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Team Notes week 6 2016
NEWS, NOTES, RUMORS AND OTHER GOOD STUFF
Directly from the desk of FlashUpdate Editor Bob Harris. The good; the bad; and yes. ... Even the Bears. There is no better way to jump start your weekend than browsing these always educational -- often irreverent -- team-by-team, Fantasy-specific offerings. ...Access specific teams by clicking on a team name in the schedule appearing directly to your left or by clicking on a helmet below; return to the helmets by hitting the link labeled "Menu" following each teams notes. ...
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Arizona Cardinals
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Kyler Murray, Clayton Tune
RBs: James Conner, Michael Carter, Emari Demercado
WRs: Marquise Brown, Michael Wilson, Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch, Zach Pascal
TEs: Trey McBride, Geoff Swaim
Atlanta Falcons
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Taylor Heinicke, Desmond Ridder, Logan Woodside
RBs: Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Cordarrelle Patterson
WRs: Drake London, Mack Hollins, KhaDarel Hodge, Van Jefferson, Scott Miller, Jared Bernhardt, Josh Ali
TEs: Kyle Pitts, Jonnu Smith, MyCole Pruitt, John FitzPatrick
Baltimore Ravens
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Josh Johnson
RBs: Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Melvin Gordon, J.K. Dobbins, Keaton Mitchell
WRs: Zay Flowers, Odell Beckham, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace
TEs: Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, Mark Andrews
Buffalo Bills
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Josh Allen
RBs: James Cook, Latavius Murray, Ty Johnson
WRs: Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Khalil Shakir, Trent Sherfield, Deonte Harty
TEs: Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Quintin Morris
Carolina Panthers
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton
RBs: Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear
WRs: Adam Thielen, Jonathan Mingo, D.J. Chark, Terrace Marshall Jr., Laviska Shenault, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Mike Strachan
TEs: Tommy Tremble, Stephen Sullivan, Ian Thomas, Hayden Hurst
Chicago Bears
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Justin Fields, Tyson Bagent, Nathan Peterman
RBs: Khalil Herbert, D'Onta Foreman, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, Khari Blasingame
WRs: D.J. Moore, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones Jr., Trent Taylor, Equanimeous St. Brown
TEs: Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Jake Tonges
Cincinnati Bengals
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Jake Browning, Joe Burrow
RBs: Joe Mixon, Chase Brown, Chris Evans, Trayveon Williams
WRs: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Trenton Irwin, Andrei Iosivas, Charlie Jones
TEs: Irv Smith Jr., Tanner Hudson, Drew Sample, Mitchell Wilcox
Cleveland Browns
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Deshaun Watson
RBs: Jerome Ford, Kareem Hunt, Pierre Strong Jr., Nick Chubb
WRs: Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, Marquise Goodwin, David Bell
TEs: David Njoku, Jordan Akins, Harrison Bryant
Dallas Cowboys
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Trey Lance
RBs: Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke
WRs: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Michael Gallup, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks
TEs: Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, Peyton Hendershot
Denver Broncos
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Russell Wilson, Jarrett Stidham
RBs: Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Samaje Perine
WRs: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Marvin Mims Jr., Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Johnson
TEs: Adam Trautman, Chris Manhertz, Greg Dulcich
Detroit Lions
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Jared Goff, Teddy Bridgewater
RBs: David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Craig Reynolds, Zonovan Knight
WRs: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, Jameson Williams, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Antoine Green
TEs: Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, James Mitchell
Green Bay Packers
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Jordan Love, Sean Clifford
RBs: Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Patrick Taylor
WRs: Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Samori Toure, Malik Heath
TEs: Tucker Kraft, Ben Sims, Josiah Deguara, Luke Musgrave
Houston Texans
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: C.J. Stroud, Case Keenum, Davis Mills
RBs: Devin Singletary, Dameon Pierce, Mike Boone, Dare Ogunbowale
WRs: Nico Collins, Noah Brown, Robert Woods, John Metchie III, Xavier Hutchinson, Tank Dell
TEs: Dalton Schultz, Brevin Jordan
Indianapolis Colts
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Gardner Minshew, Sam Ehlinger, Kellen Mond, Anthony Richardson
RBs: Zack Moss, Jonathan Taylor, Trey Sermon, Evan Hull
WRs: Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Isaiah McKenzie, D.J. Montgomery
TEs: Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Will Mallory, Andrew Ogletree, Jelani Woods
Jacksonville Jaguars
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Beathard, Nathan Rourke
RBs: Travis Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby, D'Ernest Johnson
WRs: Calvin Ridley, Zay Jones, Parker Washington, Tim Jones, Jamal Agnew, Christian Kirk
TEs: Evan Engram, Brenton Strange, Luke Farrell, Elijah Cooks
