The feel-good vibes of a new season flowed throughout the stadium, thanks to the promise of a new season. The Redskins spent the offseason repairing their roster, then spent the last month telling any and all not to worry about their sloppy play.
Things would be different. Heck, Tom Cruise was in the house; anything was possible.
And they were different.
For a while.
And then the old problems returned: breakdowns in the passing game; big plays by the defense, untimely penalties by safety Sean Taylor and a missed long field goal by John Hall with 12 seconds remaining.
Visiting Minnesota capitalized on all those miscues, turning them into a 19-16 win over the Redskins in the season opener Monday night.
The Vikings’ Ryan Longwell kicked a 31-yard field goal with one minute, four seconds left in regulation for the game-winner. Longwell had missed a 54-yarder with 14:51 leftin the game. Hall missed a 48-yarder.
On the final drive, a 13-yard pass to receiver Troy Williamson on third and nine, coupled with a 15-yard facemask penalty by Taylor – his second key infraction in as many series – gave Minnesota a first down at the Redskins’ 39.
An equally big drive was the one before the game winner. Minnesota, taking over from its own 3, drove to their own 44 before punting. Had the Redskins’ defense forced a three-and-out, Washington would have been in position to drive for the game-winning points.
Instead, the Redskins took over at their own 20-yard line, eventually punted and allowed the Vikings to drive downfield.
Washington managed three short field goals and a touchdown. But the field goals proved to be the difference: all were 27 yards or shorter, suggesting problems in the red zone offense.
Running back Clinton Portis, who spent most of last week pessimistic about his chances of playing, did just that. He didn’t start, but he did manage to score Washington’s first touchdown on a five-yard run around left end.
Two Hall field goals, both from 27, provided the rest of Washington’s first-half scoring. Hall added a 22-yarder in the third.
Minnesota opened the scoring with an impressive first drive, stinging Washington with a big play: a 46-yard pass to wide-open Williamson, easily beating Mike Rumph, to the 6-yard line. On third and four, running back Chester Taylor slammed through the left side for a touchdown. But the extra point snap was fumbled, leading to an unsuccessful run around right end and a 6-0 lead.
