good grasp on what he must do better. Yes, he should have intercepted the pass. But what I liked is why he was in position to make the play. He knew, based on the situation, that quarterback Tony Romo liked to go inside, so Robinson read the play and broke on the ball. He dropped it, but it was a smart read. As for Breeland, he handled his side of the field well. I also liked how he was under control on a tackle attempt of Dez Bryant and how he held him up enough to let help arrive. David Amerson did not do the same.
