Will Jay Gruden ignore or ignite Redskins rushers?
Jay Gruden is well known for airing it out – but he also understands offensive balance. No one should be concerned about Alfred Morris’ carry total or the eventual fallout of the Redskins rushing attack.
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The Redskins ranked 10th and the Bengals 11th in total carries during the season, which could indicate that not a whole lot will change in Washington’s backfield. And it doesn’t need to. They had the fifth best rushing attack in the NFL. Their stable of running backs ranks atop the league, particularly when Robert Griffin III can open up a stronger passing attack. Gruden’s offense should do just that.
There should be little concern as to whether the Redskins rushing offense will be effective. They managed during the rough patches and, in many ways, carried the offense. Gruden likes to run on first down and establish the run game.
Rich Tandler of CSN Washington doesn’t want Redskins fans to get ahead of themselves, however, writing that the Bengals defense allowed them to play with the lead:
"I see the offense playing a lot of minutes of catch-up football, not giving Gruden the luxury of being able to run the ball as much as he might like to. I see the Redskins going a bit under 27 rushing attempts per game unless the defense surprises us in a big way."
The real question is whether a strong passing attack can escalate Washington’s play to NFL-best heights. Mix Robert Griffin III’s deep touch and accuracy from 2012, mixed with Gruden’s offensive balance and prolific yardage from 2013 and the Redskins 2013 rushing attack, and you’ve got an incredible offense. That’s likely exactly what GM Bruce Allen was thinking when he put it all together.