Looking For A Spark Redskins Turn To Aldrick Robinson

After half a week of reliving the horrors of a Sunday afternoon gone wrong Redskins Nation finally gets an opportunity to turn the page and focus on the hope of getting back on track.

Today the Washington Redskins join fans in doing just that – turning the page after a tough trip to Pittsburgh and preparing for Sunday’s Home Coming date with Cam Newton and the 1-6 Carolina Panthers.

While the defense has been the story of Redskins futility for the past several weeks, the offense took a step back in Pittsburgh. It was one of those days where everyone looked flat and even the great Robert Griffin III could not find a way to get things on track.

Let’s be honest 45 dropped passes didn’t help things.

I’m not here to say there are problems on the offense because truthfully Sunday can be chalked up to one bad day. That said, this offense does need a spark in the passing game with Garcon sidelined yet again, and the teams leading receiver Fred Davis out for the season with a torn Achilles.

The problem is not that the Redskins cannot move the ball through the air, in fact, Robert Griffin III has done very well spreading the ball to different targets. Sadly, with a defense on pace to be the worst in history, it appears the offense is going to have to find a way to do more.

You cannot however dismiss the fact that the lack of a true number one has limited the effectiveness of this system. As good as this offense has been through eight games, you cannot overlook the impact of losing Free Agent WR Pierre Garcon.

Since Garcon’s absence the Redskins have failed produce a 100 yard receiver in a game, that’s right, not even once. Think about this, if you take away Garcon’s 100+ yard first quarter in week one, this team would not have anyone with that mark.

Not exactly what Mike and Kyle had in mind when they said they wanted explosive receivers.

This unit needs a spark and it looks like Mike Shanahan is turning to 2^nd year receiver Aldrick Robinson this Sunday against the Panthers.

“He is going to get some more playing time, I can guarantee you that. That’s all I can say. I was pleased against Pittsburgh.” Shanahan told media Wednesday “There were another couple of routes that he ran that I was really impressed with so he will get some more playing time.”

Robinson has shown flashes of big play ability early this year. Seven of Robinson’s eight receptions this season have been for first downs — and his 14 yards per catch average is worth at least another look.

Speed is something that the Shanahans covet and Robinson definitely brings that to the table.

“Well I’m fast.  I’m a speed guy,” Robinson told Son of Washington in an exclusive interview this summer. “I have lots of speed and I can get behind a defense;  and I can also run the shorter routes and I can catch the ball well.  So I’m not just a speed guy who can run; I can do all the things that a slot receiver can do also, so I think that’s big in my game.”

While Robinson lost playing time earlier in the year, this second chance is just what the receiver needs to prove to his coaches that not only does he deserve this chance, but that he is going to make the most of it.

“I feel like I am that home run guy.  I can be that home run guy, that guy who can make explosive plays down field, get YAC yards and things like that.  It’s fun.  It’s a fun time because the type of player that I am and for him to want that type of player, it means they want me.”

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