There are rookie mistakes, and there are rookie mistakes. Redskins first-round quarterback Dwayne Haskins has made his share of them this season, which is one of many reasons Washington came into Week 12 with a 1-9 record. Haskins had completed 58.2% of his passes for 498 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions in two starts and four games.
Things got better against the Lions on Sunday. Washington won, 16-13, as Detroit backup quarterback Jeff Driskel threw two interceptions within the last 1:49 of the game — the first to cornerback Quinton Dunbar (one of my most underrated players of the season), and the second to cornerback Fabian Moreau (Moreau’s second of the afternoon) with eight seconds left in the game.
That second pick put a stamp on the Redskins’ second win of the season, and it was a nice step forward for Haskins, who overcame three rough quarters to help his team engineer game-tying and game-winning drives in the fourth quarter. Both ended in field goals instead of touchdowns, but hey — when you’re 1-9 coming in, you’ll take whatever you can get.
Haskins was so excited, in fact, that he thought the game was over after that second pick, ran to the fans at FedEx Field to celebrate, and was taking a selfie with two fans when his offense had to come back onto the field for one final play.
Whoops.
“I think he thought the game was over,” interim head coach Bill Callahan said soon after the win. “I’m happy we won. We’ll address that.”
Haskins finished the game with 13 completions in 29 attempts for 156 yards, no touchdowns, one interception — and hopefully, an instructive lesson in situational awareness.