Not Even Close

If you took the Redskins and fifteen you lost

Takeaway drill: a replay of week one in worse weather, we now know who is a contender and who is a pretender, the Redskins were outmatched, outplayed and outcoached in a critical game. Reset your expectations to the preseason and you won't be disappointed.

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Monday walkthrough: on a wet and cold day in Washington the Redskins look terrible, are never in the game against a superior New York Giants opponent, lose poorly, fall to 7-5, third in the division and fourth in line for one of two wild card spots. Playoff hopes, once solid, are fading.

After an emotional pregame tribute to Sean Taylor and his induction into the Washington Ring of Fame at Redskins Stadium, Washington won the toss and elected to receive to start the first quarter. The Redskins' first possession started strong with Clinton Portis to the left and ends weak with Jason Campbell throwing a four yard route to James Thrash on third and six and the Redskins are punting. New York's first possession starts with a long incomplete and it looks for a minute like the Washington secondary will challenge New York's receivers. Then it's thirteen yards to Domenik Hixon, an incomplete and a couple of no gain Brandon Jacobs runs, then another fifteen yards to Domenik. The next play is a 40 yard bomb to Amani Toomer on first and ten and the Giants score first and quickly, seven plays in just under three minutes and New York is out front 7-0. After a good runback by Rock Cartwright the Redskins got the ball for the second time and went incomplete to Santana Moss > no gain by Clinton > six yard catch by Chris Cooley on third and nine. Washington punts and New York gets the ball for the second time, after passing on the first drive the second one starts with Brandon Jacobs for seven yards. A direct snap to Derick Ward on third nets new downs. Consecutive first down passes to tight end Kevin Boss and and Domenik Hixon and I am colder than my beer. Two plays later DeAngelo Hall gifts the Giants with a first and goal on a personal foul but Brandon Jacobs has no room to run and Anthony Montgomery sacks Eli Manning and the Giants are forced to kick a 31 yard field goal to extend New York's lead to 10-0. Washington gets the ball for the third time with two minutes left in the first and after a bullshit procedural penalty on Ryan Boschetti, Clinton Portis takes the ball left for five yards, then Chris Cooley catches a six yarder right for a first down, Jason Campbell took a shot on that play, then Jason and Santana Moss finally hook up for 23 yards down the left sideline. The next pass squirts through Santana's hands and then a Clinton Portis run for a two yard loss and the first quarter mercifully ended with the Giants leading 10-0.

The second quarter starts with the Redskins in third and twelve, Jason Campbell throws an eleven yard route to Antwaan Randle El so it was moot anyway. New York's third possession starts with a Derick Ward dump out for 48 yards to the Redskins 32. Two more positive pass plays and Eli Manning is forced to take a timeout. New York stalls at the Washington 20 and John Carney kicks his second field goal of the game, a 38 yarder to put the Giants up 13-0. Washington's fourth possession starts with their best field position of the day. On the second play of the drive Giants nose tackle Barry Cofield sacks Jason Campbell and Jason fumbles, it is recovered by right guard Randy Thomas. Jason hits Clinton Portis for a fifteen yard screen on the next play and Clinton hurts his neck and is down on the field. Ladell Betts figures on the next two plays before Jason Campbell throws an interception to Corey Webster on a pass intended for Santana Moss... except a phantom illegal use of hands penalty on Corey gives the ball back to the Redskins. Devin Thomas carries 29 yards on a well designed reverse on the next play and the Redskins are back in the game, 13-7. The Giants' fourth possession see them move 35 yards in four minutes including a third down pass to Santana's brother Sinorice Moss, and a seventeen yard pass over the middle to Amani Toomer. Two unproductive Brandon Jacobs runs later and DeAngelo Hall pulls in an interception of Eli Manning, the pass was a slant intended for Domenik Hixon. Washington's fifth possession starts with a short Clinton Portis run, then a 49 yard catch and run by fullback Mike Sellers. Unfortunately poor play calling and poor execution doom this drive, the Redskins get no more yards and waste DeAngelo's interception and punt. New York's fifth possession starts with a penalty on the Redskins, 12 men on the field an Greg Blache does not look happy. Over the next two minutes the Giants move 42 yards to the Redskins 38 yard line where they are facing fourth and one, this drive featured an overturned catch and no play longer than 11 yards, someone get Guinness. Facing a pooch punt, a 57 yard field goal in the rain or a fourth down try, Tom Coughlin elects to go for it, Eli Manning up the middle for no gain. There is some confusion on a timeout but no avail to the Giants, it is Redskins ball. Washington's sixth possession starts with 26 seconds left in the half, Chris Cooley catches a 21 yarder, a Jon Jansen false start does not help things. Completions to Antwaan Randle El and Ladell Betts put the ball on the New York 24 yard line, alas Shaun Suisham cannot make the 42 yard kick, wide right. The Giants sixth possession is a single play kneel down and the first half ends with the Giants leading 13-7.

