The Redskins promised change and they delivered. In Mike Shanahan’s coaching debut, the Redskins dominated the hapless Buffalo Bills, 42-17, as they scored their most points in 91 preseason games dating to 1988.
New Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb led a touchdown drive on his second series, completing the march with a four-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Armstrong.
“It’s preseason, but you can’t toot your horn too much about preseason,” Redskins receiver Santana Moss said. “But we wanted to come out and get something done.”
And that’s what they did, both offensively and defensively.
Washington gained 352 yards of total offense, including 199 in the first half. The starting defense yielded a field goal drive, then forced a turnover and shut down Buffalo the rest of the first half.
“Our guys are mature enough to understand that this is the first step and we have a long way to go,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. “But you have to find a way to win a game. Obviously we did that and I thought we did some good things.”
Like having the defense set up the offense for an easy touchdown. Corner DeAngelo Hall did just that with an interception and 33-yard return to the Bills’ 12-yard line in the second quarter. Four plays later Keiland Williams scored the first of his two touchdowns for a 14-3 lead.
Or like watching punt returner Brandon Banks race 77 yards for a touchdown, sprinting around the right side untouched and down the sideline for a 28-3 lead in the third quarter.
The 5-foot-7, 155-pound Banks runs the 40-yard dash in 4.24 seconds and it showed on the return. His exceptional footwork has been evident in practice, too. Banks earlier had a 24-yard punt return, but muffed a second punt before losing two yards.
“I can’t say that it surprised me at all with the way he has played,” Shanahan said. “He consistently makes plays, he has great speed, cutting ability and an excellent set of hands. It is nice to see him go out there and make a play or a couple of plays.”
“I have to go out there and turn heads,” said Banks, an undrafted rookie free agent from Kansas State.
Meanwhile, the game was also about McNabb’s debut. After hitting only one of three passes on his first series he went four of five on his next one, the touchdown drive.
“It was an exciting time,” McNabb said. “When you play your first game, with a new ball club, it takes you back to the first game you played. Your adrenaline is high and you have to settle down a little bit. … There are a lot of things we have to work on, but I thought offensively we were able to progress.”
Rex Grossman led the second unit to another touchdown, narrowly averting an interception on a sideline toss to tight end Fred Davis. The defensive back couldn’t get to the ball in time and it landed in Davis’ hands for a nine-yard score and 21-3 lead.
Grossman hit receiver Devin Thomas for a 44-yard touchdown in the third quarter, making it 35-13. Thomas gave a double move – something he was rarely asked to do last season – and got behind the corner. He was open enough that he could pause his route to catch the ball and he still scored with no problem.
“It was a double move,” Thomas said. “I set him up outside and he bit and I came back inside and he was nowhere to be found.”
It helped make up for Thomas misjudging the opening kickoff which resulted in a fumble recovered by teammate Byron Westbrook.
“It was a rocky start,” Thomas said. “Just to make plays, it felt good.”
The last touchdown came on another run by Williams, this one a seven-yarder in which he broke a tackle then squirted through the opening. It helped give Washington its most points in a preseason game since Aug. 20, 1988 when they scored 45 points at the Los Angeles Raiders. And the 42 points was the second most they have scored in a preseason opener.
“I was most pleased with us playing as a team,” Moss said. “I missed that in some of these past years, playing together and having each other’s back on offense, defense and special teams. That makes everyone want to win; it makes everyone want to go out there. It’s half the battle, playing together. Playing together makes everything easier.”
