The Washington Redskins learned that delivering a knuckle sandwich tastes like victory.
In perhaps their most physical game since late 2007, when teammate Sean Taylor’s death inspired a late-season run, the Redskins remembered the NFC East is a smashmouth division — that games aren’t won by practicing in a bubble, but by hard-nosed teams looking to smack somebody.
The NFC East is about the last man standing — delivering so many big hits until somebody finally flinches. It’s about postgame ice bags and adrenalin that doesn’t drain until Tuesday.
Washington sits atop a crowded NFC East at just 2-2, but 2-0 in the division after beating Dallas and Philadelphia. They’ve done it by refusing to allow opponents to dictate the second half while a once bottom-ranked defense remembered it has the potential to be pretty good.
The Redskins have playmakers. They simply were stuck in the transition to the 3-4 defense — one that sure looked like the old 4-3 when it needed to against Philadelphia. Michael Vick left late in the first quarter with a chest injury after he was sandwiched between DeAngelo Hall and Kareem Moore.
“We were just running to the ball,” Hall said. “It didn’t feel like that big of a hit, but we got him in the sweet spot.”
A big hit is like a baseball slugger powering a ball into the bleachers. Washington delivered several knockouts against Philadelphia. It wasn’t “Revenge of the Body Bag Game” but Washington finally owned an opposing offense on an evening when the Redskins’ own attack struggled again.
Such emotion is becoming less commonplace around the NFL. Big money contracts sometimes drain the emotional drive. Then again, Albert Haynesworth finally looked worth the big money by manhandling offensive linemen.
It’s hard for a defense to continually play with such intensity unless it has enough hard-nosed players to fuel it. Ray Lewis seems to keep Baltimore on edge but Redskins broadcaster Sam Huff, a Hall of Famer whose career with the New York Giants and Washington was known for violent plays, often says there are too few warriors remaining in the game.
Hall has that passion. So does LaRon Landry, Brian Orakpo, Phillip Daniels, London Fletcher … actually the Redskins defense has plenty of them. Maybe they just needed to experience a game when the crowd winces from the hits.
Playing in Philadelphia always raises emotions because it’s home to perhaps the NFL’s toughest crowd — one that was amazingly gracious in applauding Donovan McNabb’s return. The Redskins knew this was a must-win game even though it was Week 4.
Washington punched out an opponent — a knuckle sandwich that said the Redskins aren’t a soft team like last year. The only question now is did they use it all up against Philadelphia? Or are they ready to recharge against Green Bay on Sunday?
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
