Burner's Burning Questions: Week Four Grades, Evaluations, Questions

[Burgundy Burner]

Greetings from the international headquarters of BBQ.

Week four is in the books and now we take a look at how the entire team fared against the Browns. The Redskins got off to a great start and finished well, but what happened in the middle left fans disgruntled and frustrated. It was a win and we will try to make some sense of it all as BBQ hands out grades, evaluations and questions. Feel free to offer your own grades, evaluations, questions, and opinions.

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[Burgundy Burner]

Week Four Grades, Evaluations, Questions​

Greetings from the international headquarters of BBQ.

Week four is in the books and now we take a look at how the entire team fared against the Browns. The Redskins got off to a great start and finished well, but what happened in the middle left fans disgruntled and frustrated. It was a win and we will try to make some sense of it all as BBQ hands out grades, evaluations and questions. Feel free to offer your own grades, evaluations, questions, and opinions.

Let’s take a look at week four.

Quarterbacks:
Question: Good Kirk. Bad Kirk. Good Kirk. What can we expect in the future?
Answer: Probably more of the same. In obvious passing situations the Browns featured a zone defense with eight players and had just three pass rushers. Opposing teams will do this more often. It’s possible that we are now at the peak of Kirk Cousins’ career.
Grade: C+

Running Backs:
Question: Does it seem like Matt Jones is finally hitting his stride?
Answer: We need more samples, but the last two games have been good. It helps that the game plan included more runs and going against a winless opponent. More time is needed to see if this change is permanent. Chris Thompson also had a good game.
Grade: A-

Wide Receivers:
Question: Why were the numbers the lowest of the season so far?
Answer: Two differences. Emphasis on the tight end and a solid running game contributed to the lower numbers. There are no real negatives here, just a different strategy.
Grade: Incomplete

Tight Ends:
Question: Is Jordan Reed the best tight end in football at this time?
Answer: Yes. Some tight ends are injured or hampered by other factors, but Jordan Reed is currently the best. He had a great game on Sunday. Niles Paul and Vernon Davis did an excellent job of blocking and helped to open holes in the rushing offense.
Grade: A

Offensive Line:
Question: Just how big was this makeshift unit on Sunday.?
Answer: 6-5, 320 – 6-5, 325 – 6-5, 325 – 6-5, 325 – 6-6, 335. They looked great on Sunday. Arie Kouandjio was a bit inconsistent, but hit his stride in the fourth quarter. The running game benefitted.
Grade: A

Defensive Line:
Question: Think Scot McCloughan can sign a few players next week like he did this week with the safeties?
Answer: You would almost hope so. Turnovers late in the game saves this bunch.
Grade: C-

Linebackers:
Question: Is it possible to replace the middle linebackers the following week?
Answer: To be fair and honest, Mason Foster is having a decent season thus far. He could do better. Will Compton had another subpar performance on Sunday. The hope is that Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith will soon return to their talent levels. Turnovers help, but tackling is good as well.
Grade: C-

Cornerbacks:
Question: Was this the best unit on Sunday?
Answer: Josh Norman is simply an elite player and had an interception when desperately needed. Quinton Dunbar continues to perform admirably.
Grade: B+

Safeties:
Question: DeAngelo who? David who?
Answer: Will Blackmon probably should’ve been the starter since day one. Yes, DeAngelo Hall is likely finished. David Bruton is a special teams ace and nothing more. Now it is time for Donte Whitner to step forward. Su’a Cravens had another fine game, but he is in concussion protocol.
Grade: B+

Special Teams:
Question: Is this the best special teams unit ever for the Redskins?
Answer: It’s possible. Tress Way pinned the Browns deep in the second half and a turnover led to a touchdown. Again, special teams will continue to be a strength of the Redskins this season. Dustin Hopkins continues to be perfect and is the best kicker since Chip Lohmiller.
Grade: A+

Coaching:
Question: Same question as last week. You were saying something about that hot seat?
Answer: Leave me BBQ alone. Yes – we touched on the subject a couple of weeks ago. Do we now have an established running game? We hope so. The defense is certainly an issue, but that unit hung in there again and had timely turnovers. Special teams continue to shine and that helps elevate the grade.
Grade: C+

How would you grade each position and the coaching staff? Should the Redskins start the same offensive line as last week? Do you think Arie Kouandjio proved he is ready to start at left guard? Will we see John Sullivan soon in the lineup? Is the career of DeAngelo Hall over? Should Josh Doctson be put on injured reserve? How will Donte Whitner perform? On to game five.

