1. Rex Grossman has played well before » In 2006, Grossman opened the season by throwing 10 touchdowns and only four interceptions in the first five games. He was rolling. Then he threw four interceptions, followed by a three-touchdown game followed by a three-interception performance followed by a three-touchdown game.
See a pattern?
So he’s capable of doing well, especially when facing a weak passing defense like Dallas. And then he plays poorly. So it’s hard to gauge what his outing today meant other than he could help you in a pinch (or hurt you). And it means that this offense is capable of producing. This was also the second worst pass defense Washington has faced this season (according to league rankings).
Today he mostly helped, after some ugly throws early in the game. But with Dallas not applying a lot of pressure, Grossman was able to get into a rhythm. Aside from a couple throws – the deep ball to Anthony Armstrong for example – Grossman appeared to give his receivers better chances to run after the catch. Donovan McNabb did not always do this. Of course, some of those passes came on screens that were well-designed and caught Dallas in blitzes (as on Ryan Torain’s 20-yard catch and run). Credit Kyle Shanahan for those. Grossman made a couple bad throws – his interception was classic Rex and he’s lucky it wasn’t returned for a touchdown. The last one? He tried to sneak one over the top to Chris Cooley and simply failed. But it was the right pass.
Maybe this game said more about McNabb than Grossman, though it’s really hard to guess what he would have done. Four touchdowns, 30 points? Not guessing that one. I was surprised at the emphasis on the pass early in the game, thrusting a guy who has barely played in two years into a playmaking role right away. After a while, they had no choice but to pass and that helped Grossman find a rhythm. And he did make it a fun game to watch; helped lead a rather resilient bunch to a near win.
2. Grossman’s footwork made a difference » He’s not the most nimble, and it’s really hard to pay attention to this until watching the game again, but on throws where I did watch, his footwork was solid. That’s a big, big issue with McNabb but, for example, on the touchdown pass to Chris Cooley, Grossman was forced to slide left. However, he kept a good base and it helped him deliver an accurate pass to Cooley. And speaking of Cooley, he once again was a non-factor for nearly three quarters. But he finished with five catches, including four in the fourth quarter.
More importantly, he was a factor in the red zone. Before Sunday, Cooley had unofficially been targeted seven times in the red zone – out of 50 passes. That’s ridiculous. Today, he caught a five-yard pass and a two-point conversion. Because he was a factor, LB Keith Brooking flew at Cooley on the two-pointer, even though I doubt it was his responsibility. That opened the way for a wide-open pass to Mike Sellers.
Grossman did not spread the ball around a great deal, with 23 of his 25 passes going to four receivers. A week ago McNabb hit eight different guys. Doesn’t always mean a lot. Really, it’s about hitting the right guys at the right time and giving them a chance to run with the ball. That led to more consistency than during McNabb’s 13 games. Again: one game vs. a bad defense. But it’s all we have to go off of right now.
Oh, and I’m not blaming Santana Moss for this loss just because he dropped a pass. Would have helped, yes, but he made other plays. Many contributed to the loss (his blocking is another matter).
3. Mike Shanahan is not validated by Grossman’s day » Listen, Shanahan will be measured by the record. And the Redskins are 5-9 staring at another double-digit loss season. Do you really want a moral victory against a team now with five wins? Shanahan put together both sides of the ball, not just offense.
Shanahan’s decision to “evaluate” Grossman certainly led to a good offensive showing. It didn’t lead to a win. I understand why he made the move and I get that McNabb wasn’t playing well; it would have been even worse had he made the switch while they were in playoff contention. I’m stunned it reached this point. And it was his decision to trade two picks for a quarterback whom they thought they could change.
As well as Grossman played, the quarterback of the future likely isn’t on the roster. So what did today prove and what does it mean? Today just proves that Grossman could be effective, and then some, in a pinch. And that the offense does work (though they have to show that for a period of weeks to really prove that). But I think we already knew the offense worked; it’s just that it hasn’t worked consistently with the talent they have.
4. Both defenses need a lot of work » Which would you rather have? A defense with all its starters that can’t stop anyone or a defense missing starters, but one that’s aging and in dire need of major upgrades at several spots to be effective? Take your pick because that’s what we have in Dallas and Washington, respectively.
The Cowboys have now allowed 30 or more points eight times this season. Wow. Their D is the reason I picked them to win the division for crying out loud. And they have no excuses because they’ve been healthy, unlike the Redskins, who are also transitioning to a 3-4. By the way, it’s not the 3-4 that is failing it’s the personnel. Their options behind Kedric Golston were 37-year old Phillip Daniels, still fine in a limited role, and 35-year-old Vonnie Holliday. When Rocky McIntosh was hurt, they turned to H.B. Blades. So there are three backups who aren’t future starters.
So they not only need better starters, they need more depth. Another thing I wonder: has Lorenzo Alexander worn down? He hasn’t looked as spry in space as he did earlier in the season. He missed several plays today in space, on runs and throws, that he seemed to make in the first part of the season.
I’ll cut the Redskins a little slack today considering the field position Dallas had, but they only forced two punts, caused no turnovers and allowed 434 yards. They only allowed three touchdowns out of seven trips in the red zone. But seven trips is an awful lot.
The injuries played a role; when Reed Doughty went out they lost their ability to use both safeties near the line – and Doughty is better up here than Kareem Moore. Doughty and Carlos Rogers were effective on blitzes off the edge. Brian Orakpo’s absence I guess hurt, but he had a quiet day and was burned on the wildcat flea flicker. Oh, and Anthony Bryant had his moments at nose guard but he’s not the answer either. Seems like every other play he stands up and that leads to problems.
5. DeAngelo Hall needs to play smarter » This is a hard one because DeAngelo Hall is always praised for his instincts. Going for the ball is what he does well. So it’s now hard to criticize him when he should have done the opposite. Sort of like asking a guy who is aggressive to not always be that way; hey, they are who they are.
But his instincts at times should tell him he has no chance at the pick. Last week vs. Tampa Bay, he messed up by thinking a pass would be overthrow and he could pick it off. Instead, the Bucs gained valuable yards for a field goal. Today, Hall messed up on a pass to Jason Witten. He really had no shot at the ball, yet tried for the pick anyway. Witten scored easily. If Hall makes the tackle, Dallas attempts a field goal. Think those four points mattered today? Big plays help defenses, no doubt. So, too, do small ones. Maybe this falls under the category of trying to do too much. Hall also allowed a touchdown catch. Not a good day.
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