Cowboys Extra: Scouting the Washington Redskins

It’s a relatively meaningless game as far as playoff implications. But don’t expect the Washington Redskins to mail it in this week against the Dallas Cowboys.

They’re a young team trying to build an identity behind coach Jay Gruden, and they would love nothing more than to have some momentum going into the off-season.

They upset Philadelphia on Saturday, beating the Eagles for the first time in six meetings. And Washington would like to continue with those winning ways to finish what has largely been a forgettable season.

“It’s the last chance we’ll get to play together for a long time,” Gruden told reporters. “It’s a great opportunity to take this season, and, as disappointing as it is win/loss record-wise, it’s a great opportunity for us to end with our heads held up high and a positive outlook moving on and moving forward to the following year.

“The big thing is just finishing up this season, continue to finish with the pride and the competitive spirit that you guys have and good things will come of it.”

Most eyes for the Redskins will be focused on maligned quarterback Robert Griffin III, a player who entered the season as the future of the organization. Now, though, it seems as though there are more questions than answers regarding the former Baylor star.

But winning cures all in this game and that is the No. 1 factor in grading quarterbacks, according to Gruden.

“That is it,” Gruden said. “Obviously, you’re looking for production and all that stuff and what he could’ve done. But winning football games is all that matters for a quarterback, and it doesn’t matter if they go, like I said, 12-for-24 for 80 yards and we win or 38-for-45 for 400 and we lose. You’d rather have the 12-for-24.

“The ability to manage the football game, stay away from the turnovers, and get the W is all that counts.”

Sack No. 1

Former Texas standout Jackson Jeffcoat picked up his first career sack Saturday against the Eagles.

Jeffcoat is making the transition to linebacker in the pros and is beginning to make a name for himself in the organization.

“He’s got to work on a sack dance, it was below average,” Gruden said, jokingly. “But he’s come in here and he was practice squad for us for most of the year. Of course, we had an injury to Trent Murphy. We had another guy go down — Gabe Miller — and so he took an opportunity and took advantage of it. It was good to see. We like Jackson.”

Briefly

▪ The Redskins will likely be without Murphy this week. The rookie linebacker, who was a second-round pick out of Stanford, has started the past eight games, but broke his hand against the Eagles.

▪ Punter Tress Way is leading the NFL by averaging 47.7 yards per punt. If he maintains that average, it would rank fourth in Redskins history. Former TCU great Sammy Baugh has the Redskins’ three-highest average punt seasons — 51.4 yards (1940), 48.7 yards (1941) and 48.2 yards (1942).

Quotable

“We all know they got robbed. I’m not on the playoff, the College Football Playoff committee. They saw an opportunity to not have to deal with the head-to-head competition, because Ohio State beat Wisconsin so handily and they took that … I don’t agree with it, but like I said, I’m not on that committee. I think Baylor did get robbed. … Sic ’em, Bears.” — Robert Griffin III on Baylor being left out of the the College Football Playoff

Telling numbers

13.5 Sacks by Redskins outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, tied for fifth-most in the NFL and second-most in the NFC.

20.1 Yards per reception for DeSean Jackson this season, the best in the NFL.

This story was originally published December 23, 2014 at 8:07 PM with the headline "Cowboys Extra: Scouting the Washington Redskins."