Kansas City Chiefs
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Patrick Mahomes, Blaine Gabbert
RBs: Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire
WRs: Rashee Rice, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson, Kadarius Toney, Richie James, Justyn Ross, Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman
TEs: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Blake Bell, Jody Fortson
Los Angeles Rams
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz, Stetson Bennett
RBs: Kyren Williams, Royce Freeman, Zach Evans, Ronnie Rivers
WRs: Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, Ben Skowronek, Demarcus Robinson
TEs: Tyler Higbee, Brycen Hopkins, Hunter Long, Davis Allen
Miami Dolphins
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White, Skylar Thompson
RBs: Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane, Jeff Wilson, Salvon Ahmed, Christopher Brooks
WRs: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, Cedrick Wilson, Chase Claypool, River Cracraft
TEs: Durham Smythe, Julian Hill, Tyler Kroft
Minnesota Vikings
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, Josh Dobbs, Kirk Cousins
RBs: Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, C.J. Ham, Kene Nwangwu, Cam Akers
WRs: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn, Brandon Powell, Jalen Nailor
TEs: Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse, T.J. Hockenson
New England Patriots
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Bailey Zappe, Mac Jones
RBs: Rhamondre Stevenson, Ezekiel Elliott, JaMycal Hasty
WRs: DeVante Parker, Demario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, Matt Slater, Kendrick Bourne
TEs: Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki, Pharaoh Brown
New Orleans Saints
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, Jake Haener
RBs: Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams, Kendre Miller
WRs: Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, A.T. Perry, Keith Kirkwood, Lynn Bowden, Michael Thomas
TEs: Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, Foster Moreau, Jimmy Graham
New York Giants
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Tommy DeVito, Tyrod Taylor, Daniel Jones
RBs: Saquon Barkley, Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell, Eric Gray
WRs: Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Parris Campbell, Isaiah Hodgins, Sterling Shepard
TEs: Darren Waller, Daniel Bellinger, Lawrence Cager, Chris Myarick
New York Jets
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Zach Wilson, Trevor Siemian, Aaron Rodgers
RBs: Breece Hall, Dalvin Cook, Israel Abanikanda
WRs: Garrett Wilson, Xavier Gipson, Jason Brownlee, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Charles Irvin
TEs: Tyler Conklin, Jeremy Ruckert, C.J. Uzomah, Kenny Yeboah
Oakland Raiders
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Aidan O'Connell, Jimmy Garoppolo, Brian Hoyer
RBs: Josh Jacobs, Zamir White, Ameer Abdullah, Brandon Bolden
WRs: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, Hunter Renfrow, DeAndre Carter, Kristian Wilkerson
TEs: Michael Mayer, Austin Hooper, Jesper Horsted
Philadelphia Eagles
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Jalen Hurts, Marcus Mariota, Tanner McKee
RBs: D'Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, Rashaad Penny
WRs: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Julio Jones, Olamide Zaccheaus, Quez Watkins
TEs: Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra, Albert Okwuegbunam
Pittsburgh Steelers
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Mason Rudolph, Mitchell Trubisky, Kenny Pickett
RBs: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Anthony McFarland Jr.
WRs: George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Allen Robinson, Calvin Austin III, Miles Boykin
TEs: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington
San Diego Chargers
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Easton Stick, Justin Herbert
RBs: Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, Elijah Dotson
WRs: Keenan Allen, Josh Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Jalen Guyton, Derius Davis, Mike Williams
TEs: Gerald Everett, Donald Parham, Stone Smartt
San Francisco 49ers
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold, Brandon Allen
RBs: Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, Kyle Juszczyk
WRs: Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud, Ronnie Bell, Danny Gray
TEs: George Kittle, Charlie Woerner, Brayden Willis, Ross Dwelley, Cameron Latu
Seattle Seahawks
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Geno Smith, Drew Lock
RBs: Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, DeeJay Dallas, Kenny McIntosh
WRs: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo, Cody Thompson, Dareke Young
TEs: Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask
RBs: Rachaad White, Chase Edmonds, Sean Tucker, Ke'Shawn Vaughn
WRs: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Trey Palmer, Kaylon Geiger, Deven Thompkins, Rakim Jarrett, Russell Gage
TEs: Cade Otton, Ko Kieft, Payne Durham
Tennessee Titans
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Will Levis, Ryan Tannehill, Malik Willis
RBs: Derrick Henry, Tyjae Spears, Julius Chestnut
WRs: DeAndre Hopkins, Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook_Ikhine, Kyle Philips, Colton Dowell, Chris Moore
TEs: Chigoziem Okonkwo, Josh Whyle, Trevon Wesco
Washington Redskins
Compiled by FootballDiehards Editor Bob Harris | Updated 12 October 2016As the Sports Xchange noted this week, when Jay Gruden took over as Redskins head coach in 2014 he inherited a seemingly endless series of problems.
