After trading up and giving up a lot for Robert Griffin III, it’s no real secret that the Washington Redskins have some seriously high hopes for the Heisman Trophy winner.

They have a franchise quarterback in mind. They have touchdown passes in mind. They have winning football games in mind.

But how realistic is it for Griffin to do all this?

I mean, the kid’s only a rookie. Heck, he’s not even drafted yet.

The expectations for RG3 are just as high as they are for Andrew Luck—if not higher, considering what the Redskins gave up for the Baylor quarterback. And for all those expectations, RG3 should not be expected to drag the Washington Redskins out of misery and into the playoffs in his first season in the NFL.

Let me rephrase that: Griffin will not take the Redskins to the playoffs this year.

Washington will look to do what the Cincinnati Bengals did with Andy Dalton last year as he led them to the playoffs—surround him with a tough defense and let him make big plays. But for all the skills and brilliance of Dalton, it wasn’t he who led the Bengals to the playoffs.

It was the Cincinnati defense.

The Bengals ranked seventh last year in total defense—allowing just 316.2 yards and 20.2 points per game as well as 37 touchdowns for the season.

It was this defense that won them football games and took them to the playoffs, not their 20th-ranked offense led by Andy Dalton.

He made good throws at the right time, but at the end of the day, it was the Bengals defense that ultimately led them in to the playoffs.

The Redskins will look to RG3 as the NFL Playoff Messiah when in reality, then need to be looking at him achieving that in three to five years’ time.

Give the defense a chance to grow and get better, then expect the Heisman Trophy winner to lead you into the playoffs.

Give Griffin a few years in the National Football League before expecting the playoffs—he’s bound to experience growing pains right now, simply because the rest of the Washington Redskins aren’t good enough to win football games.

They’re not good enough to compete in a division where no other side finished with a losing record.

Not yet, anyway.

RG3 is going to experience some growing pains in the NFL.

It doesn’t mean that he wasn’t worth trading up for, and it certainly doesn’t mean that he won’t do it at some point in the future.

What it does mean is that he’s more like Cam Newton than Andy Dalton.

Personally brilliant, but the star in a struggling team.

Winner of the Rookie of the Year award, but owner of a 6-10 record.

Cam Newton didn’t lead the Carolina Panthers to the playoffs, and that didn’t mean that he wasn’t one of the most exciting and brilliant prospects in several years.

The same goes for Robert Griffin III.

He will be brilliant. He will be spectacular. He will win football games. He will bring playoff hopes back to the Washington Redskins organization.

He might just have some growing pains along the way, though.

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The latter half of the first round will still change depending on the results of the Playoffs, but the first 20 picks in the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft are just about set. There are still four picks (8/9, 11/12) that will be decided based on the results of a couple coin flips, but 16 of the first 20 picks are set, and the Washington Redskins will be picking sixth. Here is the Draft order for the first round as it stands now, according to SB Nation.

1. Indianapolis Colts, 2-14
2. St. Louis Rams, 2-14
3. Minnesota Vikings, 3-13
4. Cleveland Browns, 4-12
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4-12
6. Washington Redskins, 5-11
7. Jacksonville Jaguars, 5-11
8. Carolina Panthers, 6-10*
9. Miami Dolphins, 6-10*
10. Buffalo Bills, 6-10
T-11. Seattle Seahawks, 7-9*
T-11. Kansas City Chiefs, 7-9*
13. Arizona Cardinals, 8-8
14. Dallas Cowboys, 8-8
15. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-8
16. New York Jets, 8-8
17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders, 8-8)
18. San Diego Chargers, 8-8
19. Chicago Bears, 8-8
20. Tennessee Titans, 9-7

*Coin flip will be used at a later date

For more on the Redskins, visit Hogs Haven.

By Daniel Shiferaw

– Redskins Editor

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Dec 26, 2011 – LANDOVER, Md. – Early in the third quarter of Saturday’s game, Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback Joe Webb showed the Washington Redskins defense that he possessed the one asset that’s proven to be their kryptonite all season long.

Much like Michael Vick and Cam Newton before him, Webb was able to navigate his way around Redskins defenders using his legs, breaking tackles and using his shiftiness to make others miss in the open field on his way to a nine-yard touchdown run.

