O-line Finally Back To 2016 Form

The Washington Redskins offensive line looked about as bad as any talented, well-stocked group could look in the 2017 preseason. Simply, they were terrible.

- Chris Russell

Washington couldn’t run the ball. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was getting hit. There were flags thrown and it was in each of the three games they played.

Many dismissed the problems and the concerns. Coach Jay Gruden often explained that it was just one thing or player being off, causing the whole unit to look bad.

It didn’t look like that. Pass rushers and defenders were running free with maximum protection schemes and alignments. Brandon Scherff, the Redskins fifth overall pick two years ago, looked particularly bad.

That was the preseason. It happened again in week one against the Philadelphia Eagles. And somehow, Gruden was caught off-guard after the unit was ambushed by a talented defensive front.

“I was surprised,” Gruden told reporters the day after that loss. “We expect great things from our offensive line. I know coach [Bill] Callahan holds them to very high standards, as do I. They hold themselves to high standards.”

The Redskins allowed four sacks in that season opening loss and three were directly credited to Morgan Moses, who was playing hurt, according to ProFootballFocus.com.