1. The run defense isn’t about to improve » No 3-4 defense can excel vs. the run when you don’t have good play at the nose tackle. Not to blame everything on Maake Kemoeatu – because it’s not just him – but he gets shoved around way too often. A couple weeks ago Jim Haslett dismissed the notion that Kemoeatu was a problem. He thought he would clog the middle. Not happening. Kemoeatu does not control the middle and for a guy so big, his leg strength is an issue. Maybe he’s still not right after missing last season. But this will be a season-long issue.
2. Too many guys are out of position on defense » And here’s another problem. Listen, I like the 3-4 and I never bought the Redskins defense of the past couple years as being an elite one. They kept their team in games; they didn’t change games. So if you want to switch, that’s fine. That’s not the point; but they still need two more starting linemen; another starting outside linebacker and maybe another inside linebacker, one who weighs more than what they have now. This is a 4-3 team trying to play a 3-4. That makes for a rough transition. Next year, perhaps, this defense will roll. For now, it’ll struggle.
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3. Where’d the run go? » The Redskins rushed for 115 yards in the first half — and only one yard on five carries in the second half. Part of the problem is going 1 for 10 on third downs. Hard to focus on the run when you can’t sustain drives. And now there’s questions surrounding Clinton Portis. I don’t get why he was pulled. Ryan Torain had a good run for 36 yards, but his other six carries netted 10 yards. He showed some patience, but he had a huge hole on his first carry courtesy of Chris Cooley and Mike Sellers. He got the yards he should. Same with Portis on his 27-yard run (why he went down is beyond me). But Portis’ other six runs gained 17 yards. So it’s not like the running game was sustaining anything — against a team that entered having allowed 4.7 yards per carry. Again, this will be a season-long issue. This is also a run game that needs cohesion and chemistry and the Redskins have a new starting LG and then promote a practice squader and put him in a prominent role. If this were Jim Zorn’s doing, what would you say? And if Portis is supposed to be playing on third down, why was Torain in there on a third down in which he flubbed a blitz pickup — having your head down as a protector is never good for the QB’s health. But I also didn’t like Portis’ body language on the sideline. Clearly, the coaches had to notice that, too, right?
4. The Redskins’ defense looked lost » We’re back to the defense again. The Rams were always one step ahead of the Redskins, it seemed. Washington would blitz one side and Sam Bradford would throw to the other. And he’d release the ball quickly. They’d show a pass formation and run the ball. And they took advantage of a secondary that does not seem to be in sync with the rush. Not sure how there was such soft coverage on some blitzes. Yet there was a bunch. Also, DeAngelo Hall can be a good corner and a playmaker, but he did not respond well to his early-week rant. Also, the Redskins did not seem as aggressive defensively as they were in the first two games. Have to watch the game again, but the blitzing seemed less. We’ll see.
5. Trent Williams was missed » Some of the times were obvious, like when Stephon Heyer was called for a false start after getting driven back deep. And there were enough times when he and RT Jammal Brown were knocked back on the same play. But Heyer’s inability to cut off some backside runs certainly didn’t help. By no means is this loss Heyer’s fault; he is what he is, a reserve tackle. But it speaks to Williams’ value already; his athleticism in getting to linebackers would have helped today.
Bonus » OK, I had one more thought. I know Albert Haynesworth said maybe some players took the Rams lightly. I know this locker room too well and I don’t buy that. The Redskins aren’t in position to take anyone lightly. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s thinking, “This will be an easy game.” Sort of fits his mindset. And I don’t buy the notion that this was a trap game. Trap games are for good teams; the Redskins are not a good team. Mediocre, maybe. Good? Never thought they would be. Of course, I didn’t think they’d lose to the Rams.
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