ANALYSIS/OPINION:

A review of the best and worst performances by the Washington Redskins‘ offense and some observations after re-watching the TV broadcast of their 34-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

GAME BALLS

RB EVAN ROYSTER: The sixth-round rookie had his second 100-yard game in as many starts. He finished with 113 yards on 20 carries, plus five catches for 52 yards, despite painful body cramps. He and fellow rookie RB Roy Helu (injured left knee) deserve high marks for toughness.

Royster dodged tacklers with deft footwork. He’s good at subtly adjusting his course while keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and continuing to get upfield. That fits his description as a “gliding” runner. His 28-yard run was an extreme example. His instincts took over, and he juked his way through three tackles and around another defender. He kept his shoulders squared for most of that run.

Royster has a knack for finding the hole. To me, he does it better than Helu. However, he lacks the burst to consistently turn those open lanes into gains of 20 or more yards. On Washington’s second run of the game, for example, he took a pitch to the right and almost immediately cut back off of FB Darrel Young, who cut-blocked DE Jason Babin. LG Maurice Hurt got to LB Casey Matthews, and C Will Montgomery drove DT Trevor Laws out. LT Willie Smith cut down DL Cullen Jenkins on the back side, too, so the lane was there. But Royster didn’t accelerate, and that allowed Jenkins to get up off the ground and make the tackle for only a 4-yard gain.

Royster’s balance problems also continued. Ironically, he went down without being touched on his 28-yard run after breaking three tackles. “I just tried to accelerate a little too hard and got a little too much forward lean and just slipped,” he said after the game. It’s another reason why the Redskins consider him to be only a solid reserve.

FB DARREL YOUNG: With the Eagles‘ ends lined up wide and their linebackers deep, Young consistently executed successful lead blocks by identifying defenders and getting to them. The Redskins sometimes used him as an H-back to wham the 3-technique. He helped RB Evan Royster gain 6 yards on a second-quarter run by doing that.

Young also solidified his reputation as a pass-catching threat. When the Redskins faked an end-around in the first quarter, Young slipped behind the linebacker on a corner route and caught a 20-yard pass at the sideline. He’s got good hands, too. QB Rex Grossman‘s throw was out in front of him about thigh-high, and Young had no trouble pulling it in.

Young’s 12-yard run in the second quarter made him a triple threat. When DT Derek Landri penetrated off the snap, Young quickly changed direction to the right and got around the corner. It was an appropriate way for Young to finish a promising first season as the starter.

RG CHRIS CHESTER: Each lineman contributed to the Redskins‘ 5.2-yard average on 25 rushes, but Chester was the most consistent, seeing as how both tackles had loads of trouble in pass protection against the Eagles‘ fast ends.

Chester got to the second level on several first-half runs. Chester and RT Tyler Polumbus also executed a few successful combination blocks. When RB Evan Royster converted third-and-1 on the first series of the third quarter, Chester sealed DE Juqua Parker inside after Polumbus shoved him in and released to LB Brian Rolle. Chester’s block of LB Keenan Clayton in space sprung Royster’s 15-yard reception on a screen pass in the second quarter.

Chester isn’t an overpowering lineman, but in his debut season in Washington he proved he can play in coach Mike Shanahan‘s system because he can run and carry out some of the nuances of combination blocks. He should benefit from experience in the scheme and some stability at right tackle, where the Redskins will look to upgrade in the offseason.

RB ROY HELU:Helu didn’t have a major impact on the game, but his 47-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown was impressive because he ran the last 20-or-so yards on one leg. He left knee was killing him all game. The Redskins put Helu in a bad spot last week by cutting RB Ryan Torain, which forced him to play when he obviously wasn’t close to full speed. Helu responded with the team’s only touchdown.

He was patient setting up his blocks on the screen. He drifted toward the sideline to help suck S Nate Allen into LG Maurice Hurt’s path. Helu during his rookie season proved he can be a contributor in the future, although the Redskins would love for him to be their No. 2. That depends on what they do to address the position in free agency.

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By Evan Dunlap

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Dec 27, 2011 – The Washington Redskins have released running back Ryan Torain, reports ESPN 980, citing a team source. The three-year veteran made nine appearances for Washington in 2011, including four starts, but averaged just 3.4 yards per carry on 59 attempts.

“It’s a business” Torain told Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan. “This is how it goes. It’s ugly.”

The emergence of Roy Helu and Evan Royster following the season-ending injury to starter Tim Hightower made Torain expendable. Further, excepting his one big game in the 2011 season–a 19-carry, 135-yard outing against the St. Louis Rams on Oct. 2–the three-year veteran gained 65 yards on 40 carries for a 1.63 average.

Torain joined the Redskins prior to the 2010 campaign and started eight games for them after Clinton Portis suffered an injury. He fared much better in 2010 than he has in 2011, gaining 742 yards on 164 carries (a 4.5-yard average) and scoring four touchdowns. He added 18 receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns as well.

For more on the Redskins, please visit Hogs Haven, SB Nation’s Redskins blog.

Read More: Tim Hightower (RB – WAS), Ryan Torain (RB – WAS), Roy Helu (RB – WAS), Evan Royster (RB – WAS), Washington Redskins

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Octagon Football clients and Washington Redskins players Oshiomogho Atogwe and Ryan Torain, with the help of some of their teammates, will host a toy drive at the Dulles Town Center’s upper level Nordstrom wing from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight.

Atogwe and Torain are collecting toys and financial donations to benefit the Children’s National Medical Center. They will be aided by Redskins London Fletcher, Ryan Kerrigan, Lorenzo Alexander, Erik Cook, Graham Gano, Nick Sundberg and Logan Paulsen and former Redskins Ladell Betts, Darryl Grant and Chris Samuels.

