In the coming weeks, Redskins.com will be looking back on the second half of the 2019 season to provide an in-depth perspective on each game. Here are the games we've revisited so far:
This week's revisited game is the Week 12 matchup between the Redskins and Lions.
Quarterback Dwayne Haskins and the Redskins offense bounced back from getting blown out at home against the Jets and got their first win since Week 6 with their victory over the Detroit Lions. Haskins had 156 passing yards to go with 28 yards on the ground, while kicker Dustin Hopkins kicked four field goals, including the 39-yard game-winner with 16 seconds left in regulation, to get the 19-16 victory.
First Quarter
-- The offense played much better overall than it did in the previous week, but they did not get off to a good start on the first drive against the Lions. It only lasted for three plays, and each of them provided little to no production because of critical mistakes. Missed blocking assignments led to Adrian Peterson getting bottled up at the line of scrimmage for two plays that resulted in as many yards.
Haskins' fumble was what ultimately killed the drive. It was a tough call as to whether Haskins actually fumbled the ball on that play, and it's still a difficult one more than three months later. Defensive end Devon Kennard got to Haskins' throwing arm as he was making the pass and knocked it loose from Haskins' grip. However, the ball flew forward for 10 yards before it was recovered by the Lions. The replay showed it was close either way, and it's possible the officials decided to leave the call as it stood for that very reason.
-- The interior defensive line has proven time and time again to be one of the strongest units on defense. Against the Jets, Daron Payne's solid performance was overshadowed by the 34-17 outcome. One week later, it was a collection of players, including defensive lineman Tim Settle, who came through in big moments. Watch below how Settle fights off a block to stuff Lions running back Bo Scarbrough for a one-yard gain. Ryan Kerrigan comes in later to finish the play, but it was Settle who came through for the initial push.
-- The Lions had good field position after the Haskins fumble, and outside of a few plays, the Redskins' defense shut the Lions down and forced a field goal. After Danny Amendola completed an eight-yard pass, the Lions only gained four yards on the next three plays. Settle's tackle got things started, then linebacker Jon Bostic and cornerback Fabian Moreau added two tackles -- one for a two-yard loss and one in the open field -- to hold the Lions to just three points. As the score continued to be close throughout the game, this defensive stop became one of the more important moments of the game.
-- Anyone watching Haskins in the last quarter of the season could see that he became an improved player. He was almost an entirely different player from that first outing against the New York Giants, but it looks like this is where that upward trend truly began. Once that first drive ended, Haskins and the offense looked like a competitive group. Everything from his footwork to his decision making was better than it was against the Jets.
Watch this third-and-nine play from the Lions' 40-yard line. He calmly takes his drop back, sets his feet and delivers a 10-yard strike to Terry McLaurin for the first down.
Second Quarter
-- Haskins' process of going through his receiver options was an area of his game that needed to be improved upon after the Jets game, and it certainly improved against the Lions. That was true even when his passes missed their mark. Two plays after Moreau grabbed his first interception of the game, Haskins overthrew a pass to McLaurin deep down the field. However, tight end Hale Hentges was wide open in the flat and would have resulted in a positive gain.
Still, it's hard to doubt Haskins' decision to throw to McLaurin. His former Ohio State teammate had become one of the best rookie wide receivers in the league. He was the clear No. 1 option, and he was open on the play even though he had two defenders around him. It's not clear how far Hentges would have gotten down the field, but it was certain that McLaurin would have had a 40-yard gain had he caught the ball. It was a gamble play, and it looked like the right one.
-- For the second time, the Lions threatened to get into the end zone, and for the second time, the Redskins' defense came through. The quarter opened up with a 34-yard pass from Lions quarterback Jeff Driskel to Galloday that put the ball at the Redskins' 11-yard line. After that, the Lions could only manage six yards in four plays. It was big moments like Jonathan Allen making a diving tackle on Scarbrough and Bostic blitzing on a third down pass to force an incompletion that allowed the Redskins to prevent another touchdown.
-- Derrius Guice's true breakout game came in the following game against the Carolina Panthers, but he still showed some flashes against the Lions. This 11-yard rush started a nine-play drive that resulted in a field goal. Guice was somehow able to work his way past the line of scrimmage and get the first down.
-- Matt Ioannidis truly did have an impressive season. He finished the year with 8.5 sacks, one of which came on this second-and-10 at the Lions' 25-yard line. Outside linebackers Montez Sweat and Kerrigan helped crash the pocket, and Ioannidis worked his way through three Lions defenders for a one-yard sack on Driskel. If defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio wants a disruptive defensive line, this group has shown it is capable of providing that.
Third Quarter
-- Scarbrough rushed for 98 yards on 18 carries against the Redskins, and 59 of them came during this quarter. He received the first three touches in the second half and rushed for 43 yards, including a 30-yard rumble down the right sideline that put the Lions at the Redskins' 32-yard line. It was a well-designed play, but Moreau and Landon Collins also played a part in its success. As Scarbrough worked his way to the line of scrimmage, both Collins and Moreau committed too much to the middle of the play and left the left side of the field unprotected. Scarbrough made them pay with his longest run of the afternoon.
-- Speaking of the left side of the defense, the Lions attacked it often on their only touchdown drive of the game. Out of their 10 plays to open the second half, six of them were directed towards the defense's left side. After the Lions moved down to the Redskins' 25-yard line, Driskel delivered strike to Marvin Jones for 11 yards with Moreau draped over him. Two plays later, Driskel went to that side again, this time finding Logan Thomas in the end zone for the 12-yard score.
-- The Redskins offense couldn't muster much in the third quarter. They only had the ball for seven plays and moved the ball a total of 11 yards. With that being said, Haskins did show some growth through some small actions that spoke loudly about his development. Take the play below as an example. The result was an incomplete pass, but he stayed in the pocket and took some punishment from the blitz that came from the outside. Haskins also made the right throw; it was just a rare drop from McLaurin that kept the play from ending in positive yardage.
Fourth Quarter
-- There are three plays that defined the fourth quarter and the outcome of the entire game, and all three of them came in the final minute. The first was Quinton Dunbar's interception after Haskins led the offense to a game-tying field goal that gave the Redskins the ball back at their own 46-yard line. Dunbar got burned the last time he tried to go for the interception; this time, the gamble paid off as Dunbar stepped in the way of the pass just as it had left Driskel's hands. The result made for an easy catch that kept the momentum swinging in Washington's favor.
-- The second play came 28 seconds later on the ensuing offensive possession. This is simply a clutch throw and catch from Haskins and McLaurin. McLaurin beats his man in about two steps and outruns the defense across the field to get open. Haskins sets his feet, takes two steps forward and delivers a strike to McLaurin where only his fellow rookies could make the catch. McLaurin snags the ball out of the air before falling to the ground at the Lions' 22-yard line. The Redskins kicked a field goal on the next play for what became the game-winning score. was Quinton
-- The final play came with eight seconds left on Detroit's final drive of the game. The Lions had the ball at their own 24-yard line and still had an outside shot of forcing overtime. Driskel went after Moreau again, this time by targeting Marvin Jones Jr., and once again Moreau made him pay. He jumped on the route with perfect timing and essentially ended the game. Case Keenum stepped in an took a knee to run out the clock, and the Redskins secured their first home win of the season.
