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ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Redskins left tackle Trent Williams was suspended four games by the NFL on Tuesday for violating the league's substance abuse policy. It is a brutal blow for Washington. Williams is arguably its most important player, a four-time Pro Bowler who covers quarterback Kirk Cousins' blindside and can match up with almost any top pass rusher.
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Williams' suspension begins immediately. He will miss a crucial four-game stretch with games against Minnesota, Green Bay, Dallas and Arizona. Williams can return to the active roster on Dec. 5 and is eligible to play again Dec. 11 against Philadelphia.
The Redskins won't practice again until Monday and there is no media availability until then. Williams' suspension begins immediately. He will be eligible to return to the Redskins' active roster on Monday, Dec. 5, after the team's Dec. 4 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
This isn't the first violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy by Williams. In 2011, his second season in the league, Williams was suspended the final four games for multiple failed drug tests related to marijuana use. Washington tight end Fred Davis was suspended the final four games of that year as well.
Ty Nsekhe will start at left tackle. GM Scot McCloughan showed his faith earlier this year when he claimed Nsekhe could start "on over half the teams in the league" at left or right tackle but was simply blocked by Williams. He'll get a chance to validate that opinion now.
The Redskins and Bengals might have been baffled by Sunday's tie, but players and coaches also saw no other option. As much as players hate to leave the field without a decisive result, 75 minutes of football is more than enough for some.
"It's a physical game," Williams said. "You've got to put a cap on it somewhere. Obviously, guys love this game. They'll play for three hours, four hours, five hours -- if you let them."
One option: Make the overtime shorter and more like college football, where the ball is placed at the 25-yard line and each team has a chance to score from there. That way overtime doesn't last as long and isn't as taxing.
"I couldn't imagine going into another period of overtime there with the guys that we had banged up," Washington coach Jay Gruden said. "(Right tackle) Morgan Moses got banged up, (wide receiver) DeSean (Jackson) was banged up, (free safety Will) Blackmon, he was banged up and so on and so forth. It'd be nice to end the game with a victor, but until they figure something out, it is what it is."
Much was made after the tie with Cincinnati about poor officiating. Redskins cornerback Josh Norman was furious about his five penalties -- four hands to the face and a fifth pass interference call.
But the biggest call to go against Washington was an offensive pass interference against Pierre Garcon after a 14-yard catch in overtime that would have put the ball back in field goal range after Dustin Hopkins' late miss.
Instead, the Redskins were backed up and never got back into scoring position. Gruden and Garcon held their tongues on Sunday, but after returning home from London and watching the film, Gruden spoke out.
"That's not offensive PI in any realm whatsoever of the penalty that I know of offensive pass interference," Gruden said. "There's nothing Pierre (Garçon) did wrong. Unfortunately, the referee saw it different. Some of the (defensive) penalties we can clean up, some of them we can't do anything about."
With three games played annually in London and more on the way, the potential is there for the Redskins to return to the U.K. sooner than later. As it was, players were impressed with the atmosphere during Sunday's game with the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley Stadium.
"It was a phenomenal experience. That stadium is incredible. The atmosphere is incredible," Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "Every seat appeared to be filled. The fans were engaged. It was electric. It did feel like a normal NFL game but maybe even more electric in the sense that it felt like such a unique atmosphere."
But that doesn't mean anyone is ready for a full-time franchise in London. The travel burden on a team based in Great Britain would be brutal, several said. While they enjoyed playing there as a unique event, it would be much harder to pull off for a full season.
"I thought this was one of the cooler places I've ever played at. You feel like it's kind of bigger than an NFL game," linebacker Will Compton said. "As far as the team being out here, I'm not real sure. I know that the travel situation would really (stink). It's hard flying in on Thursday and kind of going through that routine, but it's up to the NFL."
