Offense: A Season In Transition

A transition year for the Washington Redskins offense has yielded mixed results through the season’s first half.

- Brian McNally

That was expected after a tumultuous off season saw offensive coordinator Sean McVay and top receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon depart. Injuries have kept remaining key players off the field and growing pains with wide receiver replacements have hurt, too.

But the Redskins remain in the top half of the NFL in most key statistical categories and quarterback Kirk Cousins has played well enough to keep his group productive. It isn’t as good as his first two seasons as a starter, but with an improved defense Washington is in about the same place with a chance to make a playoff run in the NFC.

“We are going to be in a lot of these tight battles and it’s good to have a quarterback with that confidence and an offense with that confidence that Kirk can do it,” said Redskins coach Jay Gruden, once again calling plays after McVay’s departure for the Los Angeles Rams.

Cousins drew raves from teammates for his performance in Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks. On the road with four starting offensive linemen injured, Cousins didn’t put up pretty numbers. But, he stayed in the pocket and took hit after hit and still came through with a scoring drive in the final 90 seconds. Despite six sacks, the Redskins won 17-14 – a score that epitomizes how they have to win this season.

“A lot of quarterbacks when you continue to get hit like that every single play, you start to fold and not stand in the pocket and make those plays,” running back Chris Thompson said. “He continued to stay in there and trust us and we made plays.”