LANDOVER, Md., -- Five observations on the Washington Redskins' offense after Sunday's 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys:

1. The fade route has never been a highly successful one for the Redskins for whatever reason. Sunday, it was too predictable. Rookie receiver Josh Doctson could be a big-time threat on this play some day – he’s 6-foot-2 with good hops -- but he wasn’t Sunday. I also think, at some point, a back-shoulder throw needed to be made. Change it up. With Doctson, the Cowboys certainly seemed to know what was coming. The corner over him typically was aligned to take away the outside and there wasn’t much of a fake to get him leaning inside and create even a little separation. Or, have him run a slant. As for the pass to tight end Jordan Reed, it was supposed to be helped by a "screen" from running back Chris Thompson, aligned wide and starting inside. But the defender over Reed was never delayed or thrown off his path so the play wasn’t open.

2. I don’t know about players grumbling a lot about Kirk Cousins, as Pro Football Talk reported. I do know that quarterbacks receive a lot of scrutiny from everyone, so if he’s struggling it stands to reason some would be upset, right? Right. There are other issues aside from Cousins, don’t forget that, and those have caused grumbles, too. Any time you start 0-2 -- here at least -- there will be moaning. But the passing game was supposed to be the one that made it all click and he was a primary reason for any optimism. I’ve never had anyone in the organization oversell his ability – there’s a reason they didn’t meet his contract wishes in the offseason. Like him? Yes. The point is, Cousins does not have a huge margin for error and questions are always right around the corner because he still needs to prove himself. There are plays to be made. I think this will be a big week for Cousins as far as how he responds, both in practice and against the New York Giants. He has responded well in the past -- it's why he's even in this spot, don't forget; he needs to do so again.

3. The money situations for a quarterback in the NFL? Third down and red zone. It’s a big reason why Cousins earned he franchise tag this offseason – and it also highlights his struggles through two games. In 2015, Cousins owned a 113.5 passer rating in the red zone by completing 50-of-78 passes for 22 touchdowns and no interceptions, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Through two games this season, Cousins has completed 5-of-17 for 34 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for a 19.6 rating. He can clearly play better than he has thus far in both areas, though how much damage will be done by the time he turns it around (assuming he does)? In the red zone, there have just been some bad decisions – the interception Sunday was just terrible. He never saw the defender and he was drifting left when he threw and his feet weren’t turned so the ball had no zip as he threw back to the middle. Part of the problem is that Cousins doesn't do as well when going off-schedule, as this play was (though he also seemed to lock in on Pierre Garcon). As for the feet/drifting, it might not have made a difference, but it certainly made it easier for Barry Church to intercept. I’ll have more on Cousins on Tuesday.

4. In two games the Redskins have attempted 89 passes, including 46 Sunday. Meanwhile, they’ve run the ball 29 times in two games. The first game can be explained away by game situation – they fell behind big in the second half and needed to throw. Plus, the Steelers’ pass defense had big holes. But the Redskins were a lot more one-sided on Sunday than I anticipated. It was noticeable in the red zone, where the Redskins threw 11 times and ran three times (gaining 14, 5 and no yards). Apparently there was one run Cousins audibled to a pass on one series. It’s as if the run game merely exists to give the pass game a break. But a stronger commitment to the run will make the play-action passes more effective. It’s not always about how well you run, it’s about the commitment to doing so.

5. The problem with the run game is that Matt Jones can be inconsistent. But he did average 4.7 yards per run and seven of his carries gained at least 4 yards. That warranted more chances. Jones doesn’t always run with the power you’d expect from a guy his size. Part of the problem is that when he cuts, he loses power because he has to re-gather (is that a word?) his feet, and in doing so he loses steam and not much after contact. But he had only three carries for less than 3 yards. It warranted a stronger commitment.