It was a score that set the tone for the rest of the afternoon, as Webb accounted for scores on three straight drives in the second half, helping to lift the Vikings to a 33-26 victory over Washington.

The athletic backup for the Vikings once again highlighted one of Washington’s biggest weaknesses on defense: stopping mobile quarterbacks. Signal callers that can hurt you both with their arms and legs are supposed to pose a challenge to any defense. But for whatever reason, the Redskins have had an even tougher time solving them this season.

This season, three of the top five yardage totals allowed have come against the Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers, all of whom have mobile quarterbacks on their rosters. Minnesota and Carolina each put up 33 points against Washington, accounting for two of the four times this season they’ve yielded 30 points or more.

“It’s tough,” said nose tackle Barry Cofield. “It provides a different dynamic with the quarterback carrying the ball. In those situations, you may give up a play or two, but you can’t give up the big play. You got to make tackles when you get the opportunity.”

The problem for the Redskins is that when given the opportunity to make those plays, they’ve floundered. Much like Panthers did in Week 7 with Newton, the Vikings ran the option with Webb in the game, keeping the Redskins defense on its heels.

“I thought [Joe] Webb came in and did some things well with the football,” Mike Shanahan said of Minnesota’s altered attack. “[They ran] the counter options and keeping the ball alive, which wasn’t what they had been doing [with Ponder in the game]. He made some big time plays, made some big time throws and kept us off balance.”

“[The option]‘s something we didn’t prepare for during the week,” linebacker Brian Orakpo added. “Usually when we know what we’re going to face during the week, we prepare for it. [Webb] came in and started optioning the ball, running stuff with the quarterback naked [bootleg].”

Webb’s appearance came after the Redskins knocked out Vikings starter Christian Ponder, as he left with concussion like symptoms. With star running back Adrian Peterson already out of the game due to a knee injury, Ponder’s absence looked to be a boon to the Redskins defense.

But that was far from the case. It was clear the moment Webb came into the game that the Redskins defense was was not ready. Every time they thought he’d throw, he would take off for a big run. Each time they thought they had him contained in the pocket, he’d unload a pass downfield to an open receiver.

“It was kinda overwhelming,” Orakpo admitted, “and we just couldn’t adjust that quickly.”

“He’s a mobile quarterback, definitely,” said rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. “We just didn’t play well. We didn’t execute. We had guys out of our gaps, and that’s why they hit the big plays.”

It’s pretty clear if the Redskins defense is to take that next step, they must be able to have an answer for the league’s dual-threat quarterbacks. Their wins this season have come against the likes of Eli Manning (twice), Kevin Kolb and Sam Bradford. Those aren’t exactly guys that scare you with their legs.

“If you’re gonna have an athlete back there in certain schemes, they’re going to make some plays,” Cofield explained. “So when you have an opportunity to make a play, you can’t falter, and that’s what we did.”

Cofield and the rest of the defense will get their chance to atone for Saturday’s poor performance, as they’ll go against an Eagles team that totaled 422 yards against them in Week 6.

And it’ll be Vick — perhaps the king of all mobile NFL quarterbacks — that they’ll have to do it against.

For more Redskins coverage, please visit Hogs Haven, SB Nation’s Redskins blog. For the perspective from the other side, please check out SB Nation Minnesota and Daily Norseman, SB Nation’s Vikings blog.

Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Kevin Kolb (QB – ARI), Barry Cofield (NT – WAS), Eli Manning (QB – NYG), Brian Orakpo (LB – WAS), Sam Bradford (QB – STL), Joe Webb (QB – MIN), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers

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It may seem strange to suggest pursuing a tight end on draft day when the Redskins already have Fred Davis on the roster.

But many teams choose to draft to areas of strength. Many teams are also choosing to rely on two playmakers at the tight-end position.

Both the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots have given an extra dimension to their respective units by having two tight ends who are legitimate weapons.

Selecting Stanford’s Coby Fleener would give the Redskins arguably the draft’s most complete player at his position.

Fleener has thrived in a pro-style offense, so he would arrive in the NFL with a competent knowledge of top-level pass patterns.

The 6’6″, 245-pounder is also an exceptional blocker, a characteristic not shared by Davis. Fleener would beef up and improve the Redskins’ blocking schemes.

