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Colt McCoy is defeated in the Redskins loss to Texans on Sunday at FedEX Field. (John McDonnell / The Washington Post)
The emotion of losing Alex Smith – as a result of such a horrible injury at such a crucial time – resumed the reaction Sunday afternoon. It's normal. It's human. At this very moment, and with the mysterious coincidence that Joe Theismann fractured his leg, exactly 33 years ago, it felt as if generations of curses had conspired to redefine misfortune.
It was impossible to avoid being caught in grief. It had to be felt for Smith, who is already a beloved teammate and reliable leader in his first season as a Washington Redskins quarterback. It was necessary to feel for the team, who risked losing a division title because of a series of injuries. You had to be self-confident because when we thought it was safe to trust this team, something devastating happened. Oh, it was desperate right now.
It may be too early to change mood, but with a Thanksgiving match against Dallas imminent in 10 seconds, the mind must make a transition. If you can look at it in a more calculated way, here's the conclusion: the season did not end because Smith broke his leg. Washington's hopes in the playoffs were not extinguished with one horrible play. Without a doubt, the mission has become more difficult for a team already missing dimensions in attack. But it's also true that the team has been successful this season without Smith having played fantastically.
[Redskins’ comeback falls short in 23-21 loss to Texans, after Alex Smith is lost for season]
It has been a year of understated watchkeeping for Washington. Of the 11 starting quarterbacks with record wins this season, Smith was ranked last in passing yards (2,180) and passer (85.7). He is praised as a winner and as a person who follows the team closely, I agree that there is something about Smith that goes beyond statistics: the way he communicates with others , the regular and confident way in which he communicates, his willingness to do whatever his team can – which influences success. But the cold numbers also indicate that Smith was the least productive and least effective of all the winning quarterbacks of the season. Explain why and return to a familiar argument: secondary distribution lacks quality weapons to help Smith dial numbers.
The most important point is that in this year of dependency reduced to a quarter, it is an exaggerated reaction to panic and suggest that the season is over because the minimized quarter has decreased. It makes sense to think that the Redskins (6-4) have too many injuries to keep them together. It's good to wonder if the team can survive if Colt McCoy manages to be less productive and efficient than Smith. But, "QB party, team over" is a conclusion too fragile to be made.
Washington won without Smith wearing it, and now that McCoy is the starter, the directive will remain the same. There is no progress for a quarterback of the Redskins this season, not in the traditional sense of the word. It's more like walking on the side. McCoy, who is much more aggressive and inclined to make more turnovers, has to play a simple game.
[As Colt McCoy takes over as starting QB, he tells Redskins, ‘You’re in good hands with me’]
McCoy does not have to mimic Tom Brady or Drew Brees over the next six weeks because the Washington offensive was not designed to have a Brady or a Brees. McCoy has to handle the game and although many make fun of Smith for being a game manager, there is an art to be done. Coach Jay Gruden has a ball control offense that limits turnovers. Philosophy will not change with McCoy. Gruden wants to establish the race. He will want to use McCoy's mobility from time to time. And he needs McCoy to play some games in the passing game without increasing the risks.
The challenge is that McCoy must remain stable for at least six games. If he had to do this for three or four games, I would consider it obvious. But he must maintain the offensive for a long time. It's a long time trying to be invisible. He is capable, however.
"It's a good quarter," said defender J.J. in Houston. Watt said of McCoy. "It's not like there was a massive fall here."
At the end of a long Sunday afternoon, McCoy found himself in a silent cloakroom and addressed a few simple and confident words to his teammates: "You're in good hands with me." That's all that they needed to hear, apparently. During the interviews, several players repeated McCoy's words.
"I know we're in good hands," linebacker Mason Foster insisted.
In the 23-21 loss to Houston on Sunday, McCoy had a good time. He completed 6 of 12 passes for 54 yards. He rushed for 35 yards in five races. More importantly, he helped Washington catch up 17-7 and finally take a 21-20 lead. It was the first time this season that the team was experiencing a head change in a game. Washington had either jumped ahead and either stayed in front, or he was late and had collapsed.
McCoy understands the system better than Smith because he's been with Gruden for five seasons. It is likely to be more ambitious and try to make more important games. But in the pursuit of more, Washington can not become a business turnover machine. McCoy likes to keep the ball on the ground and he usually takes a lot of bags. These qualities are not good for a team that values the safety of the ball. He must protect football. If he did, Washington could perhaps continue to play games.
McCoy has 23 assists since 2014. He has waited a long time for another opportunity. In one way or another, it must get rid of rust and improve its reliability. Even without great production, Smith helped Washington with his patience and willingness to play smart, even though it looked ugly.
"I think, more importantly, I'm more mature," McCoy said. "I played my first three years in the league as a young man, and sometimes that can be difficult, and it certainly was for me. But I think I grew up. I have grown a lot. I feel comfortable in this system and in the way we execute our offense. I'm very well trained, so I think I'm just going to try to go out there, compete and make good decisions and let the calls fall as they can. "
In fact, there is a lot of Smith in McCoy's temperament. The team will miss more to the person than to his numbers. McCoy could perhaps even surpass Smith's level of productivity immediately, but it will not matter if he makes more reversals.
This is a job for an informed quarterback, not an aspiring savior. By the time McCoy takes over, he should not feel the pressure to do more. He must feel comfortable doing what he can. It's not a good long-term strategy for a quarter, but it worked for Smith this season. There is no need to make a backup to rewrite the script now.
Learn more about Redskins:
Alex Smith will miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg in a loss to the Texans
Exactly 33 years after his own injury, Joe Theismann "so upset" for Alex Smith
Josh Norman waiting for play at the end of the game: "Just shake your head"
Take-away from Sunday's Redskins-Texans game
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