Quarterback looks sharp in a dominant victory over Giants He heard the chants pouring down after the national anthem, providing a reminder of the deeper meaning of the day. A giant flag was unfurled, covering the field. The crowd called out, “USA! USA!” And Rex Grossman soaked it in.
“I was overwhelmed,” Grossman said. “It was a fun day. It was a day I’ll never forget.”
And it was one that got better for Grossman and the Redskins, 28-14 winners over the New York Giants in their season opener at FedEx Field. The Redskins were criticized in many corners for their quarterback competition, pitting two journeymen against each other. But Grossman certainly made coach Mike Shanahan look smart, not only for choosing him but for bringing him back after last season.
– John Keim
| Redskins report card |
| Impact player |
| Tight end Fred Davis — in a contract year — had his best game, especially when paired with Chris Cooley. Davis caught five passes for a career-best 105 yards. His 22-yard catch-and-run set up the Redskins’ fourth touchdown. |
| Did you notice … |
| The boom or bust portion of the Redskins’ running game? Running back Tim Hightower carried 25 times for 72 yards, but he gained 35 of those yards on two first-half carries. The Giants did a good job getting penetration up front. |
| Under the radar |
| The Redskins did a terrific job of winning the field position battle in the second half. All seven of New York’s possessions started inside the 30-yard line — and four started inside the 20. Quarterback Eli Manning could not overcome these holes. |
| From the sidelines |
| The Giants pressured Rex Grossman with blitzes early, but defensive coordinator Perry Fewell stopped using this tactic except for one series at the end of the third. Given time, Grossman got hot and picked apart a weak pass defense. |
| The Redskins called an aggressive game on both sides of the ball. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett blitzed often vs. quarterback Eli Manning, forcing hurried throws. The Redskins also stayed on the attack offensively, attempting numerous deep balls. |
Grossman completed 21 of 34 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns. He missed his first four passes, then completed 13 of his next 17 before halftime, leading the Redskins to two touchdowns.
“Things don’t always work out the way you think they will to start the game,” Grossman said. “But you always have confidence that eventually we’ll get into a rhythm.”
“He doesn’t get flustered,” Redskins center Will Montgomery said of Grossman. “If we can give him time, with our receivers and coaches making the right calls, we got guys open down the field.”
Grossman was at his best on the three touchdown drives he led. On those series, Grossman completed a combined 12 of 14 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. His 18-yard strike to receiver Anthony Armstrong set up running back Tim Hightower’s 1-yard run to tie the game at 7-7. Two series later Grossman hit receiver Jabar Gaffney for 39 yards to the New York 15-yard line. That set up his 6-yard touchdown toss to Armstrong.
Then, with the Redskins leading 21-14 in the fourth quarter, the playcalling stayed aggressive. And Grossman went 5-for-6, capping the drive with a 4-yard toss to Gaffney.
“Rex played an excellent game,” Shanahan said. “It’s hard to get big plays in the passing game against a defensive front that puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback.”
For the game, Grossman had five pass plays of 20 yards or more. Two of them went to tight end Fred Davis, who finished with a career-best 105 yards.
“Fred stretches the field vertically as well as any tight end in the league,” Grossman said.
The Redskins had it all going right, especially in the second half. They had a rookie making a huge play in his first game — Ryan Kerrigan tipping a pass to himself and running it 9 yards for a touchdown. The defense allowed only 102 yards in the second half. Brian Orakpo blocked a field goal after a series in which Grossman was sacked and fumbled.
It was a different game, one that ended with Washington beating a team that had defeated it in nine of the previous 10 games. Then there was Grossman, long knocked for his inconsistency; on Sunday, he was celebrated.
“There’s some little buzz going on around here,” Armstrong said. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s something special.”