As a receiver, he is intelligent and sure-handed. Like Davis, Fleener also offers the ability to stretch the field. He has tallied an impressive 20.3 yards per reception average and hauled in 10 scoring passes.

Fleener would take the pressure off Davis and prevent coverage schemes from focusing too much on him. Whoever starts under center for Washington in 2012 would certainly be grateful for the presence of a weapon as dependable as Fleener.

Much of the blame for the Redskins disaster season has been leveled at offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and a good portion of it can be justified.

It has been a swift fall from grace for a promising young assistant, once lauded around the league for his efforts in designing and guiding an explosive Houston Texans offense. His play calling and sideline manner have come under particularly close scrutiny.

The biggest bone of contention regarding Kyle Shanahan is the lack of balance in his play calling. Washington’s pass-run ratio has been frighteningly one-sided at times during the 2011 season.

Even though the Redskins entered the campaign with a plethora of options at running back and a questionable quarterback situation, Kyle Shanahan has frequently skewed his plan, calling heavily in favour of the pass.

This has meant a greater frequency of Rex Grossman and John Beck throws, and that has led to an increased number of turnovers.

It almost defies belief that without a reliable presence under center and with capable weapons in the backfield, Shanahan has not simply adapted his play-calling to fit a scheme which relies on the ground game.

The issue becomes even more frustrating given the problems in pass protection experienced by the Redskins offensive line.

Washington’s front five has struggled mightily to keep the team’s quarterbacks clean, hardly the kind of foundation upon which to build a heavy passing attack.

For all of their problems repelling pressure, the Redskins line has actually done a respectable job at times, blocking for the run.The left side of the line in particular, has shown promise in this area.

When this potential is combined with the play of explosive rookie Roy Helu, then the lowly ranking of Washington’s rush offense can only be attributed to Shanahan’s baffling refusal to emphasize such an obvious strength.

The young coordinator has also displayed an infuriating tendency to move away too quickly from what is working.

In the running game, this usually means gradually reducing the number of carries quarter by quarter. Backs are hardly given the opportunity to establish true rhythm.

But the problem also overlaps into the passing game. Too often, talented playmakers like tight end Fred Davis have simply not seen enough passes come their way.

This is odd given the fact that designing plays to maximize the potential of a tight end in the offense, is perhaps Shanahan’s biggest strength.

By frequently taking his offense out of its comfort zone, Shanahan has increased the potential for crucial mistakes.

While this author certainly believes that the defense is not above criticism for the Redskins’ failures this season, the lion’s share of the guilt belongs to the offense and its youthful coordinator.

Two games in particular highlight the unit’s follies. Road trips to the Carolina Panthers and the Buffalo Bills, were lost thanks to the inability of the offense to expose two vulnerable defenses.

As with the defense, there are playmakers on the Redskins offense. But like the defense, they have either been underused, as in the case of Davis, or given a proper chance too late, as in the case of Helu.

The Redskins offense has shown promise at times this season. But like the defense, the unit has struggled for consistency at critical times.

Kyle Shanahan’s inability or unwillingness to adapt his schemes to suit the personnel at his disposal embodies the central problem of the Shanahan era in D.C.

Read More: Santana Moss (WR – WAS), London Fletcher (LB – WAS), Jammal Brown (OT – WAS), Sean Locklear (G – WAS), Keyaron Fox (LB – WAS), LaRon Landry (SS – WAS), Josh Wilson (DB – WAS), Trent Williams (OT – WAS), DeJon Gomes (DB – WAS), Niles Paul (WR – WAS), Maurice Hurt (G – WAS), Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks

The Washington Redskins’ Thursday Injury Report for their Thanksgiving weekend game against the Seattle Seahawks delivered mostly good news. Not one player who wasn’t already ruled out for Sunday missed practice entirely, and while several players, including linebacker London Fletcher, were limited, wide receiver Santana Moss practiced in full and will likely be back in the lineup for the first time since getting injured in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.

The major changes from Wednesday are that Fletcher and wide receiver Niles Paul were limited after missing practice entirely on Wednesday. Several other players were limited in practice, with varying degrees of concern. Here is a full list of players who practiced on Thursday.

