Redskins rookie quarterback Nate Sudfeld recorded his first touchdown of the preseason on Thursday night when he found Marcel Jensen for a six-yard touchdown.
While the first-team offense was effective on their lone drive led by Kirk Cousins, and Colt McCoy got the second-team unit moving, it wasn't until rookie Nate Sudfeld entered Thursday's preseason game against the Falcons that the Redskins were able to score a touchdown.
Sudfeld's first drive on the field lasted just six plays and went nine yards, but the Indiana product looked loose, not uptight like some NFL rookies do in their professional debuts, as he connected on two of his four pass attempts for eight yards, with a drop by Rashad Ross on a deep throw nearly being a third completion.
On his next drive out, though, Sudfeld led a seven-play, 63-yard scoring drive that was capped by a Robert Kelley one-yard touchdown scamper.
Sudfeld and Co. followed up the touchdown with a nine-play, 34-yard touchdown drive to start the fourth quarter after the sixth-round pick found tight end Marcel Jensen just inside the end zone.
"It was a lot of fun to play, it's been awhile since I've actually gotten to play and be live and stuff, so getting those first few hits felt really good, kind of [to] get back in the rhythm of things," Sudfeld said. "Guys were playing really well, it's fun to play with the guys. I thought the offense when I was in, the offense in general was pretty sharp, we just have to clean up some penalties but it was a lot of fun to play."
The entire unit clicking is what allowed Sudfeld to feel so calm in the pocket. He finished the evening completing 10-of-15 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown while also collecting a passer rating of 104.6.
"Yeah it felt really good, but it was really our O-line was blocking on some individual runs, running backs were running really well, there was really good protection when I was throwing the ball and guys were making some good catches," Sudfeld said. "I'm a quarterback, I'm a part of the puzzle, so I thought I did alright but the guys around me had a really good performance as well."
Sudfeld isn't expected to push either Cousins or McCoy for the starting quarterback or primary backup position this season.
Throughout OTAs, training camp and now the preseason, the 6-foot-6, 235 pounder has taken all of the reps with the third-team offense.
In a situation similar to that of a year-long internship, Sudfeld said that both veteran quarterbacks have been helpful through his NFL acclimation process.
"They were in my ear all week and then all day and then during the game," Sudfeld said. "So it was really good to have those guys. Before the game Kirk said, 'Let go and let God in,' and I really took that to heart and it's fun. I feel like I've trained hard for this and I felt prepared out there so I just went and had a good time and tried to play with a smile on my face and march us downfield so it was fun."
