The Washington Redskins were ranked 20th in rushing offense during the 2015 NFL season. They only managed to rush for 97.9 yards a game and accumulated 11 fumbles, five of which were given up by second-year running back Matt Jones. The passing attack was ranked 11th in the NFL, delivering 255.9 passing yards per game, so it’s obvious that there is a drop off between the aerial attack and rushing attack.
Now, there are a lot of people who think Washington has the opportunity to repeat as NFC East Champions for the first time since the Philadelphia Eagles did it in 2003 and 2004. But even more question Washington’s ability because of their noticeable ‘lack of a running game’ in 2015. Nevertheless, there is hope.
Why The Washington Redskins Running Game Isn’t Doomed After All
Patience
The National Football League today is a “Microwave” league. This means that fans and coaches expect players to produce immediately at a high level instead of allowing guys to develop. This brings me to the topic of Matt Jones. 2015 was Matt Jones’ first year in the NFL. He was drafted out of Florida in the third round (pick 95) and expected to come into a situation where an established running game was present with an established running back in place as well (Alfred Morris).
His lack of experience is certainly no excuse for his lack of ball security, but what can be said is that fans can only hope that his performance and production increase with time. The reason Jones got more playing time as the season progressed in 2015 is because he showed an immense amount of potential and brought a “spark” to the running game that fans haven’t truly seen since 2012. Since 2012, Alfred Morris’s statistics have dropped noticeably, which is the reason Washington had no problem moving on from that chapter and starting new with Jones.
Here’s a reminder of what Washington fans are looking forward to in 2016:
Progressing Offensive Line
The offensive line had a lot to do with the lack of production of Washington’s running game as well. Alongside Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams, fans should keep an eye on two emerging big names on that Redskins offensive line: guard Brandon Scherff and tackle Morgan Moses. These two offensive linemen started all 16 games last year and gained a lot of experience, especially being so young, so this year’s expectations are at an all-time high.
Another positive during this off-season has been the size these two have gained through the weight program. Moses gained 17 pounds (going from 318 to 335) and Scherff has gained four (going from 319 to 323). Size doesn’t substitute for skill (which is what Moses and Scherff are developing every day), but it sure does help. If the right side of the offensive line can play up to expectations, just above average play from the left guard and center position will do. At this point, anything is better than the performance on display last year, during running plays at least.
Commitment From the Coaching Staff
Lastly, the running game has to be a commitment for the Redskins. This starts with offensive coordinator Sean McVay. Even going back to last year when Alfred wasn’t operating at peak performance, and the offensive line wasn’t getting any push up front, the offense must stay balanced to an extent. When there is no run threat, defenses begin to key in on the pass, which brings offensive production to a halt.
Even with an above average passing attack, which Washington had in 2015, the team can only go so far. With even more threats through the air on the Redskins current roster, McVay can’t get too pass hungry. He must commit to the run and commit to a back. Washington is most effective when running sweep plays to the outside, which is what Matt Jones is good at as opposed to an inside gap running scheme.
Making defenses run back and forth across the field wears them down, and when that happens, play-action passes to one of those five solid pass catchers (DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garçon, Jordan Reed, Josh Doctson and Jamison Crowder) will work even better. This offense has a lot of potential but McVay has the huge responsibility of sticking to a balanced attack, through thick and thin.