Limited: OL Jammal Brown (groin), LB London Fletcher (ankle), S DeJon Gomes (knee), OL Maurice Hurt (knee), OL Sean Locklear (ankle), WR Niles Paul (toe), WR Donte’ Stallworth (foot), OL Trent Williams (knee), CB Josh Wilson (hamstring).

Full practice: LB Keyaron Fox (Infection), S LaRon Landry (Achilles), WR Santana Moss (hand).

For more on the Redskins, please visit Hogs Haven, SB Nation’s Redskins blog. For more on the Seahawks, please visit SB Nation Seattle and Field Gulls, SB Nation’s Seahawks blog. For coverage of Sunday’s Redskins/Seahawks matchup, please visit this StoryStream.

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) – Washington coach Mike Shanahan vowed Thursday to restore a rushing attack that has been the worst in the NFL since he took over the Redskins.

“We will get that running game back, I promise you,” Shanahan said. “I’ve been doing it over 20 years, and that’s our trademark.”

Shanahan’s pride showed as he referenced his track record with the Denver Broncos, where his ground game was regularly ranked in the top 10 and never finished below 12th. It never seemed to matter who the running back was – Terrell Davis or Olandis Gary or Reuben Droughns or Clinton Portis or Tatum Bell – the Shanahan zone-blocking scheme always seemed on pace to produce a 1,000-yard rusher during his run in Denver from 1995-2008.

Yet, since Shanahan came to Washington last year, the Redskins have averaged a league-low 89.6 yards rushing per game. They’re at 86.7 this season, ahead of only the Tennessee Titans.

While saying he wasn’t making excuses, Shanahan cited injuries to tight end Chris Cooley, running back Tim Hightower, receiver Santana Moss and particularly offensive linemen Kory Lichtensteiger, Trent Williams and Jammal Brown as sapping the offense’s continuity.

“Any time you have a lot of different pieces in the offensive line, you’re not as consistent as you’d like,” Shanahan said. “It just takes one guy to be a little bit off, because if the play is going to go outside or cut all the way back, everybody’s got to be in unison. … And if you do lose somebody, you’re hoping that you have the depth where you don’t skip a beat, and if it’s the offensive line or the running back position, it goes hand-in-hand.”

The Redskins (3-6) haven’t rushed for more than 92 yards in any game during their current 5-game skid. Hightower wasn’t exactly a world-beater before he blew out his left knee against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 23 – he was averaging 3.8 yards per carry – and Ryan Torain and Roy Helu have struggled to find traction trying to replace him.

The lack of a running game – in addition to shaky play by quarterbacks Rex Grossman and John Beck – has contributed to Washington’s slow starts. The Redskins haven’t scored a touchdown on an opening drive all season and have amassed only 16 first-quarter points. They haven’t scored a first-half touchdown or held a lead since Oct. 2.

That means they’re playing catch-up in the second half, and it’s reflected in the paltry number of rushing attempts. The last three games, the Redskins have run the ball 11, 15 and 16 times and have compiled a total of 20 points.

Right guard Chris Chester has been the only constant along an offensive line that could start its fifth different combination in six games on Sunday when the Redskins host the Dallas Cowboys.

Asked if it’s easier to replace running backs than offensive linemen, Shanahan said: “Everything starts up front, on offense or defense. If you don’t have a good offensive front, or if you don’t have a good defensive front, you’re not going to win in the National Football League. You’re not going to be consistent. You may be lucky enough to get 10 games or 11 games, but once you get to the playoffs, your chances of doing something aren’t very good.”

Although there are still seven games to play, the Redskins have reached the point where it’s time to start analyzing what went wrong and how to fix it in time for next season. The team chose during free agency to focus on improving a defense that ranked 31st in the league in 2010, and Shanahan indicated that the offense will get similar attention come next spring.

“You’ve got to target something in the offseason. That’s what we targeted,” the coach said. “And I really think we were fine on offense, but when you lose four or 5 of those guys, you’re not quite as deep as you’d like. But you’ve always got a plan, but you’re always looking at the salary cap. You’ve taking a look at offense-defense. And you’re taking a look at drafts. Then you try to come up with the best plan.”

