ASHBURN, Va. — The optimist would note that after getting crushed by the New York Giants 45-14 at home 11 nights earlier, the Washington Redskins only fell to the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks 27-17 on Monday night.

“We got beat by a better team,” said 13th-year safety Ryan Clark, who knows about better teams having started two Super Bowls for the Pittsburgh Steelers. “We got beat by, as far as I’m concerned this weekend, the best player in the NFL (Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson).”

The pessimist would note that at 1-4 the Redskins not only have re-established their familiar solo residency in the NFC East basement but are back among the NFL’s dregs: the Jaguars, Raiders, Buccaneers, Jets, Titans and Rams, none of whom have won more than one game through Week 5.

“It’s a process man,” said receiver DeSean Jackson, who reached the playoffs during four of six years with the Philadelphia Eagles before coming to Washington this year. “New coach, new quarterback that’s getting a lot of new experience and things like that. There’s a lot of new players added to the team here, so we’re trying to find our identity. … That’s the best I can say.”

In losing their third straight game, the Redskins showed weaknesses in all three phases. The previously 12th-ranked run game ground to a halt with just 32 yards on 17 carries. The previously eighth-ranked run defense was gashed for 225 yards on 36 carries with Wilson eluding Washington tacklers for 80 yards on five in the first quarter alone. And the oft-bumbling special teams was beaten for a key first down on a Seahawks fake field goal and failed to recover their own surprise onside kick.

“We’ve got to do a better job offensively to at least flip the (field) position,” said Redskins coach Jay Gruden, the offensive coordinator for Cincinnati playoff teams the previous three seasons. “We aren’t getting turnovers and we aren’t really changing the momentum with our special teams.”

So where does that leave the Redskins, who are 1-11 over the past 11 months and face 3-1 Arizona and 4-1 Dallas on the road in two of their next three games (1-4 Tennessee visits in the other)?

“I think we’ve got the talent on the team to get there,” Gruden said, settling for the optimistic view. “Seattle is a great football team … (but) I think we competed and we will compete in the future.”

— ILB Perry Riley sprained an MCL against the Seahawks but returned. Coach Jay Gruden said he’s most concerned about Riley among the players who were injured on Monday night and that the fifth-year man likely wouldn’t practice on Wednesday. … S Ryan Clark sprained an ankle but returned and is day-to-day. … OT Tyler Polumbus dislocated a finger but returned and is day-to-day. … OLB Brian Orakpo injured an ankle but returned and is day-to-day. … OT Trent Williams, who entered the Seattle game with an aching right knee, left briefly with leg cramps but returned and is day-to-day. … TE Jordan Reed was inactive against Seattle with the hamstring injury that has sidelined him since the first quarter of the opener at Houston, but Gruden said Monday that he’s hopeful that Reed will play Sunday at Arizona.

REPORT CARD VS. SEAHAWKS

PASSING OFFENSE: B+ — After throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble in Week 4 against the New York Giants, quarterback Kirk Cousins didn’t commit a turnover against Seattle while completing 21 of 36 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns for a 102.0 passer rating. DeSean Jackson was often spectacular with a 60-yard touchdown and a 57-yard grab that helped set up a field goal among his five catches for 157 yards. However, fellow receiver Pierre Garcon managed just two catches for 23 yards and garnered attention for pulling Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman’s hair. Third receiver Andre Roberts had a 7-yard scoring reception and running back Roy Helu scooted 22 yards on a screen. Tight ends Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen combined for just 17 yards on three catches. Cousins was only sacked once — by blitzing linebacker Bobby Wagner — and hit four times, once when defensive end Cliff Avril whipped Morgan Moses, briefly subbing for ailing right tackle Tyler Polumbus. Kudos to left tackle Trent Williams and left guard Shawn Lauvao for gutting out the game on injured knees.

RUSHING OFFENSE: F – Sure, Seattle came in having allowed a league-low 2.8 yards per carry, but Washington Pro Bowl running back Alfred Morris and his blockers managed just 2.2 yards on his 13 runs. When Morris ran for zero, minus-2 (before a fumble that lost four more yards before fullback Darrel Young fell on the ball) and zero on his first three carries, you knew he was in for a long night. Cousins was stopped was on a third-and-1 sneak at the Seattle 9, forcing the Redskins to settle for a field goal. Williams, Lauvao, Polumbus and Paul were all less than 100 percent, but Washington should have done better on the ground than this. Its woefulness forced the offense to become one-dimensional, not a positive development against a defense as strong as Seattle’s.

PASS DEFENSE: C — After being shredded by Eli Manning and Co. in Week 4, this aspect of the Redskins improved somewhat, although safety Brandon Meriweather (with cornerback David Amerson also in on the coverage against Seattle receiver Jermaine Kearse — and inside linebacker Perry Riley were beaten for touchdowns again. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson completed just two throws over 20 yards, a 36-yard lofted ball off a scramble to tight end Cooper Helfet against Riley and a 30-yard floater on the run to running back Marshawn Lynch along the Seattle sideline. The big plays set up 10 of Seattle’s points. Since Percy Harvin had three touchdowns nullified by penalties, young cornerbacks Amerson and Bashaud Breeland did well against Harvin and fellow Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin. The Redskins sacked Wilson three times, one by Meriweather, one by backup end Frank Kearse and the third, outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan’s league-high sixth. Kerrigan and nose tackle Chris Baker had quarterback hits, but outside linebacker Brian Orakpo remained stuck on half a sack.

RUSH DEFENSE: D- — Wilson seemed to surprise the Redskins, who left huge holes for him to glide through early. It’s pretty awful when holding the opposing quarterback to 42 yards on five carries over the final three quarters seemed positive in comparison to his first quarter dominance. Washington did a better job against Lynch, who gained 72 yards on 17 carries. With Harvin’s touchdown called back, the Redskins limited him to just seven yards on two carries. Backup Robert Turbin was held to 19 yards on five carries. Inside linebacker Keenan Robinson (10), Riley (eight) and Orakpo (eight) led the tacklers.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D+ — The Seahawks surprised the Redskins with a fake field goal that helped set up the clinching touchdown. Washington didn’t have the same success when it tried to surprise Seattle with an onside kick that Helfet recovered. Despite a couple of pooch punts, Tress Way averaged 40.6 net yards and 49.9 gross on his eight punts. The Redskins kicked off short intentionally three out of four times to keep the ball away from Harvin, but Bryan Walters averaged a fine 10.8 yards per punt return against them. Washington did nothing on returns as the strong leg of Seattle’s Jon Ryan continually had them poor field position.

COACHING: C- — The Redskins fell behind big in the first half at home for the second straight week. That and a lighthearted atmosphere in the postgame locker room doesn’t speak well to the discipline that rookie coach Jay Gruden commands. As a play-caller, Gruden should have tried some draws with Morris and found a way to get Garcon the ball as he did Jackson. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett needs to get Orakpo going and find a way not to have Meriweather and Riley in man-to-man coverage so often. As for special teams coach Ben Kotwica, his units have been an issue in three of five games.