The Washington Redskins team bus was involved in an accident on its way to Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, shaking up team members and the coaching staff. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, though third string RB Silas Redd was made inactive due to his back tightening up after the collision.
Unfortunately, the accident was an apt metaphor for the team’s defense today, as the wheels came off early and the previously ineffective Vikings offense, led by rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater, carved up the D in large chunks to beat the Redskins 29-26.
The game marked the return of QB Robert Griffin III, and while his arm is as impressive as it has always been — he was obviously rusty from missing so many weeks due to his dislocated ankle — it was apparent he wore down as the day went along and the hits piled up, as he was sacked five times by the Minnesota defense.
Griffin was 18 of 28 for 251 yards, a touchdown and a very costly interception. He looked great on downfield balls — as long as the porous offensive line gave him time to set. He looked less good on sprint passes, especially when asked to move to his left and throw against his body. On those occasions, he looked either physically incapable, or just plain unwilling, to set his feet and make a good hard throw.
The offensive line play, again today, was simply atrocious. On very few occasions, Griffin had enough time to go through his progressions and find the correct receiver. He was much more effective on single-read routes where he didn’t need read the play. Griffin often looked indecisive as well, perhaps a testament to his inactivity over eight weeks.
The running game with Alfred Morris, however, looked very sharp in the first half. Predictably though, once the game got competitive in the second quarter and second half, the team practically abandoned the run and opted to use screens and swing passes to keep the defense honest, with varying degrees of success.
Morris finished with 92 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns.
Griffin found Desean Jackson for two long gains and a short touchdown pass, once again showing Jackson’s threat to secondaries across the league. He made four catches for 120 yards, the longest of 56 yards. But his offensive pass interference call in the fourth quarter — a very soft call — ended up putting the Redskins in a second-and-20 spot they could not recover from.
The Redskins (3-6) built a 10-0 lead on a Kai Forbath 36-yard field goal and Morris’ first touchdown of the day, a 14-yard carry. Both drives were impressive; the first went 13 plays and 72 yards, the second went 91 yards on six plays.
The Redskins held the Vikings (4-5) on downs in their territory right before the half, but on the next play — with 1:04 left on their own 39 — Griffin rolled left and threw to Andre Roberts, but the throw was short and Captain Munnerlyn stepped in and scooped it up before it hit the ground. After review, the play stood.
Bridgewater needed just four plays to put it in the end zone, the last was a 20-yard strike to wide open tight end Chase Ford (5 catches, 66 yards) down the left sideline for the score. The Vikings made it 14-10 early in the third — after a Redskins three-and-out — as a 6-play, 56-yard drive ended on Matt Asiata’s 1-yard plunge.
Washington answered though, marching 56 yards on seven plays and Griffin hit Jackson on a slant with a terrific pass to make it 17-14. The team forced a three-and-out, then got in position for Forbath’s second field goal of the day, this time from 26 yards, and the Redskins led 20-14.
That’s when the defense went completely AWOL.
Minnesota took its next possession 76 yards in 10 plays, with Asiata’s 7-yard touchdown as a result, and a Vikings 21-20 lead.
The Redskins responded with another solid drive, 8 plays, 80 yards, and Morris’ second touchdown, a 2-yard run. A failed 2-point conversion made it 26-21 Redskins.
But the defense again laid down. The Vikings, who hadn’t scored more than 14 points in any of their past five games, carved up the defense for 73 yards on 12 plays, culminating with Asiata’s third score of the day, and the dagger in the Redskins hopes.
The offense got the ball back with 3:27 left, needing a field goal to force overtime. But the drive stalled, and Griffin’s fourth down pass to Pierre Garcon, on a sprint left, was low and short and fell incomplete.