2026 Season | Week 2 | Gameday Chatter Thread | Redskins @ Cowboys | 09/20/2026

Smitty said:
Run defense was really poor
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There's a difference between traditional run defense and stopping RB's compared to a QB scrambling or hitting RPO's.

In my opinion you have to kind of back that production out since it's a different skill/responsibility, or at least the responsibility is shifted to different players. Excluding the QB runs we've given up about 4.4 YPC this year, which definitely isn't great but it's not terrible either.

The stats look way worse because we've given up about 120 yards rushing to Dart and Daniels.
 
Smitty said:
We were able to run last year. What happened??
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Honestly the blocking hasn't been great. I don't think we have threatened the outside run nearly enough. I think on the read option teams know that Dak absolutely will not keep it and run. And honestly I think Jevonte has been a little slow to the hole and things are closing up before he is getting there. You know a lot of a run game is about timing. A RB is too fast to the hole and he gets there before it opens up. A runner is too patient and the hole closes before he gets there. The run game just feels out of sync right now but I fully expect it to get better. I think people need to take a breath. It's two games. And at least right now we are 1-1.
 
Simpleton said:
There's a difference between traditional run defense and stopping RB's compared to a QB scrambling or hitting RPO's.

In my opinion you have to kind of back that production out since it's a different skill/responsibility, or at least the responsibility is shifted to different players. Excluding the QB runs we've given up about 4.4 YPC this year, which definitely isn't great but it's not terrible either.

The stats look way worse because we've given up about 120 yards rushing to Dart and Daniels.
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Yep, it's all about figuring out how to keep the QB in the pocket. Their running is what is absolutely killing us. And the truth is the pressure is getting to the QB but the QB's are just avoiding it right now. Which may have something to do with the discipline of our rush right now. I don't know. But I don't see nearly the skill level issue that some are claiming.
 
I'm okay with how the defense performed. It's what I wanted. Improvement. They also played their asses off. They showed a marked difference from game 1, so I'm not sure you can ask for much more considering the new DC, new scheme, and the 5th youngest starting defense in the NFL. If they hadn't played as hard, I'm probably closer to Geng's outlook, but they did. So, the stuff like tackling, et al, can be fixed with coaching (I hope).
 
Cotton said:
I'm okay with how the defense performed. It's what I wanted. Improvement. They also played their asses off. They showed a marked difference from game 1, so I'm not sure you can ask for much more considering the new DC, new scheme, and the 5th youngest starting defense in the NFL. If they hadn't played as hard, I probably closer to Geng's outlook, but they did. So, the stuff like tackling, et al, can be fixed with coaching (I hope).
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The good news is some of the rookies are giving us some of the best performances. Lawrence, Downs and Barham showed big improvement from week 1 and you expect guys like that to continue to grow. Week 1 I really didn't look at anyone on defense and go, he had a good game. Week 2 I at least can point to some names and say, that guy played well. That's improvement.
 
boozeman said:


Almost Donovan. Almost Malachi. Not the same ring as Almost Anthony. But similar results.
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They need to practice tackling players who are sliding around a pocket. Too many elusive QBs, RBs and WRs who can juke out defenders who are rushing at full speed. There has to be a medium that will allow closing in on the target with only a mild sacrifice to full-out speed on a rush.
 
Cowboysrock55 said:
Honestly the blocking hasn't been great. I don't think we have threatened the outside run nearly enough. I think on the read option teams know that Dak absolutely will not keep it and run. And honestly I think Jevonte has been a little slow to the hole and things are closing up before he is getting there. You know a lot of a run game is about timing. A RB is too fast to the hole and he gets there before it opens up. A runner is too patient and the hole closes before he gets there. The run game just feels out of sync right now but I fully expect it to get better. I think people need to take a breath. It's two games. And at least right now we are 1-1.
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They stuffed a lot of our runs with slot corner/DB blitzes, I'm not that worried about the run game yet, besides Steele being a piece of shit and not having our best OL yet of course.
 
Simpleton said:
They stuffed a lot of our runs with slot corner/DB blitzes, I'm not that worried about the run game yet, besides Steele being a piece of shit and not having our best OL yet of course.
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I thought run blocking was Steele's only strength.
 
Ignoring the defense for a second, we should take a step back and appreciate what the offense has done ever since halftime of the Giants game.

After coming out in the first half tripping over their own dicks (after not doing shit in preseason obviously) they've scored on every drive except one across 6 quarters, six TD's to 3 FG's, 9 scores on 10 drives.

Obviously they aren't playing the Seahawks defense but Washington spent about $70M in AAV across about 7 FA's on their defense, plus a top 10 pick, and we shoved it up their ass just as bad as any offense did to our shithole 2025 defense. The Giants have invested significant resources into their defense and it felt like the only reason they ever really stopped us in the first half were mistakes, penalties and rust.

I think there are holes that will hurt us against the truly elite defenses, plus the random games where they come out sloppy, but aside from beating ourselves with mistakes, penalties, turnovers, etc., I don't think 75% of the defenses in the league have any hope of stopping us.
 
boozeman said:
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I was at the game. Lower level. The four seats in front of me was a young man and his young wife with their maybe 3 year old daughter and an infant wearing noise cancelling headphones. I think they left in the third quarter or after halftime. They obviously didn’t cheer a lick.

The people in the row behind me - there were maybe 8-12 of them in a group. The person directly behind me was a snooty ass looking dolled up granny who was definitely non plussed every time I stood up. Two gray haired gentlemen were next to her towards the aisle. On her other side were two hot broads in like, corporate dresses and I tried to high five them and they were confused. Early in the fourth quarter I heard one of the old men say, “well, I’m ready. You want to go?” About 10-12 of them, like I said, all got up and left.

Meanwhile my son smacked me in the face with the white towel they put on the seats about 25 times.
 
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