On Thursday, tackles Brown (groin) and Sean Locklear (ankle) were limited in practice, and guard Maurice Hurt (knee) sat out. Left tackle Trent Williams is still working his way back into top form after missing two games last month.

In other words, it’s going to take some time for Shanahan to come through with his promise.

“Once we get it rolling and get the depth that we want,” he said, “I think consistently we’ll be good every year.”

Notes: Shanahan said LB Keyaron Fox has a staph infection and was released Monday after being hospitalized for about a week. Fox has not practiced this week. … S LaRon Landry (Achilles) was again a spectator at practice Thursday. “It’s inflamed enough where he couldn’t practice, so that’s never a good sign,” Shanahan said. .. The coach said there’s an “outside chance” WR Santana Moss (broken hand) will play Nov. 27 vs. Seattle.

Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read More: David Anderson (WR – WAS), Darrion Scott (DE – WAS), Donte Stallworth (WR – WAS), Kentwan Balmer (DT – WAS), Tristan Davis (RB – WAS), Brandyn Thompson (DB – WAS), Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks

Mired in a four-game losing streak that has them three and a half games behind the first place New York Giants, the Washington Redskins made a series of roster moves on Tuesday in an attempt to infuse some life into the struggling squad. Here’s an overview of the transactions, some of which are more note-worthy than others:

Released: CB Brandyn Thompson, WR Donte Stallworth, TE Domonique Byrd and DL Darrion Scott.

Released from Practice Squad: RB Tristan Davis

Signed: WR David Anderson, DL Kentwan Balmer and CB Domonique “D.J.” Johnson.

Here’s some background information on the signings, beginning with Anderson, a 28 year old wide receiver who played in 63 games for the Houston Texans between 2006 and 2011. The Redskins said they were interested in acquiring veteran help at the WR position on Monday of this week, and though the signing of Anderson may not create a huge splash, the move reflects Washington’s intention to bring in low-cost, experienced help at WR. Anderson has 82 receptions for 895 yards (10.9 avg.) and three touchdowns in his career. He was released by the Texans this July, signed by the Broncos only to be cut prior to the start of the season. He was then reacquired by Houston in September, appeared in two games and was then released once again in mid-October.

To make room for Anderson, the Skins parted ways with Donte Stallworth, who managed to catch only five passes for 46 yards in five games for Washington.

Kentwan Balmer is a more intriguing story,. A former first round draft pick of San Francisco’s in the 2008 NFL Draft, Balmer spent two seasons in SF before being traded within the division to Seattle for a mere sixth-round pick. In 43 career games (11 starts), Balmer has recorded 83 tackles, including a career high 43 last year for the Seahawks in the 16 games he appeared in. He was waived by the Seahawks on Aug. 24, 2011, before being claimed off waivers a day later by the Carolina Panthers. He was released by the Panthers on Sept. 1.

Johnson has played in just 10 career games since being signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent rookie in 2009. All 10 games were with the New York Giants however, who acquired Johnson off Denver’s practice squad in November of that year.

All in all, it was a busy day in Redskins Country. Who knows if the transactions will help Mike Shanhan’s squad snap their four-game losing streak and climb back towards .500 before their season spirals out control. But for ‘Skins fans hoping to see the team mix things up somehow, someway, Tuesday’s developments were a positive first step.

For more analysis on the players signed and released by Washington on Tuesday, check in at Hogs Haven.

It’s hard to put the Washington Redskins’ recent run of futility into words. Earlier, we did so by putting up a bunch of pictures from Sunday’s 19-11 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. That’s one way to do the job. Another way is to point out a stunning statistic that shows just how much the team is struggling.

So, here goes. The Redskins have not held a lead in a game since before their bye week.

Yup, it’s true. The last time the Redskins were in front on scoreboard was on October 2, when they ended the game with a 17-10 win over the St. Louis Rams. That was 35 days and 240 minutes ago. Since then, the closest the Redskins have been to the lead was in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers, when a 49-yard Graham Gano field goal tied the game at six. 

Otherwise? The Redskins fell behind early against all four teams they played. To put this into perspective, the 2008 Detroit Lions, who went 0-16, did not have a single four-game stretch where they did not hold the lead.

