The Washington Redskins lost a hard-fought game to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field 20-17 in Week 7. Besides the typical yards-per-carry and number-of-completions statistics out there; there are some other stats should get some attention.
This loss to the Lions was Washington’s first road loss since Week 11 of the 2015 season. It probably doesn’t seem it has been that long for Redskins fans, however.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins had no interceptions and finished the game with a passer rating of 106.9, his third passer rating of 100.0 or better this season. The former Spartan also recorded his 15th career 300-yard passing game (including postseason play) to move past Joe Theismann (14) for sole possession of second-most in team history.
Cousins also had a career-long 19-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter off a stellar play-action fake to running back Chris Thompson. The touchdown run was the QB’s first of the season and the sixth of his career. He has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 22 of 23 regular season games since assuming the starting role before the 2015 season, including each of the last six games dating back to Week 2.
Despite the fact that veteran WR Pierre Garçon extended his streak of consecutive regular season games played with a reception to 93 (the sixth-longest active streak in the NFL), he and fellow wideout DeSean Jackson did not have as much of an impact on the game as they should have. While Jackson was targeted eight times and caught five balls, his longest was for just 12 yards.
Either OC Sean McVay did not dial the plays up, or Cousins decided the defense was wrong for taking any shots at the Lions defensive backs with deep passes. As a matter of fact, only four passes were thrown at least 20 yards in the air, and only one of those was completed (for 27 yards)… it was to tight end Vernon Davis.
On that note, Davis and wide receiver Jamison Crowder were the cogs that kept the offensive wheel going through the air in Detroit; combining for 16 targets and 13 catches for 187 yards.
Crowder continues to show how important he is to the Redskins offense. He recorded seven receptions for 108 yards, both season highs. This 100-yard receiving performance was the second of Crowder’s career and his first since Week 17 of the 2015 season.
Davis’ 79 receiving yards were his most since Week 15 of the 2013 season as a member of the San Francisco 49ers (79).
The offensive line suffered huge losses when second-year right guard Brandon Scherff (shoulder) and Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams (knee) both left the game with injuries. Williams is due to get an MRI today.
Scherff played really well. Even with the false start penalty he incurred, he was perfect in pass protection and has still not allowed a sack this season. In fact, he has allowed only four QB hits.
RT Morgan Moses also continues to excel in pass blocking with a perfect game in this aspect against the Lions. Moses now has three games this season where he has not allowed any pressure.
Out of 15 third downs, the Redskins converted nine. That is very good.
Despite the loss, the Redskins defense played well until the very end of the game. Unfortunately, the timing of just a couple of plays made the difference.
A testament to how well DC Joe Barry’s crew played is that the Lions converted just three of nine third downs.
The Lions’ touchdown in the fourth quarter was the first Washington’s defense has allowed in the second half of a game since Week 3 against the New York Giants.
While CBs Josh Norman (concussion) and Bashaud Breeland (ankle) were both out of the game, their fellow DBs Quinton Dunbar, Kendall Fuller, Will Blackmon, Donte Whitner and Duke Ihenacho were left to deal with Lions QB Matt Stafford and his pass-catchers.
Blackmon played a good game, allowing just one of two targets he was covering to be caught for just three yards. He made some great reads and plays on deep balls down the sidelines. He also had two pass defenses on the day.
The whole Whitner versus Ihenacho things is confusing still. The latter has shown he is a baller but Whitner played all 53 snaps, while Ihenacho only played nine and produced nothing on the stat sheet. Whitner was alright – he allowed one of two passes to be completed for seven yards under his watch. He logged four solo tackles and was in on four more, two of which were stops. He had no missed tackles.
Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan has now recorded at least one full sack in three consecutive games for the first time since a five-game stretch in Weeks 12-16 of the 2014 season. He also started his 87th consecutive regular season game. He entered the day tied for second-most among active NFL linebackers.
Kerrigan has not missed a start in his NFL career.
Linebacker Trent Murphy seems to have arrived. He added to his single-season career high with his sixth sack of the season against Detroit. He also forced his third fumble of the season on the play. He has now posted at least a half-sack in six consecutive games for the first time in his career.
The Redskins defense recorded three sacks overall (one was also logged by LB Preston Smith) and have now tallied at least three sacks in each of their last three games.
Washington’s defense has now held four straight opponents to 20 points or fewer for the first time since a five-game streak in Weeks 2-6 of the 2009 season.
Despite the defeat, the Redskins remain 30-14 all-time against the Lions, including postseason play.