The Giants got the ball to start the third quarter, their seventh possession started with a seventeen yard catch by tight end Kevin Boss and I am saying here we go again. It's three and out after that and the Redskins get the ball for the seventh time. Three ill conceived plays in a row and the Redskins are punting, a helpful fifteen yard facemask on Todd Yoder negated a good punt by Ryan Plackemeier. The Giants took the ball for the eighth time and moved 48 yards on eight plays, four passes and four runs, for a touchdown to push New York's lead to 20-7. This drive featured a 23 yard run by Brandon Jacobs and another first down catch by Domenik Hixon. Washington's eighth possession is a struggle until Jason Campbell hits Antwaan Randle El for a first down then on the next play on a receiver options Antwaan throws to tight end Chris Cooley for seventeen yards. On the next play Jason is pressured by Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, throws a little short to Antwaan down at the goal line, New York cornerback Aaron Ross steps in front of Antwaan and intercepts the pass, giving the Giants the ball for the ninth time. The running and passing games both seem to be working for New York at this point, a Jason Taylor sack is negated by a Chris Wilson offsides but on the next play Andre Carter puts the sack on Eli. The Giants move another 26 yard from there to midfield and stall when Anthony Montgomery and HB Blades stop Brandon Jacobs on third and one to end the third quarter with the Giants leading 20-7.

The Giants punted for only the second time to start the fourth quarter and the Redskins got the ball for the ninth time. Three and out has become a way of life as the Redskins send it back to the Giants, this drive featured a six yard pass to Chris Cooley on third and seven in what is now a motif of this game. New York's tenth possession, they three and out but run on only one play, I would have thought by this point they would be trying harder to grind it out, this reminds me of the season opener when the Giants had a nine point lead and were unable to move the ball in the fourth. Washington's tenth possession is truly pathetic, a four play turnover on downs that featured a Jason Campbell sack that didn't count as one because he struggled for a yard, a Jason Campbell sack at the line of scrimmage by defensive end Justin Tuck and an eight yard catch by Antwaan Randle El on third and nine. On fourth and one Clinton Portis is hit behind the line of scrimmage by Justin Tuck and the Redskins turn it over on downs. New York's possession goes like this: run, run, run, run, incomplete, 39 yard field goal to make the game 23-7 Giants. The Redskins eleventh possession is all passing, the Redskins move 41 yards on seven plays before another fourth down, Jason Campbell's pass to Antwaan Randle El falls incomplete and the Redskins turn it over on downs for the second consecutive time. The Giants do a lot of standing around in their twelfth possession, with the Redskins using two timeouts and the Giants trying to run the ball New York loses yards and has to punt one last time. The Redskins start their twelfth and final possession starts with 2:43 left in the game and the team down by sixteen points. It seems like I should have more to say about a drive that goes 53 yards but then again New York wasn't really playing defense and Washington had no chance to come back. With three seconds left in the game Jason Campbell finds Santana Moss for eleven yards on third and ten on the Giants seventeen, Santana is hit by cornerback Terrell Thomas and fumbles, safety James Butler recovers as time expires and the Giants win the game 23-7.

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Soapbox: well it would seem to be falling apart. No running game, no passing game, no defense, no energy on special teams, uninspired play calling. I know it was cold and all, hell I left the game at halftime, the weather notwithstanding the Redskins seemed to have no spark today, all their strengths seemed to melt away: passing defense, running game, quarterback poise. The Redskins are so accustomed to playing close games no matter the opponent they need help even in good circumstances and this team just did not come to play today which would explain the 16 point margin of New York victory, the second largest margin of loss after the 23-6 loss to the Steelers in game nine, a game that looked a lot like this one only in better weather.

