Redskins taking healthy approach with Smith
QB won’t play against Ravens; Gordon cleared to return to field for Browns
What does it say about preseason football when ambition is simply survival?
Redskins coach was not going to risk hobbling his starting quarterback before the team plays a real game. After losing promising rookie running back in the first quarter of the first of four meaningless exhibitions, he cannot afford more calamities.
“My whole intent is to get our starting group to [the opening game in] Arizona healthy,” Gruden said after Friday night’s 29-17 preseason game loss to Denver.
By preserving the health of his most important players, he is sacrificing at least a little piece of something important: timing. Smith is going into his first season with Washington having played precious few minutes with the men who will block for him and the receivers who will catch his passes. This might be the price of a healthier roster, but since Smith won’t play in Thursday’s game at Baltimore, the totality of his first preseason with the team is one series in the second exhibition game and three during Friday’s third game.
Smith and his receivers were clearly off Friday night. While no one would say as much in the postgame locker room, there is a difference between running daily pass routes on a practice field where contact is rarely made and a game where a pass rush comes crashing through the line. Most of Smith’s throws against Denver’s surge were lofted just a bit too far or a little out of his teammates’ reach - the kind of thing that often is fixed by familiarity and repetition.
Timing is a complex concept. Finding it is not simple. So much of Smith’s game is built on quick precise throws or openings created by his scrambles. All of these require a measure of synergy between quarterback and pass-catcher. Smith and his receivers may have built a connection in practice, but it’s hard to duplicate game conditions on the fields in Richmond and Ashburn.
In a not-too-distant past, Smith would have played more than the little over one quarter of preseason football that is his total this month. He might have had the equivalent of a complete game spread over three exhibitions. But teams don’t expose their top players to that much contact anymore. The first team Smith played with on Friday wasn’t even his real first team as three of the more important pieces of Washington’s offense — tight end
receiver running back play.
Going into Arizona, Smith will have thrown just 14 passes to his new teammates this preseason. The risk for the Redskins is that 14 passes is not enough for a new quarterback and his offense to properly and — didn’t prepare for the regular season. And yet weighed against the fear of injury in games that don’t count, 14 passes is all Gruden dared to attempt.
Smith spent much of his time Friday night handing the ball to new running back Gordon cleared for Browns: The NFL has cleared route to the field.
Gordon, whose career has been derailed by drug and alcohol addictions, “can return to all activities, including games,” league spokesman said Saturday.
Gordon is not expected to participate in any drills for a few days, but could be practicing early next week. Coach
hopes the 27-year-old receiver can play in this week’s exhibition finale against Detroit and possibly be ready to face Pittsburgh in the Sept. 9 opener.
Gordon, however, has been dealing with a tight hamstring that he tweaked during conditioning while he was away, the team said.
The Browns said Gordon will speak to the media Monday.
The former Pro Bowler took part in the team’s pre-practice walk-through on the field Saturday after the Browns removed Gordon from the active/non-football injury list. Gordon had been limited to watching from the sideline and working with team trainers since returning on Aug. 24 from a three-week, self-imposed absence. Bears top Chiefs: Bears coach Matt Nagy decided to rest starters for the next-to-last preseason game rather than use it as the customary regular-season tuneup.
And the backups proved that they’re also ready for the regular season.
Chase Daniel directed touchdown drives on the first three possessions and the Bears defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27-20 on Saturday.
The Bears played in the Hall of Fame Game and have been practicing since July 20, and Nagy liked what he’d seen from the starters in practices. So he decided Friday to keep starters out of what normally would be a dress rehearsal for the regular-season opener at Green Bay.