The Washington Redskins were riding high after a 24-6 season-opening win over the Arizona Cardinals out west. Washington’s offense was outstanding, as new quarterback Alex Smith was efficient, precise and error-free. Future Hall-of-Fame running back Adrian Peterson went for 166 total yards in his Washington debut, while the defense held Arizona to just over 200 total yards.
With the Indianapolis Colts coming to Washington for the home debut of the 2018 Redskins, a 2-0 start certainly appeared plausible for head coach Jay Gruden. Well, needless to say, that’s not exactly what happened as the Colts dominated the Redskins, winning 21-9 in a game where the outcome was never in question.
Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck took the Colts 75 yards down the field on the game’s opening drive and never looked back. While Luck wasn’t perfect—he completed 21 of 31 passes for 179 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions—he avoided pressure and managed the game exactly the way new head coach Frank Reich wanted. Most importantly, the Colts whipped Washington in the trenches on both sides of the ball, a fact that surprised many.
What went wrong for the Redskins? Well, essentially everything. Washington couldn’t sustain a drive, Smith seemed hesitant to push the ball down the field and the Redskins’ offensive line had no answers for Indy’s front seven and rookie linebacker Darius Leonard.
The Redskins couldn’t run the football and that derailed Gruden’s game plan early. Indianapolis frustrated Washington its combinations of twists and stunts up front and the Redskins never adjusted.
Here are the three biggest stats from Washington’s loss to the Colts on Sunday.
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