Even with a Friday injury report 11-men deep and a defense unable to get off the field, the Washington Redskins found a way to win the last three weeks. The games haven’t been pretty but, in each of their last three victories, the team did whatever it took to get the “W.”
The Baltimore Ravens were the Redskins latest victim and, while they did their part to help the Burgundy and gold, Washington’s players had a hand in it as well. And there were times when fans were likely chuckling and scratching their heads even as they cheered.
For instance, in the third quarter the Ravens lined up in their typical field goal formation (save for the fact that Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker was lined up as if he was left-footed when he is not). But Tucker ran to his right, throwing a pass over the middle to tight end Crockett Gillmore in a fake FG attemp.
Redskins safety Duke Ihenacho showed up — whether to tackle Gillmore or try for the ball is anybody’s guess — but, because of either the wind or how bad the pass was, the pigskin hit Ihenacho in the back of the head and fell incomplete.
“I just kind of sensed something,” the safety said after the game. “Usually, we come off so hard, but I didn’t come off as hard, for some reason. When they hiked the ball, [Justin Tucker] took a step up, and he never does that — he takes a step back. He took a step up so I just kind of disrupted him.”
Note the safety’s use of the word “disrupted.”
How else can one describe the play? Ihenacho did just that. But it would be easy to joke about Ihenacho’s “cerebral” style of play.
Later in the game, when Baltimore linebacker C.J. Mosley intercepted Redskins QB Kirk Cousins, it was backup tackle Ty Nsekhe that dove for the LB to keep him from getting to the end zone. As the ball rolled out of bounds, the sight of the VERY large center Spencer Long, left tackle Trent Williams and right guard Brandon Scherff all racing sideways to get in Moseley’s way is a one to behold.
The shot that wide receiver Pierre Garçon took from Ravens LB Elvis Dumervil as the wide out tried to do his part in the play was one for the record books. But then Garçon is the kind of man that will sacrifice his body like that… doing whatever it takes.
The way the Ravens were moving the ball in their first few series had viewers thinking it could be a long day for the Redskins. But the defensive play-calling was good and adjustments were made. Tackles were made as well and that is big for this defense.
While Ravens OC Marc Trestman did inexplicably stop running the ball, defensive linemen Ziggy Hood and rookie nose tackle Matt Ioannidis had a productive day, teaming up at one point to stop Baltimore RB Terence West for just three-yards. Hood sacked Flacco for an eight-yard loss. CB Kendall Fuller, LB Trent Murphy, CB Quinton Dunbar, CB Will Blackmon and, again, Ihenacho all tackled well for the most part and made key contributions toward the game’s outcome. LB Mason Foster was a beast.
“I think it’s just everybody staying together,” Head Coach Jay Gruden said after the game. “I know what type of team we have. We know these games are going to come down to the wire. I don’t know if we’ll ever dominate everybody and win 53-3. We have to understand that these games are going to be 60 minutes long; they all are nowadays in the NFL. We just have to stay resilient, focused and play hard for the entire length of the game. These guys so far have done a nice job of that for the most part.”
The Redskins have been searching for an identity and it just may not be something like: “smash mouth running game,” “finesse passing” or “defensive juggernaut.” As long as they win, it doesn’t matter. Washington’s identity might simply be one of a team that does whatever it takes to win… no matter how funny it looks.