It seems Mission Impossible was more than finally scoring a touchdown. It was about delivering the final blow.
With Dan Snyder’s newest free agent, Tom Cruise, aside him in the Redskins owner’s box, the dormant offense continued its preseason sputter. However, it was the defense that ruined the opener before a record FedEx Field crowd of 90,608 on Monday night. The Redskins simply couldn’t stop former Washington quarterback Brad Johnson’s late heroics in Minnesota’s 19-16 victory. Kicker John Hall potential game-tying 48-yarder in the final seconds falling short didn’t help.
But still, it was an adrenaline rush of a night the size of a K Street water main break. Antwaan Randle El gained the greatest ovation ever for a 12-yard punt return. Santana Moss sent the crowd into delirium with a 23-yard run and 38-yard catch. Clinton Portis returned from a month layoff for a touchdown dance.
Who needs Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx in the house when there are stars everywhere? Snyder might as well remove the seats and charge standing room only to pack another 20,000 inside because no one ever sat down. Wait, Snyder couldn’t do that, could he?
The opener is always special for Redskins fans. There is a sense of renewal, especially after one lousy preseason. Throw in the 9/11 touches like 90,000 fans waving the American flags as our way of saying “We’re still here, Osama” and you realize what a great town this is no matter the rest of America’s misperception of us.
If this is life “inside the beltway,” then the heartland can keep its wheat. The Redskins help us remember that Washingtonians are truly special even when every snotty politician blames us for their ills. With chants of “U-S-A” amid a sea of flags waved purely out of love of country and not some staged photo op, it was truly a special moment.
Naturally, there were some wicked moments. Portis fumbled on the six-yard line. Moss dropped a touchdown when clobbered by Vikings safety Darren Sharper. Punter Derrick Frost continues to torment. The Redskins secondary was torched like a viking funeral.
But the Redskins showed there was a plan afoot during the miserable offseason when everything from Saunders’ manhood to Gibbs’ sanity was questioned. The offense had more shuck and jive than all of Portis’ fictional characters combined. Sure, Brunell was erratic and Ladell Betts isn’t the full-time answer to Portis, but this offense isn’t far away from zooming. It just wasn’t in the opener.
Get ready for Dallas. The season is now for real.
Rick Snider has covered local sports for 28 years. Contact him at [email protected].