Note to the players on extra point defense, if you are not going to mount a serious rush to try and block at least fake it by not walking off the field as the holder takes all day to reset the ball and the kicker set kicks it through the uprights. Special thanks to Daryl Moose Johnston for pointing out how Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot were simply uninterested in rushing the play, either of them could have blocked that kick, instead they just fake rushed and stood up. Carlos even started walking off the field before the kick was up.

Note also to Greg Blache, the whole stacking the line thing does not work when Eli can find hot reads, toss floaters over the collapsing line or dump out around the line like he did to Derick Ward to start the third quarter, Washington stacked eight men on the line, you could see LaRon Landry looking for help to the outside, Derick took it for 48 yards, it was all YAC.

It is true the Redskins' secondary has been good all year with good linebacker play and middling to weak defensive line play. Today, with the front seven worrying about the Giants run game, the secondary simply could not get it done, DeAngelo Hall looked the best among them.

I did not look at the tape with the same attention as say, Dillweed at Post Game Heroes but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night and I can tell you the Redskins offensive line was like a goddamn sieve. That unit has lost everything they had to start the season. I'll say it again, they were awful. I thought they had one more season in the tank before we needed to look at renewal in 2009, now it looks like Jason Campbell will lose half a season of productivity to age up front and poor line play overall. Stephon Heyer and Chad Rinehart get ready, next year you start.

All that excitement, that early season wackiness that had everyone off guard and wondering if Jim Zorn found the ideal veteran team, that all seems so long ago.

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Chattering class:

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Omnibus: again with the uniform tracking, the Redskins have again made a mistake by donning the burgundy jerseys and white pants, they look like the visitors in their own stadium.

Kickoff was 40 degrees and rainy. I know, I was there.

Right off the bat it was obvious the Redskins were going to stack the box and make Eli Manning beat them through the air. Well Eli obliged. Fred Smoot was not in terrible coverage on Eli's first TD pass to Amani Toomer.

After that first touchdown, Giants punter and holder Jeff Feagles bobbled the extra point snap. fortunately for the visiting team neither edge men Carlos Rogers nor Fred Smoot rushed the kicker with any energy, Jeff reset the ball and Giants kicker John Carney sort of set kick it from a standing position and it was good. Carlos even started walking off the field before the play was over, I am detecting an unfortunate lack of energy so far in this game.

9:17 left first quarter, the camera cuts to Steve Spagnuolo, the Giants defensive coordinator who interviewed for the Redskins head coaching position in January. It was Steve that first put the bug in Dan Snyder's mind that maybe the Redskins didn't need Jim Fassel to be head coach, that maybe the man they already had in house, Jim Zorn, could be the head coach.

On the Redskins second punt, in the first quarter, gunner Justin Tryon had a chance to down the ball inside the five, and he got turned around. Just another example of things going wrong early for Washington.

Little of the old Wildcat in the first quarter with Derick Ward taking the direct snap and going around the right end for five and the first down. The next play was a sell out to Kevin Boss, New York's offensive line let the Washington pass rush through then Eli floated it over to tight end Kevin Boss, LaRon Landry and Carlos Rogers collided and Kevin went into the secondary for 24 yards.

Nice assist to the Giants by newly signed cornerback DeAngelo Hall in the first quarter, after missing the tackle of Amani Toomer on a slant in, DeAngelo late hits Amani on the ground with his shoulder. The resulting personal foul cost the Redskins fifteen yards and gave the Giants first and goal on the eight. Fortunately the Washington defense solidified and held New York to a field goal.

Good to see Anthony Montgomery feeling better with his sack of Eli Manning in the first quarter, he has been ginger the past two weeks with an achilles tendon strain.

That has got to be the most ridiculous penalty ever, the two hands over head fair catch on Ryan Boschetti at the end of the first quarter, seriously an incorrect fair catch five yard penalty?

At the end of the first quarter Fox sideline reporter Tony Siragusa was referring to Redskins center Casey Rabach as Casey Ryback, Steven Seagal's character from the Under Siege movies.

Useful stat from Kenny Albert with 14:21 left in the second quarter: to that point the Giants were averaging almost fifteen yards on first down. Awsum.