Now you can see why the Redskins’ defense has reason to be frustrated, even if they aren’t publicly.

For more on the Washington Redskins, check out SB Nation’s Washington Redskins blog Hogs Haven. For more on the Redskins vs. 49ers game, visit this StoryStream. For more on the 49ers, visit SB Nation’s 49ers blog Niners Nation and  SB Nation Bay Area.

He always had the talent, but questionable temperament prevented Fred Davis from being a force earlier in his Redskins career.

The 6’4″ 258-pound former USC star is certainly making up for lost time.  Fred Davis has been perhaps the most dynamic tight end in the game during the first eight weeks of the 2011 season.

Outside of maybe Jermichael Finley of the Green Bay Packers, no other tight end can stretch the field as effectively as Davis.

His speed down the seams and on deep crossing patters has been breathtaking and his hands have been excellent.

Davis currently has 36 receptions for 517-yards and has the ability to replicate the legendary Ben Coates as one of the few tight ends to exceed 1,000 yards in a single season.

Kyle Shanahan has succeeded in taking advantage of the skill set of a player who has become the Redskins most potent offensive weapon.

On this form, if Davis does not represent the NFC in the Pro Bowl, then a full scale investigation needs to be launched into the voting process.

After very poor displays against the Carolina Panthers and the Bills, the Redskins season appears on the verge of collapse.

But it is the opinion of this author that with a few well thought out tweaks to the style of play on both sides of the ball, this Redskins team has the talent to return to winning ways.

Read More: John Beck (QB – WAS), Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers

The Washington Redskins have dropped two consecutive games and three of their past four after losing on the road to the Carolina Panthers, 33-20. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that Mike Shanahan’s squad is losing its luster in the eyes of fans and scribes. The Redskins dropped down every media outlets’ Week 8 Power Rankings, including CBS’s, compiled each week by Pete Prisco. Last week the Redskins dropped down to 14 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. The road loss to the Panthers dropped them even further down the board. Let’s take a look how far.

Washington Redskins

Rank: 18

Last Week: 14

Comment: It made little difference to start John Beck. The quarterback issues will plague this team all season.

It’s hard to dispute Pete Prisco’s short but to-the-point explanation of Washington’s primary flaw. The NFL is a quarterback’s league, and quite simply, it’s hard to survive without either solid play from your signal caller or an elite defense to pick up the slack. The Redskins are definitely trending in the right direction in terms of building a championship caliber defense. But the unit is not good enough yet to carry the team to victory on a consistent basis. 

The Redskins look to get back on track in Week 8 when they travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills. 

For more Redskins coverage and conversation, head on over to Hogs Haven.

Read More: Santana Moss (WR – WAS), Tim Hightower (RB – WAS), Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers

Sunday, the Washington Redskins fell to the Carolina Panthers, 33-20, to drop to 3-3. That’s bad news in the short term, but the long-term outlook isn’t any better. Leading rusher Tim Hightower’s season-ending ACL tear, coupled with the broken left hand which will rule top wide receiver Santana Moss out for at least five weeks, can only worsen an already mediocre offense. Thus, former Baltimore Ravens coach and current FOX Sports analysts Brian Billick saw fit to drop Washington two spots in his NFL Power Rankings, to No. 21 overall. His comments:

Not sure that it matters whether John Beck or Rex Grossman is the QB right now. Tight end Fred Davis continues to be a factor in the passing game, but the Redskins have to run the ball to win and they have not done that the past two games. Defense was a little disappointing against the Panthers.

Davis leads all Redskins in receiving yards and will have to assume a larger offensive role due to Moss’ injury and Washington’s dearth of talent at wide receiver.

Incidentally, Billick ranks the Redskins lower than every other team in the NFC East. In addition to ranking higher than Washington, the New York Giants (No. 12), Philadelphia Eagles (No. 17), and Dallas Cowboys (No. 18) either improved or stayed the same this week. The Redskins are trending down, but the rest of the division is trending up.

For more NFL Power Rankings, visit SBNation.com.

Clamp. Sutures. The Washington Redskins are bleeding, that’s the visceral takeaway from their last couple of losses, and the season could hemorrhage if they don’t find a way to stop it. I’m not talking about injuries, either. It’s the perfectly healthy coaches and players who need to stitch up this team.