One of the biggest was a special-teams unit that was a complete disaster.
Gruden turned to former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, an Army veteran, to turn around that struggling group. It has taken some time, but the Redskins' special teams now are a net positive.
A prime example was Sunday's 16-10 victory over Baltimore. Jamison Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, Will Blackmon had another return of 45 yards on a kickoff, and Washington snuffed out a fake field-goal attempt that could have changed the direction of the contest.
That hasn't been commonplace. In one forgettable game at Dallas in 2013, former special-team coordinator Keith Burns was whistled for an interference penalty and his unit gave up two long returns that set up Cowboys touchdowns. The Redskins' punt return coverage was the NFL's worst that season. It took Gruden and Kotwica time to fix the problem. Even last year the Redskins were 31st in punt-return average.
But this season kicker Dustin Hopkins is 12 for 13 on field-goal attempts the lone miss a 56-yarder and leads the NFL in touchback percentage (79.3 percent). The Redskins are first in punt return average (24.3 yards per return), and second in kickoff return average (27.8). The coverage units rank 14th in punts and 13th on kickoffs.
"Players are making plays. They're buying into what they're supposed to do," Gruden said. "The leader of that room, (tight end) Niles Paul, is doing a good job of holding everybody accountable. Jamison Crowder, obviously, has been a dynamic guy back there as a punt returner and he has confidence that guys are going to get blocks for him."
Crowder had already set a career high with a 50-yard return in Week 3 against the New York Giants. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Washington player since Santana Moss on Oct. 26, 2008 a stretch of 124 regular-season games that was the longest active streak in the NFL. It's also the longest punt return since an 87-yarder by Antwaan Randle-El on Oct. 22, 2006.
Crowder was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
"The guys are blocking a lot better. Last year, sometimes, I'd make the wrong cut, and other times, there'd be a lot of guys in my face," Crowder said. "This year, guys are doing a real good job of matching up. I'm able to catch the ball and get a lot of yardage before facing my first defender.
And the special teams are in focus this week in part because it wasn't an impressive offensive performance in Baltimore.
There was a beautiful pass to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown, but otherwise it was an unremarkable day for the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He threw a disastrous interception that was almost a touchdown in the third quarterback.
Instead, a fumble out of the end zone gave Washington the ball back. DeSean Jackson (27 receiving yards) was a non-factor for much of the day. Tight end Jordan Reed did catch eight passes.
One problem?
Reed, who has endured multiple concussions dating back to college, was being evaluated for a concussion on Wednesday. I'll have more when Late-Breaking Updates begin early Thursday. ...
As for the rushing attack. ... As CSNMidAtlantic.com's PJ Finlay, Matt Jones played a decisive role for the Redskins the previous two weeks, running the ball downhill on drives that would seal wins for Washington. But Jones struggled in Biltmore and while the Ravens defense played well, No. 2 running back Robert Kelley looked sharp.
"I think you'll see more of Robert. I think Robert shows that he's deserving of some carries," Gruden said Monday. "You know, we like Matt Jones, but I think there's a good combination there where the both of them can get the ball."
In Baltimore, Jones ran 14 times for 31 yards and fumbled the ball once. It was a much smaller sample size, but Kelley ran the ball three times for 18 yards. It wasn't just the stats, Kelley looked more decisive cutting behind the Redskins offensive line, and has a habit of falling forward for additional yards that sometimes eludes Jones.
Fans should not get confused - Jones is still the Redskins starting runner. Gruden just wants the undrafted rookie Kelley to get more chances.
"Depending on how many carries Matt gets, Robert, obviously, we want to mix him in there to keep Matt fresh and keep Robert fresh and get a different look from time to time. Robert had a couple of good hits, he really did. So I think he deserves a couple more shots."
Kelley did not record a carry for Washington until Week 3 in New York, and in that game he was admittedly too excited to produce. With only one touch against Cleveland, Kelley did not show much either in Week 4. The Baltimore game was his biggest opportunity, and Kelley clearly did enough to convince the head coach he should get more chances.
Chris Thompson put up 45 yards on six total touches, but he remains a waiver-wire guy at this point.
Washington will have another tough running back matchup against the Eagles next week, so Jones owners will probably want to leave him on the bench.
DEPTH CHART
QBs: Sam Howell, Jacoby Brissett
RBs: Brian Robinson Jr., Antonio Gibson, Chris Rodriguez
WRs: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, Dyami Brown, Jamison Crowder, Byron Pringle, Mitchell Tinsley
TEs: Logan Thomas, Cole Turner, John Bates