The Monday Afternoon After....A Washington Win
Blissful Monday's during the NFL season don't come around these parts very often.
For Ron Rivera and the Washington Football Team it was looking like a nightmarish Sunday and then they woke up and punched Philadelphia right in the mouth.
There's a few huge moments that stand out with some time to digest the 27-17 come-from-behind win at FedExField, for Rivera and Chase Young's first win in Washington.
1. Even down 17-0, Rivera and Scott Turner didn't abandon their game plan. They adjusted.
As John Keim of ESPN pointed out, Washington started out with a featured two-back look and then went to more "11" personnel (3 WR, TE, RB).
On the drive after Washington went down 17-0 at the 7:00 mark of the 2nd quarter, Scott Turner stayed patient and ran the ball twice with Antonio Gibson running for a 20-yard gain on the first play of the series and then a run for J.D. McKissic that got blown up.
On the next drive, Turner started with a run as well.
Only after a turnover by Fabian Moreau and in the hurry-up offense with less than two minutes to go did Turner go pass happy and it led to a touchdown from Dwayne Haskins to Logan Thomas.
Staying patient and not becoming one-dimensional because of panic was a huge key in my eyes. Especially because the run game was not super effective. Washington only racked up 80 yards on 36 plays. Some of those numbers are skewed a bit because of game situation but Peyton Barber had two tough rushing touchdowns and a key fourth down conversion in a tied game in the fourth quarter because Turner did not become blind to balance.
2. Turnovers lead to Touchdowns:
In the past (I will try and chart this shortly), the Washington defense would generate a turnover and often it would lead to a field goal or a horrible wasted possession and a punt. It was especially galling when it would happen on the opponents side of the field.
Not Sunday. Moreau's interception led to a 45-yard scoring drive and Jimmy Moreland's interception and nice return led to the first of Barber's two scores on a 20-yard drive.
Touchdowns instead of field goals. Touchdowns instead of completely wasted opportunities that would often happen under Jay Gruden.
That's why Washington won on Sunday.
3. Barber's fourth-down conversion in a 17-17 game was obviously crucial because it led to the go-ahead and ultimately game winning score.
4th-and-1 from the Philadelphia-4 with 7:26 left of a tied game would have been the perfect opportunity to be conservative and kick a field goal.
Not for 'Riverboat Ron!" He went for it and Washington converted, scored a few plays later and never looked back.
"I did that to really show the guys I really believe in them," Rivera said after the game. "Peyton Barber did a heck of a job getting the ball outside the right edge and lunging forward at the first down and it really put us in position to win this football game."
4. Watch the video wrap-up above & below from my guy Ed Kracz of "Eagle Maven" and myself as we wrap up the game from one of the broadcast booths at FedExField.
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Chris Russell is the Publisher of this site, a part of SI.com. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Washington Football Team" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621