Injuries don’t explain why the Redskins have lacked crispness, an edge, over the past two Sundays. Injuries don’t explain why they came out of their bye week playing worse instead of better. Injuries don’t explain why a fairly intact defense has looked so mortally weak against the run, or why able-bodied receivers are dropping passes.

The Redskins were never going to blow anyone off the ball, that’s not the kind of roster Mike Shanahan built. Instead he went looking for “character players,” with the idea he could out-smart and out-discipline the opponent. But his team has looked more sloppy than sharp in consecutive losses to one-win teams. After Sunday’s 33-20 mortification by the Carolina Panthers, the most accurate criticism came from Shanahan himself: “I’ve got to do a better job of getting these guys ready to play,” he said, pointing the finger where it belongs.

Injuries don’t excuse three Redskins tacklers whiffing on Cam Newton on the first crucial play against Carolina, third and nine from his 21. Newton turned a potential sack into a 25-yard broken-field waltz, with hardly a glove laid on him.

Injuries don’t explain why Jabar Gaffney displayed all the concentration of a high school freshman at the end the first half. First he misjudged and butter-fingered a deep throw from John Beck along the sideline, and then he committed an unpardonable fumble at his own 34-yard line, practically handing the Panthers a 9-6 lead. Last we checked, Santana Moss was the receiver with the broken hand, not Gaffney.

Injuries don’t explain how the defense could allow three straight touchdown drives by the Panthers on their first possessions after halftime. Who delivered that pep talk, and made those strategic adjustments? “We should have had better balance, a better game plan in the second half,” Brian Orakpo observed.

Injuries don’t explain why the Redskins made an iffy decision to go for it at midfield on fourth and two, and then set Beck up for a sack with an ill-considered pass play. “We gave him a bad call,” Shanahan said.

The shame of it was that the misjudgments and missed plays obscured a significant development for the Redskins: Beck. He had every reason to be the most uneven player on the field on Sunday, starting his first game since 2007 behind an offensive line quilted together out of reserves. Initially, he resembled Chris O’Donnell trying to fill out a Batman suit. But then he found himself; turns out he’s a leader with a knack for answering, as he proved in the third quarter when he went 4 for 4 on passes, and then dove over to goal line to get the Redskins within 16-13. Everyone in the stadium knew Beck didn’t have Chris Cooley or Moss to throw to, and he got it done anyway. That could have been a “here we go moment,” according to fullback Darrel Young.

Three of the Washington Redskins’ marquee players were hampered by injury on Sunday.

Washington Redskins number one wide receiver Santana Moss broke a bone in his left hand in the Redskins’ 33-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers and stud rookie quarterback Cam Newton on Sunday. Coach Mike Shanahan said Moss sustained the injury in the first half and is definitely out next week when the team travels to play the Buffalo Bills.

Coach Mike Shanahan made the announcement immediately after the game and also said that feature running back Tim Hightower (knee) and linebacker London Fletcher (hamstring) also sustained injuries and need further evaluation.

According to ESPN, X-rays on Hightower’s knee were negative and the fourth-year back is scheduled to undergo an MRI. Shanahan said the severity of Hightower’s injury is unclear.

Moss hurt his left hand in the first half and spent the rest of the game watching from the sideline while wearing a bulky wrap on the hand. Although Moss is the best receiver on the team, having been targeted 42 times this season, grabbing 23 receptions, and catching two touchdowns, all team highs, he is only third on the team in receiving yards (284) and has just three catches this year of 20 yards or more.

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Hightower, who got the start over Ryan Torain, and had run for 88 yards on 17 carries, hurt his left knee on a four-yard carry in the third quarter. He was helped off the field, carted to the locker room from the sideline and did not return along with Moss. Hightower started the Redskins’ first four games of the season and was benched in favor of Torain for the Redskins’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5 after Torain exploded off the bench for 19 carries and 135 yards in a 17-10 win over the St. Louis Rams in Week 4.

Fletcher, a tackle workhorse, has just 34 tackles so far after 10 straight seasons with at least 130.

Losing any combination of these players will put the Redskins in a bind as they continue to play against a tough crowd for the rest of the season, including three divisional games and games against the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers.