Quarterback Robert Griffin III couldn’t have been very happy with the way the Redskins played during their loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. (US Presswire) |
The Redskins had yet another chance to generate momentum or perhaps announce themselves as legit playoff contenders with a win versus a good team.
Once more, they failed to do so and in a 27-12 loss at Pittsburgh during which the Redskins had plenty of flaws exposed.
They’ve played better, but had a day they’d like to forget. Quickly.
Offense: D
This was, by far, their worst showing of the season. But it was mostly due to the receivers and their 10 drops. Some of them were tougher than others and in the wet conditions a few could be expected. But add it up and it’s a big reason why the Redskins gained a season-low 255 yards and scored only 12 points. RB Alfred Morris had a good day with 59 yards on 13 carries, but they had to abandon the run early. QB Robert Griffin III’s legs were a nonfactor (six carries, eight yards) and his passing numbers were hurt by the drops (16 of 34, 177 yards, one touchdown). Previous game’s grade: B
Defense: D-
Whatever the Redskins tried to do, the Steelers countered successfully. We’re at the point in the season where the defense isn’t a struggling unit, it’s a bad one. The Steelers averaged 5.2 yards on 27 carries, with Jonathan Dwyer breaking tackles en route to 17 for 107. QB Ben Roethlisberger completed 24 of 33 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns. The Redskins struggled in zone because they got no pressure. They struggled in man because the receivers were too fast. They struggled vs. the run because they couldn’t tackle. They did perform better in the final quarter and a half. Previous game’s grade: C
Special teams: B-
PK Kai Forbath made two field goals, but his low line-drive kick on an extra point was blocked. Still, he’s perfect on his six field goal attempts. His kickoffs? He had better hang time but leaves it short of the goal line. So far, he’s worth at least developing. P Sav Rocca shanked a 12-yard punt and continues to be inconsistent. Brandon Banks finally had a good punt return (27 yards), but was otherwise ordinary. The coverage was solid. Previous game’s grade: B-
Coaching: C-
The defensive staff had no answers for Pittsburgh’s attack for most of the game. You can’t just blame all the failures on the staff because, at some point, players have to win one-on-one battles. It’s not happening nearly enough. But when there are this many issues, everyone -- from the top on down -- deserves blame. The offense was handcuffed by the drops, but the Redskins showed they couldn’t play from behind too well. Their offense relies heavily on deception and trailing by double digits, the ability to deceive was lost. They tried a flea flicker down by 15 in the fourth quarter. Really? They tried a passback to Griffin and he was drilled by S Ryan Clark. This staff has had better days. Previous game’s grade: B
John Keim covers the Redskins for the Washington Examiner. Follow him on Twitter @CBSRedskins or @John_Keim.