What we learned » Either Chris Cooley is still not himself or Fred Davis has surpassed him. In two games, Davis has been targeted 13 times and has caught 11 passes for 191 yards. Cooley, who missed all of the preseason with a sore knee, has been targeted five times and has caught two passes for 21 yards. Against the Cardinals, Davis played 54 snaps to 35 for Cooley. And Davis was the tight end in the three-receiver sets 38 times compared to 17 for Cooley. It’s evident that Davis is a difficult matchup for defenses. It’s also worth paying attention to how the Redskins use their tight ends as the season develops. Davis provides a different energy.
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Rookie running back Roy Helu is a fun runner to watch. Helu is a big-play runner, but he gets those plays by staying true to the play. He’s decisive with his cuts. And when he makes a cut, his feet don’t chop. It’s a plant and go, and he’s always moving forward. Those attributes will enable him to continue to make big plays. He did pick up the blitz a couple times Sunday, but on one he had his head down. It’s still an area of concern.
– John Keim
| Player of note |
| CB DeAngelo Hall |
| Hall did a solid job against Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald — up until the 73-yard touchdown reception. On the play, Hall’s mistake was biting on the slant, anticipating a quick route knowing the pressure that was coming. But before that play Hall was good. He had plenty of help, with linebackers and safeties playing underneath at times; other times Hall had safety help. But he played a disciplined game save for the one play. |
| QB watch |
| Rex Grossman |
| Give Grossman credit for resiliency, coming back from two first-half interceptions. The first one resulted from a bad decision. The second was the right decision, but a missed pass interference penalty doomed the play and led to a tipped ball. But his passer rating in the second half was 93.8. Other quarterbacks would be lauded for their gutsy finish, and Grossman deserves praise for the second half, but his resume still makes people wonder which half is the one that revealed more. |
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The Redskins’ defensive strength is the linebackers. This really isn’t a surprise, but it is surprising how fast Ryan Kerrigan has made an impact. The coaches say that next year he’ll be able to play the way Brian Orakpo does now, but in the meantime he’s making big plays. Kerrigan’s balance at the snap is much better, and his sack was all power, then a quick cut inside. He changes directions well when rushing. But it’s not just him. Orakpo had a sack, London Fletcher had an interception and Rocky McIntosh had a sack in which Kerrigan forced quarterback Kevin Kolb his way.
» The Redskins made a good adjustment in the fourth quarter against Arizona’s blitz. The Redskins had completed just seven of their first 15 passes for 65 yards and two interceptions against the blitz. But on the game-winning drive, the Redskins completed all three passes against the blitz for 31 yards. They used shorter throws, and Rex Grossman got the ball out fast.
