The Redskins' starting offense struggled to find a rhythm in the first half against the Bears, gaining only 101 yards and five first downs.
Rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III was tested for the first time in the NFL, getting badgered in the pocket and finding his receivers covered downfield.
He finished the first half with five completions in eight attempts for 49 yards. He added another 17 yards on the ground, weathering three sacks and a forced fumble.
Griffin III managed to avoid throwing interceptions, but learned the speed of NFL defenders early in the game.
On the opening drive, Griffin III had no open receivers and drifted out of the pocket toward the sideline. Tucking the ball to run, he was escorted out of bounds by Bears defender Israel Idonije for a 2-yard sack.
Griffin III had better success in the second quarter, picking up a 3rd down conversion with a 14-yard rush up the right sideline.
The Redskins had further success running the ball with Alfred Morris and Evan Royster gaining a combined 54 yards on 12 rushes. Once again, Morris got the lion's share of the carries with 10.
Pierre Garcon was Griffin III's top target again tonight, catching two passes for 13 yards, and was targeted on a deep pass where Garcon was pushed out of bounds.
Without an outstanding punt return by Brandon Banks for a touchdown, the Redskins would trail by 17 at the half. Instead, the score was Chicago, 20-10.
Despite only putting up three points, the Redskins avoided any major injuries on offense for the second week in a row. With six reserves starting on offense, the importance of health cannot be understated.
Rookie Kirk Cousins starts the second half at quarterback, switching repsonsibilities with Rex Grossman from a week ago.
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