See you again next week with grades, evaluations, and questions.

Hail to the Redskins!

 

[Bulldog]

I keep beating the gong.

The Redskins are still a mid-tier, developing team. Yes, Arie Kouandjio made some mistakes but he's 24 years old and needs game reps to improve. His run blocking in particular was noticeable as he and Spencer Long opened holes inside for Matt Jones that weren't there earlier in the season. Lichtensteiger and Lauvao are simply not that talented. Kory has been getting by on smarts for some time as his body continues to break down. Lauvao was a questionable signing from Cleveland in 2014 and his just average.

When you have a veteran starter that as Chris Cooley said is 'just another guy' in the lineup you have to target these spots for upgrades and if we have in-house younger players with better physical upsides then we need to continue to work them in and let them grow.

Again, it's not like the rest of the team is 14-2 caliber and having guys like Long and Kouandjio contributing while making some mistakes is going to prevent us from getting to the Super Bowl.

 

[Knightingale]

Love reading these

Agree on the whole - my thoughts...

QB

I think I'd have marked Cousins a little higher to be honest. He's not and will never be the greatest QB in the League, but he manages games well on the whole. he had a few throws off target and a couple of brain fade moments where he should have got rid of the ball (or not as the case may be).

I'll generally accept an Interception in a game, it's when those turn into the multiple Interception games he used to be prone to that I worry. He seems to have fixed that issue and all QB's have bad throws during a game so that doesn't concern me that much. He did what he needed to do to get the team points. I don't feel he could have carried the team, but I also don't feel like at any point he sank the team.

I'd give a solid unspectacular B

RB

Agree A-

WR

I'd give this group a solid B. Numbers were down as you indicated as the run game was a factor and we weren't trying to fight back from being three touchdowns behind. Close game meant we could show balance and stick to the game plan. The WR corps did what they needed to do and provided targets for Kirk to spread it around a bit.

Another B from me.

TE

Agree. Couldn't ask for more from Reed. I used to worry about him being concussion prone, but he seems to have moved past that. A

O-Line

Good in pass protection (bar a few snaps, but to be honest I expect the defense to win a few from time to time, you can't win them all) and much improved in run blocking. I agree with your A

D-Line

Ouch! If there's a unit I'd say put this game on the line... this is it. There's nothing about this group that I like and our run defense up the middle is appalling. Honestly if I was an opposing teams OC then I'd just run on us all day until we prove we can stop them. Last week was horrendous. Huge chunks of yards given up, huge holes and missed tackles.

Whenever I wonder about what the scoreline of a game is going to be week on week, this is the group that fills me with dread. I feel like we can score 30 a game with our Offense, but I feel like this line can give up 30 a week. Between them and the linebackers we can't pressure the QB so they have all day to look for any exploitable gap in our secondary, and our run defense has earned them the nickname The Red Sea. If there's a team with a running back out there called Moses, we're in real trouble.

Even with the fumble recoveries I wouldn't give this group a higher mark than a D

Linebackers

If the D-Line is 'The Red Sea' these guys should be nicknamed 'The Invisibles'. It doesn't feel to me like these guys have any real impact on the game. I didn't miss Kerrigan when he went out as I hadn't even noticed he was playing! Seriously. Even a blind pig can find a truffle every now and then and we get a sack here or there or a sack, but this unit isn't a game changer.
I agree with your C-

CB

I like this group. Norman is justifying his contract and this group is playing well considering the pressure that they're under.
B+

S

As above. Considering the pressure they get because of our shoddy D-Line and the injuries prevalent through the unit I feel they are punching above their weight.
B+

Special Teams

Oooooo I hadn't thought of their historic significance.... but you're right. From a kicker and punter aspect they're REALLY good.
Crowder is making a good mark in returns, but he's not the best we've ever had back there... Mitchell and Green anyone?

Still I'd give them an A

Coaching

Hmmmmmm
I'd agree with you on this. Whatever else we say about these Redskins, they are rarely quitters. I've seen Skins team in the past just hang their heads and give up, but these teams do seem to dig in and fight tooth and nail. I like the attitude with which they play most of the time.
I think Gruden is safe for now, but I wonder how long Barry will last if this Defense continues to hemorrhage yards and points at an alarming rate. I know we need better personnel back there, but other teams do more with less.
C+


As to your questions.....

YES! I like this O-Line. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Sometimes it's not about having the best players it's about the best chemistry and I kinda feel like we stumbled onto something good that works.

YES! Arie should start.

NO IDEA! Not sure when we'll see Sully.

YES! It's over for D.Hall and that makes me sad.