The players, who are teaming with PSGamegear, will sign autographs in exchange for the donation of new, unwrapped toys worth $15 or more.

For more information, go to www.psgamegear.com.

FOXBORO (CBS) – The New England Patriots take on the Redskins on Sunday, and although Washington has lost seven of their last eight, the Pats are looking at a battle in the trenches.

“This is a big ‘do your job week’ because of some of the things they do,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said on Thursday. “They run the ball very, very well. That starts up front with the defensive line and the inside backers. We have to do a good job stopping the run; playing the run well to be successful. If not, we’ll lose this ballgame.”

Wilfork says do not look at the stats, which ranks Washington 31st in rushing with just 87.5 yards per game on the ground.

“People can say whatever they want to say about it, but trust me, this team right here can run the football,” he said. “They have some guys that can run it. I don’t care what backs they put in, I don’t care what linemen they shuffle around, they’re all physical and they all take pride in running the football.”

Read: Andre Carter Says It’s A ‘Blessing’ To Be Patriot

The Redskins have been playing musical chairs at running back, with head coach Mike Shanahan going back and forth from Roy Helu and Ryan Torain. Helu had 162 yards and a touchdown run in last Sunday’s loss to the Jets, while Torain did not see the field at all.

Helu has had back to back 20+ carry games, rushing for 100 yards and a score in each of them. It looks as though he will be Washington’s premier back on Sunday, but you just never know with Shanahan.

Stopping the Redskins rush attack will force Rex Grossman to throw the ball more. The Redskins QB will be without his Number-1 target in tight end Fred Davis, who was suspended last week for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. While Grossman has struggled this season, and even saw time on the bench, he is still brimming with confidence and not afraid to try for a big play.

“I think in his aggressiveness, there are probably some throws that he’d like to have back. I think that’s part of what makes him good is that he is aggressive,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said of Grossman. “Defensively just because it looks like you have fairly good coverage on a player doesn’t mean he won’t try to stick it in there. Sometimes he makes plays and sometimes it doesn’t quite get into that spot, but he’s definitely not afraid to be aggressive and throw it in there. I think defensively you have to respect that.”

Read: Levan Reid’s Patriots Blog

Grossman, who has six picks in his last four starts, throwing more will mean good things for the secondary; even if it is the Patriots.

But to get him throwing, the Patriots need to stop the run first.

“It’s a big, big challenge for us. As a defensive player, you have to live for these games. It’s one of these games where there won’t be much trickery, you won’t do a lot of guessing. It’s just knowing what a team wants to do,” said Wilfork.

Tune in to the Patriots-Redskins game Sunday on WBZ-TV and 98.5 The Sports Hub at 4:15pm. Pregame coverage begins on WBZ-TV with Patriots Gameday at 11:30am and at 1pm on The Hub. Stay tuned after the game for all the reaction and analysis on 98.5, and over on MYTV38 with Patriots Fifth Quarter.

FOXBORO (CBS) – The New England Patriots take on the Redskins on Sunday, and although Washington has lost seven of their last eight, the Pats are looking at a battle in the trenches.

“This is a big ‘do your job week’ because of some of the things they do,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said on Thursday. “They run the ball very, very well. That starts up front with the defensive line and the inside backers. We have to do a good job stopping the run; playing the run well to be successful. If not, we’ll lose this ballgame.”

Wilfork says do not look at the stats, which ranks Washington 31st in rushing with just 87.5 yards per game on the ground.

“People can say whatever they want to say about it, but trust me, this team right here can run the football,” he said. “They have some guys that can run it. I don’t care what backs they put in, I don’t care what linemen they shuffle around, they’re all physical and they all take pride in running the football.”

Read: Andre Carter Says It’s A ‘Blessing’ To Be Patriot

The Redskins have been playing musical chairs at running back, with head coach Mike Shanahan going back and forth from Roy Helu and Ryan Torain. Helu had 162 yards and a touchdown run in last Sunday’s loss to the Jets, while Torain did not see the field at all.

Helu has had back to back 20+ carry games, rushing for 100 yards and a score in each of them. It looks as though he will be Washington’s premier back on Sunday, but you just never know with Shanahan.

Stopping the Redskins rush attack will force Rex Grossman to throw the ball more. The Redskins QB will be without his Number-1 target in tight end Fred Davis, who was suspended last week for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. While Grossman has struggled this season, and even saw time on the bench, he is still brimming with confidence and not afraid to try for a big play.

“I think in his aggressiveness, there are probably some throws that he’d like to have back. I think that’s part of what makes him good is that he is aggressive,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said of Grossman. “Defensively just because it looks like you have fairly good coverage on a player doesn’t mean he won’t try to stick it in there. Sometimes he makes plays and sometimes it doesn’t quite get into that spot, but he’s definitely not afraid to be aggressive and throw it in there. I think defensively you have to respect that.”

Read: Levan Reid’s Patriots Blog

Grossman, who has six picks in his last four starts, throwing more will mean good things for the secondary; even if it is the Patriots.

But to get him throwing, the Patriots need to stop the run first.

“It’s a big, big challenge for us. As a defensive player, you have to live for these games. It’s one of these games where there won’t be much trickery, you won’t do a lot of guessing. It’s just knowing what a team wants to do,” said Wilfork.

Tune in to the Patriots-Redskins game Sunday on WBZ-TV and 98.5 The Sports Hub at 4:15pm. Pregame coverage begins on WBZ-TV with Patriots Gameday at 11:30am and at 1pm on The Hub. Stay tuned after the game for all the reaction and analysis on 98.5, and over on MYTV38 with Patriots Fifth Quarter.