NFL News & Analysis

WAS-TB grades: Redskins rookie CB Kendall Fuller continues impressive preseason

LANDOVER, MD - AUGUST 19: Cornerback Kendall Fuller #38 of the Washington Redskins defends against the New York Jets during the game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Jets at FedExField on August 19, 2016 in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins defeated the Jets 22-18. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Washington Redskins 20, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13

Here are the top-graded players and biggest takeaways from the Redskins 20-13 preseason Week 4 win over the Buccaneers:

Washington Redskins

Quarterback grade: Nate Sudfeld, 41.6

Rookie QB Nate Sudfeld struggles against blitz

Rookie sixth-round pick Nate Sudfeld took all the snaps for the Redskins in their final preseason game. It was a tough ask of the rookie in harsh conditions. He finished the game with a completion percentage under 50 percent, but his receivers didn’t help him out with their four drops. His lone touchdown pass came on a 13-yard fade to receiver Rashad Ross. Sudfeld showed his touch, dropping it where only Ross could make a play on his way to beating corner Josh Robinson for the score. With the exception of the touchdown pass, Sudfeld struggled while being blitzed—as young QBs often do—completing only two of 10 such passes.

QB Nate Sudfeld passing under pressure versus Buccaneers

Nate Sudfeld passing under pressure

Top offensive grades

RG Nila Kasitati, 81.4

C Austin Reiter, 77.5

LG Arie Kouandjio, 77.1

TE Marcel Jensen, 75.8

RT Isaiah Williams, 75.4

Redskins O-line dominates on the ground

The Redskins finished with 245 yards on the ground, 140 of them running to the right side of the offensive line. RG Josh LeRibeus surrendered a tackle for loss after being beaten to the outside on a zone run in the first quarter; otherwise the entire offensive line would have been positively-graded. Running backs Mack Brown and Rob Kelley are both battling for a roster spot, and combined to force seven missed tackles on a total of 35 carries. Despite their strong showing on the ground, both young backs struggled in pass-protection, accounting for three of the five total QB hurries.

Top defensive grades

LB Carlos Fields, 86.4

CB Kendall Fuller, 85.7

S Deshazor Everett, 85.2

S Duke Ihenacho, 83.5

DE Anthony Lanier, 82.3

CB Kendall Fuller continues strong preseason

The rookie third-round pick from Virginia Tech impressed, again allowing only two catches for 4 yards. He also mixed in a pass defense, giving him five passes defensed this preseason. While throwing in his direction, opposing QBs have a 42.1 passer rating. Second-year safety Deshazor Everett also stood out, leading the team with six tackles while giving up two catches for 14 yards. The Redskins' front-seven generated only one sack, but had the Buccaneers' QBs feeling uneasy all night, hurrying them 17 times.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Quarterback grades: Mike Glennon, 45.5; Ryan Griffin, 67.5

Bucs QB’s under heat all night

Second-string QB Mike Glennon had a short night, seeing 13 offensive snaps and completing just one pass. Glennon then gave way to Ryan Griffin, who completed 23 passes, but for a measly 5 yards per attempt. Bucs wide receivers didn’t help their QBs on the rainy night, dropping a startling seven passes. Griffin’s first pass attempt was a regrettable one, heaving it up on his back foot to TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins on a play-action boot that was deflected, and then intercepted by Redskins safety Duke Ihenacho. Griffin was hurried 14 times on the night, and surprisingly performed better under the blitz, completing eight passes for 86 yards and a touchdown on such plays.

Ryan Griffin passing under pressure versus Redskins

Ryan Griffin passing stats

Top offensive grades

OT Kevin Palmer, 80.8

LT Leonard Wester, 74.9

C Ben Gottschalk, 70.6

QB Ryan Griffin, 67.5

RG Caleb Benenoch, 63.4

Drops plague Bucs' offense

Seven drops on the night surpassed Washington's previous preseason-high of three as a team. The conditions no doubt may have contributed, but it was a sloppy game by the receiving corps. WR Freddie Martino and RB Russell Hansbrough each recorded a game-high two drops, one of which was a costly mishap, where Martino ran a beautiful corner-post route to get open in the end zone, then saw the ball bounce off his hands. OT Kevin Palmer was the lone bright spot for the offensive line, earning a positive pass-blocking grade and not allowing any QB hurries.

Top defensive grades

LB Adarius Glanton, 84.3

CB Johnathan Banks, 81.8

DE William Gholston, 77.0

S Kimario McFadden, 76.7

DT Akeem Spence, 76.3

Tampa Bay get gashed on the ground

Bucs defenders had a tough time wrapping up Redskins ball carriers, missing a total of 10 tackles on the night. The front-seven had a difficult time all night losing leverage to the Redskins O-line, creating some pretty large gaps and cut-back lanes. All said and done, the unit surrendered 6.6 yards per carry on 37 attempts. CB Jonathon Banks was targeted a team-high four times and performed well, allowing one catch for 4 yards and recording a pass defense.

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