Washington Redskins: Offensive Balance Key to Turnaround
By Andrew Long
The Washington Redskins will have to find a better offensive balance to succeed in 2016. If they don’t, things may take a dark, dark turn.
The start to the Washington Redskins 2016 campaign has been, to put it nicely, a major disappointment. Coming off of a season in which they captured the NFC East title, a sense of optimism surrounded the team for a majority of the offseason. The team’s seemingly strong summer, however, has proven to be a sham thus far into the young season.
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Many people, myself included, expected the Burgundy and Gold to take a big leap forward this year, both offensively and defensively. Unfortunately for the Redskins, though, things have gone awry. Their offense hasn’t been able to consistently move the ball, and their defense has looked weak. And while both units have struggled, I believe that the offense’s lack of production is the bigger problem for Washington.
Sure, they have accrued a large amount of yardage (seventh in the league with 408 yards per game), but you can just tell that things aren’t clicking.
It’s been well-noted that Kirk Cousins hasn’t been on top of his game, as he’s thrown only one touchdown versus three interceptions in two games. His completion percentage of 65.2 percent is down by more than four points from his league-leading completion percentage of 69.8 percent a year ago. His quarterback rating has also taken a tumultuous plunge, falling from 101.6 in 2015 to 78.5 this season. The passing game isn’t the only portion of the offense that is lacking, though.
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The rushing attack in Washington has also been underwhelming, with the team’s backfield churning out a paltry 68.5 yards per game (25th in the league). The Redskins lack of success on the ground—and through the air—stems from questionable play calling. The Washington Redskins have run the ball only 29 times, and are the only team in the league to have less than 30 carries on the year.
Their lack of effective rushing has made them a one-dimensional team, allowing the opposition to sit back in coverage. Their predictable nature has made it nearly impossible to succeed on offense, and it will likely stay that way until they create a better balance.
If the Redskins can establish a legitimate rushing attack, the passing game will follow. Safeties won’t feel as comfortable sitting back, and linebackers will be forced to account for rushing plays instead of settling into zone coverage.
At this point in his career, I believe that Cousins needs a solid running game to succeed. That’s not a knock on his abilities, not at all. It’s difficult for quarterbacks to prosper when opposing defenses know what they’re going to do.
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If Jay Gruden doesn’t find a way to balance his offensive attack and put more points on the board, the team is going to continue to struggle. Their defense has been less than great this season, but that was to be expected. The offense, on the other hand, was supposed to be the strength of the team.
Washington still has ample time to turn things around. But if they can’t find an offensive balance, I’m afraid their season will end in failure.