Redskins end joint practice with Texans in fisticuffs

Saturday was the third and final day between joint practice between the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans. So they did what people usually do when they spend three days together in close contact: they tried to kill each other.

It happened the usual way. Some tepid and silent anger was festering. Somebody got hit too hard. Somebody made the first shove. Somebody made the second shove. Anarchy.

After the usual peace-making, both teams decided that was enough of the joint practices and went their separate ways. Jay Gruden wasn't pleased about that.

Gruden said he wanted his team to get some solid situational work in against the Texans, work that went to waste because of the brawls, the root cause of which seems to be the nefarious running style of backup rusher Matt Jones. Jones, a physical rookie from Florida, ran over a Houston defensive back on Friday. 

Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall said some Texans coaches told him their players were upset by that occasion -- and the raucous celebration by his teammates on the sideline when he did it.

"We missed an opportunity to get better against a good team," he said afterwards. "A lot will be written about what happened today but we had two excellent days against them and I appreciate them coming. It's just unfortunate it happened."

Saturday was supposed to be a vital consecutive day for quarterback Robert Griffin III's progression. He performed well on Friday, moving the offense down the field, making better decisions with where to put the ball, working easier under pressure. All positive work that was cut off short when he shouldn't have been in the eyes of his coach.

"I do wish we had that practice," Gruden said. "We had some red zone, some two-minute, some great situational work we were going to do today. Unfortunately, we didn't get it done. It is what it is and we still got some work done, though."

There are as many opinions on teams fighting as there were spectators of it. But one positive that can come out of it in something, frankly, the Redskins could use: team cohesion.

One member of their roster saw it in fine form.

"I'm proud of my team," tight end Niles Paul said. "I'm proud of how aggressive we were. Everybody came in and got each other's backs. We all ran to each other's side. Obviously we can't do that in a game, because everybody gets fined or suspended, but we did what we had to do as a team and came together."

If they can play as well as they fight, they have a chance this season.