Inability to stop the run doomed Rams versus RedskinsAlden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES -- The Washington Redskins were never a powerhouse running team. They weren't when Sean McVay was calling their offensive plays over these past two years, and they definitely weren't in their Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
But they ran all over the Los Angeles Rams' defense on Sunday and it wound up being the difference.
Aaron Donald started, as expected, but the Rams still allowed 224 rushing yards on 36 carries in a late, 27-20 loss from Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum that put them at 1-1 to start the season. The Rams tied the game with a field goal, in a drive that was prolonged on a perfectly executed fake punt between Johnny Hekker and Josh Reynolds. But the Redskins -- without primary running back Rob Kelley, who had to leave early because of a rib injury -- started chewing up clock.
Third-string running back Samaje Perine picked up 12 yards, then 5, then 10, then 3. That and a variety of short passes from Kirk Cousins, who clearly entered the game wanting to get the ball out of his hands quickly to neutralize the Rams' menacing pass rush, put the ball in the red zone at the two-minute warning and forced the Rams to begin using their timeouts. On third-and-4 with the ball at the Rams' 11-yard line, Cousins hit Ryan Grant streaking toward the left sideline for what ended up being the winning touchdown.
Read Complete Article
[
www.espn.com]