Interesting bumper package from Fox in the second quarter, Redskins who have led the league in rushing: Cliff Battles in 1932, Jim Musick in 1933 (both of the Boston Redskins and Cliff Battles was number two that year, less than 100 yards behind Jim), Cliff Battles again in 1937 and Larry Brown in 1970. For those Redskins fans under 50, the guys that came the closest in the past 20 years, top tens only, were Clinton Portis at sixth in 2007, Clinton Portis at fourth in 2005, Clinton Portis at eighth in 2004, Stephen Davis at third in 2001, Stephen Davis at tenth in 2000, Stephen Davis at third in 1999, Terry Allen at sixth in 1996, Terry Allen at fifth in 1995, Reggie Brooks at ninth in 1993, Earnest Byner at fifth in 1991 and Earnest Byner at fourth in 1990.

On the Corey Webster interception that was called back on an illegal hands to the face to Santana Moss, that was pretty ticky tack. You will never see me taking the Giants' side on a penalty but come on, that was pretty sketchy.

Nice to see Jason Campbell out front blocking on the next play, welcome Devin Thomas to the NFL, that touchdown was not only the Redskins only score of the game, it was Devin's first of his pro career, and the first of any of the big three second round draft picks, receivers Devin and Malcolm Kelly and tight end Fred Davis.

Although looking at the replay I did not agree with Daryl Moose Johnston that Eli Manning's interception by DeAngelo Hall on a slant intended for Domenik Hixon was created by pressure from the left side by Jason Taylor (Jason simply got there too late to affect the play), Domenik was nonetheless unprepared for the pass and DeAngelo simply pulled it off Domenik's pads.

Great penetration by Demetric Evans and Lorenzo Alexander along the Redskins defensive line on the Giants' fourth and one play to end the first half. It was actually a strange play, right as the Giants were snapping the ball and Eli Manning was surging forward through the middle to try and get the first down, Tom Coughlin was trying to call timeout from the sideline. Oddly, the officials gave the Giants both the outcome of the play and the timeout, though the NFL play by play does not reflect a timeout taken at this point in the game. The play was reviewed and the outcome was upheld, the Redskins held and the ball was theirs on downs.

SHAWN SPRINGS YOU FRIGGIN IDIOT! On second and nine of the Giants opening drive of the second half, Eli Manning play action faked to Brandon Jacobs then threw a thirty yard route to Domenik Hixon. Domenik was either out of position or Eli threw it to the wrong spot. Newly signed Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall was centerfielding, standing still and ready to catch the ball when Shawn Springs, dashing over from the safety position, tried to intercept it and interfered with DeAngelo, neither of them got the ball and DeAngelo was clearly upset.

Two plays later the Giants punted. It was Jeff Feagles first punt of the game, two minutes into the third quarter.

That Domenik Hixon is not a bad player. Eli Manning targeted Domenik nine times with all five his catches going for first downs.

You also wonder what influence familiarity and former players have on a game like this. It has been four years since Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce was on this team and two years since defensive end Renaldo Wynn was with the Redskins.

This was also the first time in 22 games the Eli Manning threw for more than 300 yards. This game made the Giants 11-1 for the first time in franchise history. Nice job guys.

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Cringeworthy Zorn: Maybe it's unfair to put this on Jim Zorn, he calls the play and does not throw or catch the ball, I counted six times today that receivers were out running routes that were short of the sticks in crucial situations: four yards to James Thrash on third and six, six yards to Chris Cooley on third and nine both in the first quarter, an eleven yard incomplete to Antwaan Randle El on third and twelve to start the second, six yards to Chris Cooley on third and seven, eight yards to Antwaan Randle El on third and nine and seven yards to Santana Moss on third and thirteen, all in the fourth. Also note to coach: all the shots of you tossing your papers, throwing clipboards, clenching your teeth and yelling, not cool. And what was up with tossing footballs into the crowd in the fourth quarter?

Shooter:

Coltrolled:

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Washington Post / AP recap, box score, play by play, photos. NFL recap, box score, full play by play, Gamebook (PDF), photos.

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Next up, the Baltimore Ravens start band four in a game moved from 1pm to 8pm on NBC's Sunday Night Football. The Ravens have been surprisingly good with rookie head coach Mike Harbaugh and rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. The Redskins have not been good in prime time lately and playoff hopes are fading.



Jim Zorn: Getty Images from here.