The Washington Redskins came out victorious against a good Carolina Panthers team this past Sunday. The Redskins are now back in first place in the NFC East Division with a 3-2 record. Washington defeated Carolina 23-17. Dustin Hopkins kicked a 23-yard field goal with 3:15 remaining in the fourth quarter to go up by six. The Redskins were then able to stop Cam Newton and the Panthers offense on fourth down to seal the deal. This was an important win at home with the division rival Dallas Cowboys coming into town next Sunday.
Alex Smith and the offense didn’t put up huge numbers against Carolina but they scored timely touchdowns early on to take the lead. The Redskins defense has been consistent all season and they were crucial once again this past Sunday. Carolina is currently ranked 28th in total offense so the Redskins did not have much difficulty holding them to only 17 points. After this performance, the Redskins now rank third in total defense in the entire NFL. The defense stepped up big time for the Redskins and that is why they won against the Panthers.
The Washington Redskins Defense Comes Up Big in Win Against the Carolina Panthers
Josh Norman Led the Secondary Unit
Josh Norman had a little extra juice going up against his former team. Norman came out and made a statement after being benched last week against the New Orleans Saints. The NFL’s highest-paid corner finished the game with one interception, one forced fumble, five total tackles, and one pass deflection. Norman’s energy was contagious and the rest of the secondary fed off it throughout the entire game.
The tight coverage by the Redskins secondary forced Newton to hold the ball longer than he wanted to. Newton still finished the game with a 67.5 percent completion percentage. Most of Newton’s incompletions were due to inaccurate throws and very good coverage on the outside. After paying homage to Sean Taylor before the game, D.J. Swearinger came out and played with a relentless motor like always. He finished the game with seven total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack. Swearinger was all over the field and he gave Newton and the rest of the Panthers offense headaches all day.
Defensive Line Kept Panthers Rushing Game in Check
The new and improved defensive line had a dominant showing once again. Jonathan Allen and Da’Ron Payne, who are nicknamed the “Alabama Boys,” were stout in the trenches. They finished with a combined five total tackles. Christian McCaffrey was a no-show thanks to the strong play of the defensive front. Heading into Week Six, McCaffrey had rushed the ball 63 times for 329 yards. Against the Redskins, McCaffrey had eight carries for only 20 yards. Washington did not let the McCaffrey break open any explosive runs as he averaged only 2.5 per rush attempt.
Newton actually led the Panthers in carries with nine rushes for 43 yards. The Redskins only sacked Newton once but they forced him to use his legs a lot by collapsing the pocket. Overall, the Redskins defense managed to hold the ninth-ranked rushing team in the NFL to 81 yards on 18 attempts. They forced the Panthers to become a one-dimensional team, which was their recipe for success. Newton finished the game with 40 pass attempts and that’s exactly what the Redskins wanted. Washington would’ve rather had Carolina beat them through the air than on the ground.
The Offense Made Just Enough Plays
The Redskins were extremely banged up heading into this matchup against the Panthers. Chris Thompson, who is their multi-dimensional running back and Smith’s favorite target, was forced to sit out due to rib and knee injuries. Slot receiver Jamison Crowder was also out due to an ankle injury. The return of wide receiver Josh Doctson from a heel injury was a good sight to see. Doctson finished the game with three catches for 20 yards. Smith had to adjust with some of his weapons missing but he played a solid game. Smith finished the game 21 for 36 for 163 yards, two touchdowns, and zero turnovers.
Smith and the Redskins offense came out firing. Smith connected with tight end Vernon Davis for a 22-yard touchdown on their second drive of the game. With three minutes remaining in the first quarter, Smith found wide receiver, Paul Richardson, in the back of the end zone for a two-yard touchdown. The Redskins jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and were able to hold on for the rest of the game. Adrian Peterson had to pop his shoulder back into place against the Saints last week but you couldn’t tell that he was in pain versus the Panthers. Peterson rushed the ball 17 times for 97 total yards. At 33 years old, Peterson has been a huge steal for the Redskins. Hopefully, he can stay healthy because his production has been vital this year.
