The Redskins' offensive coaches are still in a funk.
The defense may have come out and played a better game than the past 2 weeks, but that offense was terrible.
And why?
Yeah, we have some injured players.
BUT, the gameplan today from Gruden, Cavanaugh and that group on offense was atrocious.
With Trent Williams out of the game and the line challenged enough, the Redskins somehow came up with the great idea on offense to run passing plays where Vernon Davis is blocking Chandler Jones man on man, the Cardinals ONLY impact player on defense other than Peterson.
Result was one sack and then a failed conversion on another such play in the red zone when Cousins had to throw it away before being sacked.
Then in the red zone the Redskins on two drives decided that the best way to try and convert a score was to pick on Patrick Peterson, a pro bowl corner.
He blanketed Crowder on one throw to the end zone and almost picked off Cousins on another throw.
With BOTH of the Cardinals linebackers having been injured during the game, instead of calling up 5 step drop throws to try and beat Peterson, how about some quick off the line throws to the TEs and RBs to convert for first downs against special teamers taking the field at ILB?
The Redskins won the game, but given how few points the defense allowed Washington should have won this one going away.
Instead, another nail-biter at the end.
How about those drives to 'salt' away victories?
With 2:23 left the Cardinals failed to convert and had to punt to Washington.
Game over? Nice drive to pick up a first down and make the Cardinals use all their timeouts?
Nope.
We only took 15 seconds off the clock with one incompletion to a WR (again where is Davis or a back here?) and then two 'give up' rushes straight up the middle, the last with no hope of picking up 10 yards.
Cousins? This was another poor performance.
On a number of plays he had running room up the middle of the field but decided instead to throw the ball late into coverage.
In a game where the team was SO POOR converting third downs (what were we 1 or 9?), a few well-timed keepers by Cousins during those drives could have made a big difference in time of possession and the final score.
Beyond the ill-conceived fake end arounds and play action boots which fooled no one, Cousins really did look today and last week as well as if he was trying to get through these last few games here without getting hurt.
See you in free agency, buddy.