Campbell, offense are listless in opening loss
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The first play from scrimmage worked out much better than 2008’s infamous sack and fumble. This time, the Redskins gained 34 yards on a Clinton Portis run, prompting teammates to pump fists in the air and exult.
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The next sound they heard?
Pffft.
The Redskins flip-flopped ends Andre Carter and Phillip Daniels on a handful of occasions. Another time, they lined up with five defensive linemen. However, right before the snap, Brian Orakpo went to a two-point stance. Also, Reed Doughty was the primary strong safety in the fourth quarter.From the Sidelines» The Redskins don’t play with enough discipline to win big games on the road. That’ll be a challenge for Jim Zorn moving forward. The dumb penalties have been tolerated for too long. But Zorn’s offense could not generate much of anything and that’s a bigger issue.» Though the Giants failed on a fourth-and-1 from the 3, Tom Coughlin’s decision set up good field position on their next drive and a second-quarter touchdown. Also, Coughlin’s new defensive coordinator, Bill Sheridan, did a good job with a secondary missing a couple key players.
Because very little worked after Portis’ run in Washington’s 23-17 loss to the New York Giants in the season opener.
» Lack of poise dooms Skins
» Rick Snider » Stars sputter in opener
» Redskins Confidential blog
The Redskins could not move the ball in the first half. They could not stop the Giants on third down. They allowed New York’s defense to score a touchdown. And, for the longest time, the best offensive play came courtesy of the punter. Only a late touchdown, followed by an unsuccessful onsides kick, prevented the offense from failing to get in the end zone.
It was so bad offensively that the Redskins did not exhaust their 15-play script until the third quarter.
“We can’t put ourselves in that position,” said Portis, held to 28 yards on his other 15 carries. “We can’t turn the ball over. If we turn the ball over and we get penalties … if you eliminate that, we’re probably victorious.”
The problem is, those sorts of things seem to happen to Washington on the road — and especially here. It’s why the Redskins fell behind 16-0 in the opener last year and it’s why they trailed 17-0 Sunday.
Seven of those points came when Jason Campbell was stripped of the ball by Giants end Osi Umenyiora, who then recovered the fumble and ran 37 yards for a touchdown.
“I’ve got to feel that more and slide up in the pocket,” said Campbell (19-of-26 for 211 yards, one touchdown, one interception).
Said coach Jim Zorn, “He needs to get the ball out of there.”
Nor did it help that when the Redskins created their own break, the offense managed just three points, not seven. Corner DeAngelo Hall intercepted a tipped pass and returned it to the Giants’ 11-yard line late in the third quarter.
Three plays gained four yards, which led to a field goal and more frustration. They trailed 17-10 and then watched New York drive for a field goal on its next series.
“Settling for field goals is not good,” Zorn said.
New York held the ball for 36 minutes, eight seconds. The Giants hurt Washington more through the air — quarterback Eli Manning threw for 256 of his team’s 351 total yards.
“We’re not there as a defense by far,” defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said. “Until we gel as a defense, that will probably continue.”
More was expected of a defense that ranked fourth overall last year and added Haynesworth. But they sacked Manning just once, though they did force two turnovers.
Redskins holder Hunter Smith scored on a fake field goal with 21 seconds left in the first half, a play they had practiced all week. Smith had an easy eight-yard dash to the end zone.
But it wasn’t enough.
“Our plan was to wear them down,” Portis said. “We couldn’t sustain drives long enough to expose that.”
