Sports
Rick Snider: An ugly opener all over the field for Zorn & Co.
By: Rick Snider
Examiner Sports Columnist
September 5, 2008
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| Giants defensive linemen Mathias Kiwanuka, left, and Barry Cofield pull down Redskins running back Clinton Portis Thursday night. (Al Bello/Getty Images) |
Washington’s offensive line was overwhelmed. The defensive line was shredded. So was the secondary, which gave New York receivers a five-yard cushion all the way down the field.
Brother, can you spare a dream because this season looks like a nightmare.
The New York Giants beat Washington 16-7 last night. It wasn’t close. The defending Super Bowl champions look like a repeat contender. The Redskins appear to be pretenders.
The West Coast Offense looked like the Deep South Shuffle because that’s where it’s headed — down the drain. Jason Campbell did little, mostly because he received no time to work. Offensive tackle Stephon Heyer might have given Jon Jansen his job back after that poor showing. The Giants blitzed their way into the Redskins backfield so often they should have just stayed in the huddle.
But it was the defense that lost the opener. The Giants scored on their first four possessions for a 16-0 lead that should have been 24-0. The opening drive was a classic 11-play, 84-yard touchdown possession with two third-down conversions and three long completions. You can’t let a team start that way.
Carlos Rogers dropped two picks. LaRon Landry was bowled over. Plaxico Burress owned Fred Smoot before the latter suffered a hip pointer. The tackles were manhandled. The tackling was sloppy.
Zorn didn’t shine, either. Throwing a short pass on third-and-17 with nearly two minutes left in the game kept Washington outside field goal range. Take a shot downfield or at least near the first-down marker. The fourth down pass was short, too.
How in the world was this not a blowout? Maybe because the Giants got a little cocky and the Redskins got a little better in the second half. Still, the game was never in doubt.
Stats say it all. Giants quarterback Eli Manning passed for 216 yards to Campbell’s 133 — about 50 of which came against a late prevent defense. Burress caught 10 passes for 133 yards while just one Washington receiver cracked 50.
But the real number — the Redskins are 0-1.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at rsnider@dcexaminer.com.
