The Redskins finished up the preseason with a 24-10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and finished with a (completely irrelevant) 3-1 record. While the result and record may be insignificant in the broadest of schemes, the game meant everything to many of the Redskins who played – guys fighting for their NFL lives. Who helped or hurt themselves?
Here are ten guys that helped themselves:
Colt McCoy: While two interceptions in the end zone stung a bit, his 22 of 29 for 321 yards was a very respectable outing for the former Browns’ 3rd round pick. He played the entire game, and earned the clipboard holder job for sure. I’m not being a jerk. With all of the talk of Kirk Cousins and his “trade value” – the Redskins will likely carry 3 quarterbacks on the 53-man roster – something not guaranteed in the Shanahan era. McCoy showed that he was definitely capable of moving into a backup role should Cousins ever be moved, even if it’s next offseason. So earning the clipboard holder spot this year is more significant than that sounds, but I’m sticking to it.
Silas Redd: Touchdown. Fourteen carries. 79 yards. Solid.
Ryan Grant: Touchdown. Five catches. 73 yards. Solid.
Lache Seastrunk: While his 6 carries for 23 yards weren’t all world, busting a screen pass for 80 yards and a touchdown is never going to hurt your stock.
Clifton Geathers: When the 6’8″ Redskins hopeful sacked Bucs quarterback Mike Kafka, he not only solidified his chances of making the team, he prompted easily the best comment of the broadcast from Joe Theismann when he quipped, “A building just fell on Kafka. An entire building.” Classic. After the game when Redskins legend Brian Mitchell was asked how Clifton reminded him of his dad Jumpy, he offered an equal superlative, “He looks like a mountain.” See the Chris Neild note below to see how Geathers may also have had his roster chances improved by the ill fate of another teammate.
Gabe Miller: Might have drastically improved his chances of making the team on ONE play – when he flushed Kafka out of the pocket, forced a fumble and then also recovered it inside the Bucs’ 5-yard line. A trifecta of awesomeness – sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery – result? A potential job at inside linebacker reserve for the converted tight end.
Kirk Cousins: Didn’t even need to play. That had to be a nice boost to his confidence. Will it hurt RGIII’s? Some “experts” seem to think so. Sigh.
Jay Gruden: Rookie coach with the stones to not panic, and sit all of his starters and the majority of even his second stringers in his first preseason as an NFL coach? Ballzy. And correct. He doesn’t have a roster spot to worry about – he has 53. For my money, he showed composure beyond his experience level to date.
Tress Way: The rookie punter from Oklahoma hammered a 59-yarder and that’s way more than 3rd year man Rob Malone did with his one paltry 31-yard effort. Will it be enough?
Fun fact: Tress was born in 1990. I own four original-to-me pieces of Redskins clothing that are older than that. Truth. Hurts. Old. Me.
Akeem Davis: Before the game even started, most Redskin fans probably put Davis on their “pulling for” list. His pregame pump up speech made me want to hulk smash through a wall… “In 24 hours, this team’s going to look different. But right now, this is what we’ve got. So we’re all we’ve got and we’re all we need, man. Whatever you’ve got in your heart, whatever’s beating in your chest, I got to have it tonight, baby. Let’s go.”
Yeah!! Let’s go chew some nails!!!!
Hurt themselves:
Zack Hocker: The rookie quarterback may have a stronger leg than incumbent Kai Forbath, but Kai didn’t miss a 39-yarder in the final preseason game – he made his 45-yarder. Length is nice… bigger kickoffs are a plus… but being able to make kicks from under 40 yards with your eyes closed, is pretty much an NFL requirement these days. Sure it was his first miss of the preseason, but it will probably be his last miss as a Redskin.
Richard Crawford: The 3rd year CB needed to make a special teams statement, and mailed it in. Three returns. Nine yards. Fugly.
Nick Williams: See above note on Crawford, but insert two returns for 0 yards as the statline for the hopeful wide receiver. probably not good enough for a guy on the bubble at a position of strength for the Redskins.
Chris Neild: Hurt himself literally unfortunately. Potential ACL. Potentially season ending. Prayers and thoughts to Truck.
The NFL: When Zac Boyer tweeted this shot of Bucs stadium, I cringed. Pssst… Roger… four games of preseason seems to have run it’s course.
Packed house at kickoff! #preseason pic.twitter.com/XjyLvYYJBR
— Zac Boyer (@ZacBoyer) August 28, 2014
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Now it’s for keeps!! 53-man cut down comes Saturday – stay tuned. Follow me on Twitter @TheHogsdotNet