Week 1: Giants 16, Redskins 7

September 5, 12:25 PMWashington Redskins ExaminerMark Newgent

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Washington Redskins Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Pictures do indeed speak a thousand words

The Redskins are off to an inauspicious start to the Jim Zorn era.  The defending champs beat the Redskins in every conceivable way last night.  Although the scoring ended in the first half for both teams, the Giants had done enough scoring on their first four possessions to make the 16-7 final score hold up. 

Defense

The Giants took their opening possession—converting twice on third down—and drove the ball down field for touchdown on a one-yard Eli Manning scamper.  John Carney nailed field goals on the ensuing three possessions.

The defense just could not generate a consistent pass rush, and more importantly, both Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot dropped potential interceptions, which could have been game changers.  Smoot dropped one that would have taken three points away from the Giants, and of the two potential picks Rogers blew, he could have run one back for a touchdown potentially turning the game in a different direction.

However, in spite of their first half foibles, Greg Blache made halftime adjustments and the defense kept the Giants from turning the game into a blowout.

Grade: C

Offense

The Redskins offense looked pretty much like it did against Carolina and Jacksonville during the preseason.  The first possession was a three and out featuring an eight-yard sack and a false start penalty on Stephon Heyer.  The offense did not gain a single first down in the first half until the two-minute warning.  After a 50-yard kickoff return by Rock Cartwright set the Redskins up deep in Giant territory, Jason Campbell hit Santana Moss on a 12-yard crossing route for the last and final score of the game.  (Yaay, 7 points for my fantasy team). 

Had the offense executed, they could have made a game of it in the second half.  Enen thought the defense had finally corralled the Giants enough to keep them from scoring, Fred Smoot held on to an interception, and Giant penalties, the offense could not muster a scoring drive.

Grade: D

Special Teams

As a whole, the special teams were solid.  Duran Brooks provided mixed results with only a 34.9 net average. In the second half however, he did get off some nice boomers to pin the Giants deep in their territory.  He even became an offensive weapon taking a roughing the kicker penalty in the first half, too bad the offense couldn’t do anything with it.  If not for Rock Cartwright’s big return late in the first-half the game could have been a shut out.

Grade: B-

Individual Performances

Jason Campbell still needs to learn the footwork aspect of the WCO.  After the first Redskin possession, John Madden said (I’m paraphrasing here) that Campbell needs to learn that “on the three step drop it is One. Two. Three. Boom. Throw the ball.”  Footwork is the hallmark of the WCO.  Even when the offensive line gives him time he still waits for a receiver instead of throwing to a space (where the receiver should presumably be).  Yes the learning curve is still a big one for young master Campbell.

The offensive line (yes I know, technically not an individual) was owned by the Giants defensive line.  Only in small glimpses did we see what they could do for Campbell and the running game.  I know this is Vinny’s team now, but even with Heyer in the line up this line is still elderly and Cerrato needs to address this problem.

Clinton Portis did the best he could (84 yards on 23 rushes) with the few time the offensive line opened hole for him.  He could have broken 100 yards but the Giants were in the backfield on way too many rushing plays.  You had to love his chip block on Justin Tuck.  Clinton put him on his ass. 

Antwaan Randle-El’s two false start penalties are inexplicable and frankly unacceptable.

Although he scored the lone touchdown, and made one shoestring reception, Santana Moss had some ugly drops as well. 

It would have been nice to see either Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly running the deep routes near the end of the game.  Ideally, James Thrash is not the guy you want running down the sidelines on the deep ball. 

Like I told Giants Examiner Zac Wassink, the Redskins don’t get the ball to  Chris Cooley enough. 

Jason Taylor looked like the very player everyone says you can run at.

Reed Doughty has seen enough of Brandon Jacobs.

LaRon Landry can’t be happy about his first game back

You can throw at Rocky McIntosh. 

Outside the bad clock management (maybe its the water in Ashburn) it is once again difficult to evaluate Zorn’s play calling.  The offensive line couldn’t mitigate the Giants defensive pressure, and they did Campbell missed fired or the receivers dropped the ball.  I expect a lot of two minute drill work next week. 

Up Next/Who dat

I get to geaux to FedEx Field for the home opener against the New Orleans Saints. 

Odds n Ends

Vinny Cerrato really needs a PR handler. 

This should make the Mayor of FedEx Field very happy: Joe Gibbs spoke at the Republican National Convention last night.  Looks like both the Mayor and Coach Joe have a seat on the Straight Talk Express. 

You really have to hate losing to this guy: