Win was gutty, but the terms of an offense led by Alex Smith are starting to show

They had the ball and the lead when the clock approached zero and Alex Smith had earned the right to take the snap and then take a knee. No win in the NFL can be counted until the end of the allotted time, certainly not for the Washington Redskins. The all-new quarterback rocked the ball carefully until it was official. He then threw it gently at an official, accepting the hugs and congratulations of all.

Despite all the hardness this team has shown in hanging a 23-17 win against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at FedEx Field, there is a lot of fragility here and a lot. This is not a unique quality in the NFL, which seems designed to keep, say, 26 teams crushed between 7-9 and 9-7. But that's true about this Washington team – and its offensive in particular.

"Oh, I feel we are very untapped offensively," Smith said afterwards. "A lot of potential."

This is the optimistic vision. One day, they won a victory allowing them to keep the lead of the NFC East – with their first home game against Dallas – why not be cheerful? They won Sunday without the services of third defenseman Chris Thompson and possession receiver Jamison Crowder, both potential weapons, both injured. Untapped? A quarterback who has only five games to his credit with his new team should say it and say it.

But here's the problem: Sunday, Washington made a concerted effort to make Jordan Reed the star of his attack, as it should, attacking him nine times. 33-year-old Adrian Peterson scored 97 assists on 17 assists. He got 10 gift points with three turnovers in the first period in Carolina. He led 17-0.

So much is going well. And yet, in less than a minute of the game, Carolina quarterback Cam Newton scored three shots. Win five meters and get a first try, with enough time to try again. Win 16 and score the touchdown, leaving Washington devastated.

Washington's defense is hanging. But Smith and the offense could have put that aside well before these histrionics.

"We were lucky to do a lot better," said coach Jay Gruden.

It's the nature of this: to survive and improve. They were better, of course, than that embarrassment of Monday night, when they were blown to New Orleans, 43-19. But offensively, how much better? They had a total of 283 total yards against the Saints and Smith earned 23 of 39 points for 239 yards, no points and one interception. They won 288 yards against the Panthers (who won 350) and Smith scored 21 for 36 yards for 163 yards, two touchdowns and no choice.

Now, of course, there were protection issues against Carolina, and Washington is still asking the starting center, Chase Roullier, to replace the injured guard, Shawn Lauvao, with the next generation, Tony Bergstrom, in the middle. Thompson's and Crowder's absences have certainly had an impact.

But the nagging question at the beginning of Smith's move to Washington is this: and if a limited offense run by a limited quarterback ended up being. . . well, limited?

Be honest here: take a look at the Minnesota results, even click on the score box, to check out the new Vikings quarterback? No shame to do it. Kirk Cousins ​​had a very Kirk Cousins ​​match Sunday against Arizona, scoring 24 points out of 34 for a total of 233 yards. He threw a touchdown and ran for another. But he also started a pickaxe and was stripped for a fumble that was returned for a score.

Is Washington better with Smith? It's hard to determine at the moment.

What we know: Smith is smart enough, experienced enough, disciplined enough and sporty enough to be a winning quarterback in this league – what he is. But in two cases, the team that used it had the impression of having a more dynamic option and then moved from San Francisco to Colin Kaepernick from Kansas City to Patrick Mahomes.

Which puts Washington on the verge of wanting the firm hand that Smith can provide, but perhaps requiring more than just stability. There is no assault Smith for preparation and balance.

"The game was over," said receiver Paul Richardson Jr., who picked up the second of Smith's two passes for the touchdown. "I'm there saying to Alex:" Hey, do not be mad at me for some of the things I've done. "He's like," Do not worry! " "Do not worry about that," and he's talking about what we need to do at the training this week. "

Which is admirable, and what a leader should do. But professionalism can not magically turn into explosiveness. Washington's longest match since Sunday's scrum was Smith's quarter-fourth pass to tight veteran Vernon Davis. It was a well-designed game called at the right time, when the Panthers had a depth of security and that it was shading the wrong way. He traveled 22 meters.

Perhaps, with more work and familiarity, the fast Richardson finds a way to constantly expand his defenses. Maybe Reed, the Washington offensive player that you would probably see a lot of money, will stay healthy and find ways to get results even if it 's central to all defensive game plans. Maybe Peterson will continue to be untouched by the weather. Maybe Thompson and Crowder will come back in good health. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

"I say untapped," Smith said. "I just think, sort of, that we continue to discover who we are, our identity is considered a crime."

Their identity will be shaped largely by Smith. Not because he's far their best player. But because they have no obvious choice for this role, it plays the most important role. Monday night, he and his team were shaken and rolled in New Orleans. Sunday, they got up. Smith did not stand out in the win. But he did not cause a loss.

"He protected football," said Gruden, "and did good things."

It's a bit of high-end hope for Smith, is not it? Protect football Do good things.

But is it enough to lift an offense, a team, that needs to be lifted?

More than an hour after Smith took his foot for the match, he, his wife and their three young children returned to the field. The children clashed in turn while their father was smiling. As they drove home, the quarterback slowly returned to the tunnel. A persistent fan wearing a Washington No. 11 jersey called. He wanted a picture. Smith obliged.

It was a good little moment on a beautiful fall evening when the home team won and the quarterback was accepted. But as he walked out of this tunnel, with Dallas close, Alex Smith understood the nature of his work week by week. This is fragile and all the pieces must fit perfectly for Washington to succeed.