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Washington halfway along in quest to forge new, improved identity

Posted on October 3rd, 2016No Comments

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By DERON SNYDER

Can’t run and can’t stop the run.

That was the book on Washington, authored by general manager Scot McCloughan, entering this season. In actuality it was a sequel from last year, penned after McCloughan ignored pleas for a rewrite. His 2012 roster included no one proven to stuff runs or break runs. The Skins were poised to lag toward the bottom of the NFL in those two crucial categories.

Through one-quarter of the season, Washington is searching for a more favorable personality and making progress on Matt Jones’ side of the ball. The 6-foot-2, 232-pound halfback has lived up to his physique in the last two games, pounding Cleveland on Sunday and the Giants a week earlier.

Fifty-three of Jones’ 65 rushing yards against New York came in the second half. He was even more dominant in the late stages against the Browns, gaining 79 yards on 11 carries in the fourth quarter. Jones ripped off runs of 8, 11 and 15 yards on the drive for Washington’s go-ahead touchdown and had a 25-yard jaunt on the next possession. He scored a 1-yard touchdown on the game-clinching drive after breaking free for 16 yards on the previous play.

“I’m still learning,” the second-year back said after the game. “It’s just me learning from last week and being a decisive, decisive runner. I just want to carry that over throughout the season.”

That would help improve half of the team’s bad reputation. But when it comes to stopping guys like Jones, the defense might as well enter the witness protection program.

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For better or worse in Washington, seeing is believing

Posted on October 2nd, 2016No Comments

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By DERON SNYDER

LANDOVER, Md. – Victory Mondays in the NFL are not accompanied by ifs, ands or buts. Those hypothetical conjunctions are the utterings of losers, who are left talking about what might have been instead of what actually happened.

But over the course of four quarters, when momentum swings and outcomes hang in the balance, there are imperceptible differences between winning football and plays that reek of defeat. One moment, the home team is cruising the field like a riding mower, putting its finishing touches in the end zone for a change. The next moment, it appears that the visitors won’t be stopped unless fans leave their seats to join the effort.

The final score read Washington 31, Cleveland 20, and that’s really all that matters. The Skins evened their record at the quarter-pole and avoided a dreaded 0-3 start at FedEx Field. As defensive end Ricky Jean Francois said, now the players can go home and enjoy the highlights and walk around team headquarters without having to avert their eyes.

But the Browns exposed some legitimate concerns, too, primarily the gashing they inflicted in gaining 163 yards on the ground. A non-rookie quarterback presumably would take advantage of that rushing attack better than Cody Kessler did. Cleveland also managed to slow down Washington’s offense when it seemed a blowout might be in store.

All in all, the Skins played mind games on the announced crowd of 76,249 fans.

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