A new-look roster delivered a new ending in what had been a lopsided series — and maybe some valid hope of a franchise turnaround. The Washington Redskins showed the past means nothing to this roster. Only 15 players predate coach Mike Shanahan’s 2010 arrival, so nine losses in the last 10 meetings with the New York Giants reflected little on them.
Instead, Washington soundly beat New York 28-14 on Sunday at FedEx Field. This is definitely not the same old Redskins.
The Redskins of the past decade or so would have blown a tie game with a turnover. Instead, Washington went ahead on an early third-quarter interception by top pick Ryan Kerrigan.
The old regime lost to New York 31-7 last year and 45-12 in 2009. Those were real spankings. This time Washington made New York look inept.
With the Redskins ahead 21-14 in the fourth quarter, Rex Grossman fumbled and the Giants recovered at the Washington 27-yard line. But Washington then stuffed a third-and-1 run before blocking a field goal attempt. Past teams would have allowed Giants running back Brandon Jacobs to tie the game.
Indeed, there were so many times previous Washington teams would have blown this one. Instead, Shanahan’s deep faith in his team is about to be shared around local water coolers Monday.
A 1-0 start usually means nothing, but beating an NFC East team that routinely has abused Washington in past years means everything. If Washington can beat a lackluster Arizona team Sunday at FedEx, a 2-0 start may have the kind of bandwagon impact that would derail those crazed predictions of 2-14 by Sports Illustrated and 3-13 via ESPN.
This isn’t a Super Bowl team. The Redskins’ offensive line was beaten regularly by the Giants’ pass rush, which was curiously abandoned for much of the game. Washington showed some sloppy tackling and blown assignments.
But the Redskins also showed enough to suggest they could be a wild-card team, the kind of group that grows into one with postseason potential over the course of a season. Past teams have had their playoff chances slip away in September. This one may use the opening month as a springboard.
The NFL’s greatness lies in its ability to surprise. Cincinnati, San Francisco, Buffalo and Detroit — teams expected to have little playoff potential — opened with victories, while front-runners Atlanta and Pittsburgh are 0-1. Indianapolis, now without injured quarterback Peyton Manning for most if not all of the season, was thumped 34-7.
Washington might be the new “it” team if it continues to let the opponent be the one that blows games. That has been the Redskins’ problem for so many years. Now a no-nonsense coach has finally beaten that out of a franchise that’s 20 years removed from its last Super Bowl trophy.
When Grossman can follow a fumble with a game-clinching 70-yard touchdown drive, the Redskins must be taken seriously — and not as the runaway clown car that roared through FedEx for a decade.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
