How Much Of The Redskins Offensive Struggles Is Due To A Badly Timed Skid, or Defenses Figuring Them Out?

by Jamual Forrest

Through the entire season, the issues for the Redskins’ offense have been red zone struggles, missed opportunities, slow starts, and predictability. We are now in week 16 of the regular season, and not much has changed. Throughout the course of the year, the offense has constantly dug themselves a hole by kicking field goals when getting in opponents territory, turning it over at inopportune times, or simply punting it back when in position to add to a small lead. Let me be clear: this Redskins offense is the 3rd best offense in yards and the 10th best scoring offense in the NFL. However, when dealing with a defense like theirs, the unquestioned task for this offense every week is the need to score 30 points per game or more to secure a victory. Yes the Kirk Cousins-led offense has been the strong suit of this team and expectations were high back at the beginning of the season, as they should have been. Regardless of what the team’s record is at season’s end the offense should be a lethal unit. Heading into the Chicago Bears game, the Redskins are averaging 25 points per game. As great as they have been moving the ball down the field, they have still fallen short of what it takes to overcome a bad defense.
The Slow Starts

In recent weeks, Washington has have been abysmal in the first half of games, trailing in their last four games at the half. Regardless of how often the defense has been able to get off the field without allowing points, the offense has shown a lack of aggression and sense of urgency. They don’t have to verbally admit it, but the thought of “Man we have to put up 6 this drive, it’s on us to take the pressure off our defense” should occur every drive. The slow starts recently have mustered 6 points vs Dallas, 6 points vs Arizona, 7 points vs Philadelphia, and 9 points vs Carolina in the first half. These slow starts have fueled that sense of urgency that lacked in the first half; however, it was a problem even in the earlier parts of the season.

To get a sense of how much of an issue this has been, here is a list of the top 10 scoring offenses in the league, and their scoring efficiency in the 1st half of games.
1. Atlanta Falcons – 17 ppg (1st)
2. New Orleans Saints – 14.1 ppg (5th)
3. Oakland Raiders – 12 ppg (12th)
4. San Diego Chargers – 14.1 ppg (6th)
5. Dallas Cowboys – 14.3 ppg (3rd)
6. New England – 13.9 ppg (7th)
7. Green Bay Packers – 14.3 ppg (4th)
8. Indianapolis Colts – 13.9 ppg (8th)
9. Buffalo Bills – 11.9 ppg (15th)

Do you notice a common theme? With the exception of the Raiders and Bills, these top 10 scoring offenses are top 10 in the league when it comes to first half points and getting off to fast starts. Even the Raiders and Bills are still in the top half of the league. Whether their defense is an issue or not, the ability to get in the end zone more often than not isn’t questioned.

Although Washington has the 10th best scoring offense overall, they only average 10 points per game in the first half, which is 21st in the NFL. This scoring output in first half of games has very little to do with what the defense has been able to do, or rather, hasn’t been able to do, which is get stops. This team has constantly found itself having to dig out of a hole, or in close games in games that should not have been close in the first place. The Redskins’ offense is great at moving the football, but are they an elite unit? Are they getting overrated because of the bigger flaws on defense? Some can argue they were never meant to carry a team in the first place.
In the 2nd half of games the Redskins rank 3rd in the NFL in points per game with 14.4. But here’s the kicker: the remaining 9 teams in the top 10 of scoring offenses in the NFL are all in the top 15. In terms of scoring outputs, they are very consistent in both halves, whereas the Redskins are clearly not. The most frustrating thing when it comes to slow starts is the lack of consistency in how they choose to attack a defense and their imbalance when reaching the red zone.
McVay’s Imbalanced Play Calling

Second year play caller Sean McVay has deservedly become a hot commodity around the NFL for the job he has done here in Washington. However, Sean is a young coordinator and has flaws. At the moment they are glaring flaws. Can this hot commodity fix things with 2 very important weeks left? According to teamrankings.com, the Redskins run to pass percentage over the season is at 37:63. In Redskins wins, you can see them featuring an offensive attack that is balance for the most part. However, when things get tough for the offense, his faith in his offensive line and running backs seem to fade away.
Comparing them to the NFL’s division leaders, each division leader except one (Detroit Lions) have a run to pass percentage where they run the ball at least 40% of the time. Yes, even teams such as the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, and New England Patriots which are known as passing-happy offenses. The teams whose highlights revolve around their quarterbacks and star receivers they still believe in a ground game. This is not about whether or not they are effective at running the football – more often than not, it’s the ability to stick to it. Now obviously here’s where my football logic comes in: the flow of the game can dictate what type of play should be called. If the pass game is working in that game, do what you have to do to get some points on the board.
Is it a fair question to ask if these slow starts and imbalance in play calling may be a result of McVay’s inability to counter a defensive attack he’s facing? Does he abandon game plans and resort to the strong suit of the team? Before you answer this question, understand that this is not all on Sean McVay. The players struggle in games, and that can cause a change of approach or abandonment of the run game. Has the league caught up with the Redskins offensive scheme? The personnel on the field at times has given away whether or not they were going to run it or pass it. In my opinion, there has not been much deception pre snap in this offense. Over the past few weeks in games against Dallas, Arizona, and Carolina, opposing defenses were onto what was coming in certain instances.
So when you take a look at some of these issues presented, I’ll ask you again: the Redskins are moving the football, but are they elite? Will McVay need to change his approach to games in order to put his offense in better positions to score? Or do you think the team has done as well as it could given the deficiencies?