The Washington Redskins picked up a huge win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 6, but what does it mean for this team moving forward.
The Washington Redskins were desperate after being embarrassed last Monday night at New Orleans. And recent trends show the Redskins bounce back pretty well after a loss. That trend continued in Week 6 as the Redskins (3-2) defeated the Carolina Panthers (3-2) 23-17 at FedEx Field. A last-minute defensive stand gave Washington its first victory over Cam Newton and it could become an important win in the NFC playoff race come December.
Much like their two previous wins, the Redskins jumped out to a double-digit lead and led kept the lead for the entire game. Unlike the first two wins, Washington’s opponent actually got back into the game.
Quarterback Alex Smith was much better this week, however, still missed some open plays. He didn’t turn the ball over but did have one mistake that could’ve come back to haunt Washington. His intentional grounding penalty potentially cost the Redskins some valuable points.
Newton had a big day statistically and mounted a comeback in the second half, fortunately for the Redskins they forced a few turnovers and didn’t allow Carolina’s league-leading ground game to beat them. Newton led the Panthers with 43 rushing yards while running back Christian McCaffrey was held to just 20 yards on eight attempts.
Kicker Dustin Hopkins was a hero for Washington, connecting on all three field goals including one from 56 yards. His field goal gave the Redskins a 20-6 lead during a time it appeared the offense had stalled a bit.
Here are three takeaways from Washington’s win over the Panthers.