We all know about the rookie jinx and Jameis nearly pulled it off.
Redskins have repeatedly struggled against rookie quarterbacks and Jameis had what I thought was an outstanding game today. I can't believe he was able to split apart the defense so efficiently. The Bucs had one three and out. Otherwise they pretty much moved the ball at will against a unit that didn't show up.
It was appalling to see him just throw a TD to put them up immediately when the game started. Then 3 more...then another one. Then Cousins fumbles and some Buc picks it up and runs in and it's 23-0 and the whole stadium is irate and people start yelling for McCoy and RG3. The offense looked putrid and completely inept. Let's talk about 3rd and 1. On third and one they for some reason throw deep when you could just run it forward for a yard. That was a ridiculous playcall. The offensive playcalling at the start was very conservative and once it became apparent that there was no need to run as much anymore since the team was down 24 at that point, and the playbook was opened up, it's no coincidence that the offense started to move down the field. Getting that touchdown really helped to make it somewhat respectable at the half, but there was still a long way to go.
Defense held the Bucs in second half after they received the possession, and offense was able to carry on the momentum, and suddenly it's 24-14. Now everyone at the stadium is celebrating, at least in the 400's, and everyone is drunk so when the onside kick is recovered many people are like what the ****. The Redskins never do that...successfully. That has worked in the past (2012?) but this was just out of the blue. It was a risky move, as said before Tampa was just lighting up that defense without issue and you don't want to give the ball back to them at that point and have them march down the field again. So the place begins to buzz. 24-21. It's a game again.
It's 27-24 and Redskins are just trying to stay in it. With time ticking down in the fourth the Bucs just go for this HUGE run all the way to like the 2 yard line, it was ridiculous and some people started to leave and Bucs fans were like WHAT YOU'RE NOT SO LOUD ARE YOU SHUT UP, in our house. I didn't leave though, I knew that if we held them to 3 we had a chance. But I was ready to go the second they scored a TD, they never did. 30-24, then Cousins starts at about his own 20 and leads a huge drive back. All the Bucs fans left with 30 seconds to go. Biggest comeback in Redskins history complete.
My biggest takeaway from this game is A) You need to open up the damn playbook for Cousins and stop being so scared of him. The conservative playcalling isn't going to work and it didn't today. Falling behind by 24 allowed them the urgency to open up the playbook and throw those short and intermediate passes that made him so successful in prior games. B) This defense really crapped the bed today and had trouble keeping Tampa off the field, however, in the second half they did not allow a TD. Defensive stand after Bucs went all the way to the 2 was HUGE. Onside kick was HUGE.
They need a week to rest and the Giants won but 3-4 at this tenure isn't so bad. The team plays well at home and not so much away from home. Hopefully they'll be able to be competitive with the Patriots. While the Patriots are undefeated, they are beatable. This has the makings of a close game, perhaps Pats by 7.