Minutes after Robert Griffin III left Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with an ankle injury, DeSean Jackson followed him to the locker room with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. Jackson missed the remainder of the game and is listed as day-to-day.
“I mean, I’ve had it before, an AC sprain,” Jackson said. “This one was a little vicious [with] the pain right on the bone and things like that, so I’m day-to-day and hopefully I can get back for practice next week.”
Jackson sustained the injury on a deep pass attempt from backup quarterback Kirk Cousins with a little less than seven minutes left in the first quarter. He bobbled the ball while falling to the ground, and a Jaguars defensive back landed on his shoulder. Jackson left the field holding his left arm tight to his body and walked to the locker room.
“Where I feel now, the pain has eased up a little bit,” he said. “It’s always frustrating not to finish the game out and go out there and battle with my teammates, but we still got the win, so I feel good about that.”
Jackson said he spent time with Griffin in the locker room after their respective injuries. “Obviously, we’re both in pain,” he said, before adding that they were pleased to see the Redskins play as well as they did in the 41-10 victory.
Washington’s most high-profile offseason acquisition finished with one 19-yard reception Sunday, the result of Griffin’s final pass of the afternoon. The pair nearly connected on what would have been a 56-yard completion earlier in the quarter, but it was ruled an incompletion and upheld following a video review.
Jackson said he is not sure whether he’ll be able to play next week in Philadelphia against the team that cut him in March.
“Regardless of whoever we would play, I’m going to do my best to get out there and play,” he said. “It feels a little better. I’m not really in that much pain anymore. Hopefully it will just get better every day.”
Paul fills in, steps up
With Jordan Reed sidelined because of a left hamstring strain Sunday, the Redskins needed backup tight ends and special teams stalwarts Logan Paulsen and Niles Paul to step up.
Paul got the majority of tight end targets and certainly made the most of those extra chances, catching eight passes for 99 yards and one touchdown. He has now caught as many passes this season (12) as he did in the past two seasons combined.
Paul gashed the Jaguars defense on multiple occasions Sunday with seam routes up the middle of the field. His longest reception went for 26 yards. For the fourth-year tight end who has mostly made his mark on special teams, it was a welcome breakthrough.
“I stayed in D.C. this offseason and I worked hard,” Paul said. “I did everything I can to become a better tight end, a better player. … I’m just getting opportunities and trying to make the most of them.”
Robinson shines after replacing Rambo
With Brandon Meriweather serving the second game of his two-game suspension, Bacarri Rambo again filled in at strong safety and again was on the wrong end of a lengthy touchdown pass. So the Redskins turned to third-year player Trenton Robinson, and he didn’t disappoint.
Robinson recorded three tackles, defended one pass and intercepted Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne early in the fourth quarter. He jumped in front of an out route intended for Allen Hurns in Jaguars territory, collected the ball and returned it 14 yards. The interception led to a 42-yard field goal by Kai Forbath.
“You know, our coaches prepare us for whatever,” Robinson said. “I’ve been working hard and been working with our coaches and they work with me. So they trust that I can go in there if something happens and they need me in there.”
Robinson was acquired midway through last season and played only 34 snaps, all of them in the nickel defense and 15 in the team’s final game against the New York Giants. He had only recorded seven tackles in his professional career before Sunday.
“[Defensive backs coach Raheem Morris] said, ’You’re up.’ And for me, that was a dream come true,” Robinson said. “I never got to play safety in a game. I was just excited and ready to go.”
Gruden picks up first win as head coach
Nearly lost in the injuries to Griffin and Jackson was the fact that first-year coach Jay Gruden won his first game with the Redskins. Washington’s head coaches are now 16-11-1 in their home debuts.
Gruden was more excited about what the victory meant for his team than for his own record.
“I’m trying to make this very habitual for our football team and get used to the feeling,” Gruden said. “It’s a special day for me personally, a special day for this team, getting out to a great start with a home victory. Unfortunately, a man out there hurt his ankle, but we just have to move on.”
Redd gets first NFL carries, scores first TD
Roy Helu left Sunday’s game with a left knee sprain, opening the door for rookie running back Silas Redd to get his first carries in the NFL.
Redd finished with eight carries for 41 yards and scored his first touchdown with the Redskins on a 4th down running play in the fourth quarter. The rookie rolled right, then cutback all the way across the field and ran 14 yards for the score.
Gruden said Helu is day-to-day.
Extra points
Fullback Darrel Young left the game with a back sprain and is listed as day-to-day. “He kind of got folded in half and hurt his chest and his back,” Gruden said. … Left guard Shawn Lauvao is also day-to-day with a right knee sprain. … Punter Tress Way assumed kickoff duties in place of Forbath, who was nursing a sore groin but made both of his field goal attempts. … Washington’s 31-point margin of victory was its largest since Oct. 7, 2007, when the Redskins beat Detroit, 34-3. … Defensive end Kedric Golston, who has been nursing a strained groin since the season-opening loss at Houston, was inactive Sunday. Also inactive: Santana Moss, Colt McCoy, Akeem Jordan, Tracy Porter, Spencer Long and Jordan Reed. … Ryan Clark and Griffin were named Sunday’s game captains, alongside season captains Trent Williams, DeAngelo Hall and Adam Hayward.
• Tom Schad can be reached at tschad@washingtontimes.com.
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