TORONTO — Brian Orakpo didn’t have much of an answer for just what’s happened to the Washington Redskins during the team’s losing streak, which reached three games Sunday with a 23-0 no-show against the Buffalo Bills in the Rogers Centre.
“It’s just a blur right now,” Orakpo said. “I don’t know. I’m at a loss for words. I really thought we were prepared. I really felt like we needed this game to stay in the race. I mean, we’re not technically out of it, but this is just devastating. I don’t know. It’s just frustrating. I’m very disappointed and it hurts.”
The few defensive bright spots Orakpo and his defensive teammates were able to produce Sunday were greatly outweighed by their lapses. The Redskins were hurt by a deadly trio: missed tackles, blown coverages and inopportune penalties.
Washington gave up eight plays of 10-plus yards in the first half alone. The Redskins finished the game by giving up 12 such big plays.
“We got beat down. I stopped looking at the scoreboard,” cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. “It was frustrating to not be able to get some things going defensively. I felt like we knew what was coming and still couldn’t stop them.”
Bills running back Fred Jackson had gains of 46, 43 and 24 yards by himself, finishing with 194 all-purpose yards (including 120 rushing).
Frustrations came to a head early in the second half for the Redskins, when Fox television cameras caught Hall and veteran linebacker London Fletcher in a confrontation on the sidelines.
“Everybody was frustrated. That’s what happens in the heat of the battle. Tempers start to flare up a little bit and cooler heads will prevail. I was out there trying to be the cool head for once in my life,” Hall said.
After the game, safety LaRon Landry took the blame for the argument, saying it was “on him,” but declining further comment.
On the previous play, the Redskins had given up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to tight end Scott Chandler, the pair’s second of the game. Fletcher was trailing Chandler on the play, but there appeared to be a communications breakdown in the secondary.
That wasn’t the only problem on the drive, as Jackson ripped off a 43-yard run on the Bills’ first play from scrimmage in the second half.
“You’re [ticked] off, you’re mad and you don’t know what went wrong,” Orakpo said.
Among the other missteps for the Redskins included when linebacker Rocky McIntosh blew an open-field tackle on Jackson on a play near the end of the second quarter. McIntosh was the last line of defense, and after he whiffed Jackson went for 46 yards down the left sideline until he was run out of bounds by safety Oshiomogho Atogwe. That play ultimately set up a field goal by Rian Lindell that put Washington in a 13-0 hole at halftime.
Earlier in the half, cornerback Josh Wilson was whistled for a 34-yard pass interference penalty after making contact with Bills receiver C.J. Spiller on a deep route. That penalty led to a 37-yard field goal.
“I think we’re still playing hard defensively,” Orakpo said. “I think guys are still flying around. This is the National Football League. Look at the average points that Buffalo puts on people and the points they put up. I thought we did a great job as far as trying to stay in the game.”
Even when the Redskins did something positive on defense, it was wasted by a woebegone offensive attack.
Orakpo’s recovery of a Fitzpatrick fumble early in the second quarter set up the Redskins with a first down at the Bills’ 31-yard line, but the drive was set back by sacks and a 49-yard field goal attempt by Graham Gano was blocked.
Later in the first half, Fletcher intercepted Fitzpatrick in the Redskins’ end zone, preventing a touchdown, but the offense went three-and-out and gave the ball right back.
The Bills held the ball for 34:51, staying on the field by converting 50 percent of their third downs (7 of 14). Defensive lineman Barry Cofield didn’t think fatigue was a factor, though.
“You love to be on the field. You love to play, but you just hope to play well,” he said. “You hope to play at a high level, and that’s what we didn’t do.”
The Redskins’ pass rush, which was tied for first in the NFL with 21 sacks entering the game, got to Fitzpatrick just two times, as the Buffalo quarterback was adept at getting the ball out of his hands quickly. Orakpo finished with five tackles, with no sacks or pressures, while defensive end Adam Carriker made just one solo tackle.
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