Washington Redskins: What to Expect From Robert Kelley

The Washington Redskins will be without running back Matt Jones on Sunday. Robert Kelley‘s being thrown into the fire, what should be expected from him?

On Sunday, the Washington Redskins take on the Cincinnati Bengals in London. They will be doing so without starting running back Matt Jones. With Jones out, Robert Kelley will be getting the bulk of the carries. What does this mean for the Redskins and what should they expect?

Well, it’s hard to give a real assessment of Kelley, as he’s only had 17 career carries. He’s got 103 yards on those carries, which equals out to 6.1 yards per rush. Kelley also has one reception for one yard and a touchdown.

In the preseason, Kelley got much more time. The 24-year-old had 38 carries for 198 yards (5.2 average) with one touchdown. He also caught four passes for six yards.

At 6-0, 228 pounds he uses his size to run through would-be tacklers. What impresses most about Kelley is his vision and ability to cut. He shows all three of those abilities in this run.

Personally, I love Matt Jones. But if there’s one big knock on him (minus the fumbles), it’s his vision. On more than one occasion every game, Jones will miss the gaping hole the offensive line has created for him. He’ll get a zero-yard run instead of an easy five or six.

This Redskins offensive line is good enough to make most running backs put up decent numbers. If the backfield takes the holes given, they could have big days. Kelley will need to take what’s given to him and find for the extra yards after the fact. It’s hard when you’re actually running, but taking the guaranteed five is a lot better than gambling on bouncing it outside trying to break the big one. A lot of the time, “breaking the big one” ends up being a negative run.

What will make Kelley fun to watch is his ability to break tackles. He’s been known to run through tacklers and hand out devastating stiff arms. If he can find the holes his offensive line creates for him, he’s got the second-level ability to make some guys miss and break off some decent runs.

Kelley’s day will all depend on the rest of the team. With Jones out, third down/receiving back Chris Thompson will see more time as well. If the Redskins are playing from behind, Thompson will get the heavy majority of the snaps. Even with that semi-uncertainty, you should see a lot of Kelley (at least in the first half). He’s also probably aware that this is the biggest audition of his life, so expect him to come out running hard.

Let’s be real now, if Kelley can turn on the ignition, the Redskins running game could lead them to victory. If that happens, we might see a switch up in Washington, as Kelley will have earned more playing time, even if Jones comes back healthy.

Come on now, four R. Kelly references in two sentences? That’s the perfect way to go out.

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