Last year, the Redskins’ late-season run capped off a great year in sports for Washington D.C., with three teams making the playoffs. Monday night, the Redskins took the field for their season opener on in the hopes of re-igniting the hope that Washington sports fans have hesitantly gained in recent years.
After capturing the national spotlight with his impressive performances last year, Robert Griffin III’s heartbreaking season-ending knee injury left many questions surrounding him, his health, and his relationship with the Redskins coaching staff, particularly Head Coach Mike Shanahan.
Griffin’s actual health status was unclear before Monday night; Shanahan had declared that he was fully capable as a quarterback, but team physician Dr. James Andrews had some lingering concerns which he wouldn’t name. Regardless of the hype, no one was sure what Griffin would provide in his return to the field, but while he was the focus, there was still a team game to be played.
After Griffin’s dramatic entrance waving a Redskins flag with Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” blearing in the background, the game could not have started better for the Redskins, as they scored after just three minutes on a bizarre 75-yard fumble return after pro-bowl linebacker Ryan Kerrigan batted a pass in the backfield and Hall recovered for a jog to the end zone.
FedEx Field went crazy, and there was a feeling in the air of an impending blowout and early talks of Super Bowl hopes. The fans got their blowout, but it was not for the team they would have preferred.
On the Redskins’ first offensive play, Alfred Morris fumbled from deep in his own zone, and on the ensuing offensive series Griffin threw an uncharacteristic interception just three plays in, prompting Eagles supporters to serenade him with “RGIII” chants. Redskins Fans hoped he was just shaking off the rust, but he ended the first half without showing any signs of the Offensive Rookie of the Year from 2012-13.
Meanwhile, Chip Kelly’s Philadelphia Eagles had been picking apart the Redskins Defense, scoring 26 points in the first half using a fast-paced offense the Redskins didn’t look prepared for. Going into halftime, Washington fans were nervously confident that their team could make a comeback, but elated Eagles fans were slowly sucking the hometown hope out of the stadium.
RGIII was met with enthusiastic applause as he took the field again for the second half, but just three plays in he threw a second interception that resulted in an Eagles touchdown, putting the Redskins in a 33-7 hole.
The Redskins finally put together a decent series, driving the ball up the field for 15 plays, 10 more plays than their previous best. When last year’s standout kicker Kai Forbath missed wide of the goalpost, a shocked silence swept over the stadium, and a feeling of hopelessness set in.
The Redskins put together an impressive 20 point comeback in the late third and early fourth quarters to make the score a more respectable 33-27, but it was in front of a half-empty stadium after many of the Redksins “faithful” bolted for the exits during the third quarter.
Overall, Griffin failed to meet the expectations set for him by the public and media, and the loss was labelled a “major upset.” Bear in mind, however, that Kelly’s Eagles had a year of game footage to plan for the Redskins offense, which they knew would involve very few runs by Griffin in his first game back. The Redskins were also facing a brand new scheme based on the college-style offense that Chip Kelly had incredible success with at Oregon.
RGIII was the focus of the night, and although he didn’t meet his superstar expectations from last year, he played exactly how he should have been expected to play coming off an eight-month hiatus and playing for the first time since he tore multiple ligaments in his knee.
It’s a 16-game season, and although the Redskins certainly need to improve in many areas based on Monday night if they are to meet their lofty expectations, it is too early to draw any conclusions about their future.
