Jim Zorn wanted a chance to impress the new boss. He, and his team, failed. And if his fate wasn’t sealed before Monday night, it is now. It would be wise to start packing the belongings in his office.
In the ugliest game of his two seasons, and one of the worst played by Washington in a several years, the Redskins were outclassed, outcoached and out-everythinged in a 45-12 loss to the New York Giants.
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“We got our butt whipped,” Redskins receiver Santana Moss said.
“We just were getting beaten up,” Redskins corner DeAngelo Hall said. “We got dominated.”
With new executive vice president/general manager Bruce Allen watching, Zorn and the Redskins were embarrassed in many ways. Let the Mike Shanahan countdown begin.
“I don’t think this team is that bad,” defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said. “I don’t know. Just a whole lot of stuff. The score, the record, says that we’re horrible, that we don’t know how to play football. But I’ve been around these guys a lot and I think they know how to play football. We’re all going in different directions. We need someone to lead us in the right direction.
“I don’t know [if changes will be made] this week, but I’m sure there will be changes in the future.”
Monday’s loss was Washington’s worst since a 52-7 loss at New England two years ago – and the most points allowed at home since 2001. But the Patriots went undefeated during the 2007 regular season. The Giants entered 7-6 and had been struggling; the Redskins (4-10) had been playing better.
Not that anyone would have guessed that after watching Monday.
The Giants took control from the start, as they always seem to do vs. Washington, scoring 17 points on their first four possessions. Their lines had entered in a mini-slump, not producing to their usual standards. Their offensive line missed one starter and another left in the first half because of an injury. Not that it made a difference.
Washington overcame poor pass protection in recent weeks because of quarterback Jason Campbell’s gritty play. The Redskins could not overcome shoddy blocking last night; their linemen were not quick enough to seal off New York’s quicker linemen on stretch runs.
Also, the Giants stunted at will vs. the Redskins right side and beat left tackle Levi Jones numerous times one-on-one. The result: 78 yards of offense for Washington in the first 30 minutes and Campbell exited the game late in the second quarter with a sprained shoulder. He returned in the second half, but it made little difference. And he was sacked five times overall.
Meanwhile, the Giants gained 232 yards en route to a 24-0 halftime lead.
“It got away from us early,” Zorn said.
No kidding.
The half ended on an embarrassing play for Washington. With two seconds left, the Redskins lined up for an apparent 38-yard field goal. But the entire line shifted to the left, with seven Redskins lined up about 10 yards to the left of the ball. New York called time. This was a similar scenario to the first meeting, when Washington showed fake; New York called time and the Redskins then ran the fake and scored.
This time, New York obviously was ready. The Redskins shifted again and instead of a touchdown pass, holder Hunter Smith’s pass under pressure was intercepted and returned 49 yards by Aaron Rouse.
“It was a good defensive play,” Zorn said. “I contemplated just kicking the field goal.”
Giants quarterback Eli Manning, given lots of time to throw completed 19 of 26 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns.
Washington’s pair of touchdowns came in the second half, the first an 11-yard Fred Davis touchdown catch and the second a one-yard Quinton Ganther run.