Hmmm MAYBE! We're pretty loaded at Receiver, I'd put him on IR I think and just make sure he's healed up and ready. No rush.

NO IDEA! I don't know enough about Hitner. Here's hoping. We'll know more after the game.

 

[Ax]

Good stuff BB. As usual.

Kirk, or as I now affectionately refer to him, Cybil, is what he is. When he's hot, he's damn hot. But, unfortunately, he is still prone to making horrible "rookie-ish" mistakes, at any moment. Even in the midst of a hot streak. Your C+ is right on.

I'm warming up to Matt Jones. However, I think he tries to bounce it outside too often. Early in the game he was trying it WAY to often. He got better as the game went on. (Not to coaching staff; RB's NEED REPS!!!)
He still runs too upright. And, for a big guy, he runs like a little guy, afraid of contact. Needs to watch some Walter Payton highlights, and learn how to punish defenders. I'm not as generous as you, so I'll go B- there.

Like all your other grades, except for coaching. I'll be kind, and go with a D+. Our staff is average, at best. Were it not for the players forcing and taking the turnovers, we probably would have lost, at home, to the Cleveland friggin Browns.

 

[Bulldog]

Cousins hasn't started the season the way he finished up 2015.

But that said, all you have to do is look at Drew Brees in New Orleans. There is a proven franchise quarterback and likely hall of famer who can't will the Saints to victories because there are simply too many holes elsewhere on the roster.

The Saints defense may be even worse than the one that set records in 2015.

Their offensive line is a huge question mark.

Going back to Cousins, if he had played better we would have beaten Dallas and been 3-1 at this stage. Which would have looked good on the surface.

But the loss to the Steelers in the opener showed the holes.

We gave up 100 yards rushing to a 33 year old backup running back in DeAngelo Williams. We didn't even face their #1 back in Bell.

Overall, we rank #31 in rush defense.

We have trouble running the ball on offense to get first downs when the #1 offensive line combination is on the field. Perhaps moving Shawn and Kory out and going with a bigger, stronger and younger lineup will turn the run into an asset.

So, we can agonize over Kirk's 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions through 4 games.

But the truth is we probably could have won all 4 of our games so far if we had a defense like Minnesota or even the Eagles.

 

[JohnssBass]

Coaching staff was much better - they're getting back to what was successful last season offensively - short passes, no-huddle/fast paced offense, run the ball and take the occasional shot when it's there. Under 2oo yds passing, 3 TDs and a win is far more impressive than watching Kirk toss up 3oo with no points and a loss. They'll need the same kind of plan against Baltimore to beat their pass rush. Three scores from the Red Zone - that's as many as they had in the first three games combined. Berry is at least trying some things to help out the defense but sometimes those changes, like some on offense, are predicated by injury rather than scheme. But there are a few new wrinkles although something new and inventive has to be done on third downs both he and the players have to improve. He has to come to the realization that Hood is a DT/DE which does not equal a NT. It's not what Ziggy does, it's not what he can give you he needs help to play the interior of the line.

CB's were pretty good overall. If Toler gets lined up on the outside ever again I think I may throw something thru the tube and hit Berry in the head. 180 lbs soaking wet - that experiment failed before it started. He's a nickle back, it's what he is don't eff around.

The ILB's aren't great but not unplayable bad. Foster is a fantastic LB. Foster is a horrible LB. Actually you can say both during a game, sometimes one play after another. Mostly lacks consistency and is somewhat hesitant on the snap. But him and Compton are both going to see a lot of guards blocking them on runs until they figure out a way to get around them. Help from the dLine or some better moves or both.

DLine - they don't have the guys to run a 3-4 base. Adjust for that - Berry did try a couple of things but not too often. Like pulling Smith to the middle behind the NT. Only did it while Ryan was out and Bates was in but at least is trying to get more into a 4-3, it's what they are best suited for with the talent they have. 3-4 base - that's 3 down linemen in between the offensive tackles, and four LBs behind. Call the two pass rushers outside the tackles a DE if you want ,play around with everyone else however you want but that is a 3-4 base and they can't hold the middle with Hood/Reyes (gone)/Jenkins/Ioannidis by themselves in that middle backed up with Compton/Foster. Jenkins has played the best out of the first three.

But, overall, improvements in the Red Zone, improvement in game plan, steady Special teams and most importantly - a win. Tackling is a four letter word across the defense as are third downs. Those are leaky holes that have to get plugged. And they did sum up the extra effort to move up into the top 5 of penalties! I had faith... Shooting themselves in the foot.