D.J. Swearinger and Josh Norman celebrate after breaking up a pass. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - Sunday, after putting the "loss" in a trip to Los Angeles, D.J. Swearinger - the Redskins defensive captain, had questions about his team's readiness for the Chargers.
This week, the team has answers.
"Well, we didn’t spend all week last week playing checkers," head coach Jay Gruden said in a matter-of-fact fashion when responding to the criticism. "I mean, we have a lot of meeting time, a lot of practice time, a lot of walkthroughs. They are mentally prepared, physically prepared, they should be. We just didn’t go out there and perform in a way we would like to have."
Chargers gang tackle Samaje Perine. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
In a 30-13 loss to the Chargers - a defeat that eliminated the Redskins fro playoff contention, Washington was limited to just 201 yards of total offense - its lowest output since November 2015.
"As far as [not] being prepared, I don’t really buy into all that," Gruden added. "I think it’s my job to make sure they’re prepared and obviously they didn’t look prepared, so that’s on me. We have to do a better job to give them a better game plan to sink their teeth into. What we did last week didn’t really work that well, but it’s not because it was a lack of preparation."
"You need to just move forward and not allow anything emotionally to linger and that’s where we talk about being mentally and emotionally tough," quarterback Kirk Cousins noted. "Mentally and emotionally tough people are able to do that."
DeAngelo Hall celebrates after beating the Seahawks. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
"For us, for someone to make any kind of comment - we're all out there fighting and trying to win a game," Redskins safety DeAngelo Hall, a Chesapeake native, said. "It's definitely out of frustration that comments are made, no matter if they're true or not true, we just let it blow over."
Washington (5-and-8), needing to win its final three games to avoid its first losing season since 2014, hosts the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at FedEx Field.
News 3, Hampton Roads' home of the Redskins, will be in Landover to cover the game - as we do for every Washington home contest.
