Preseason openers often reveal as much as swimsuit models donning parkas. You can sneak a peak without seeing much overall.
The Jim Zorn era begins Sunday versus Indianapolis in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. Will we see the new West Coast offense? A pass rush featuring Jason Taylor? Rookie receivers downfield?
Don’t blink and you’ll catch a glimpse, but only a momentary preview. Starters might play a quarter while Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning’s out with surgery. Even then, you’ll only see basic formations watered down more than beer at happy hour.
Oh, to relive Osaka once more when Steve Spurrier debuted with a 38-7 victory over San Francisco in 2002. The passing game went all out and Ballcoach crowed in the postgame over his offense. San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci stared at Spurrier in a shared makeshift pressroom like Ballcoach had stolen Mooch’s gal. Spurrier showed his offense to Mariucci and San Francisco won the rematch 20-10 in week 3 of the regular season.
Joe Gibbs won his 2004 return in the Hall of Fame game over Denver 20-17. Gibbs won two preseason games that year, which was two more than usual and one more than the next two preseasons combined. You never got anything out of Gibbs’ exhibition games.
Marty Schottenheimer’s 20-0 loss in his 2001 debut proved fitting because the Redskins opened the regular season 0-5. That blanking was just the beginning of a miserable offense in Schottenheimer’s only year.
Norv Turner lost his first game 13-11 to Buffalo in 1994 on a missed field goal. That was truly fitting because Turner was awful in three-point games. He would have given his kingdom for a kicker.
Richie Petitbon’s 1993 debut was probably the most misleading of the post-Gibbs I age. The promoted coordinator beat Cleveland 41-12 and finished the preseason 3-1. Washington even beat Dallas in the regular-season opener before finishing 4-12 to end an era of prosperity unequalled since.
Don’t stay up late on Sunday looking for clues into Zorn’s thinking. He’s not foolish enough to give the New York Giants any game footage worth watching for the Sept. 4 opener.
Starters will play perhaps 20 snaps, a series more than usual because reduced rosters (no NFL Europe exemptions anymore) means everyone plays a little extra. Zorn said he has a skeletal game plan while mentioning the Giants, meaning he’s thinking more about New York than Indianapolis.
Quarterback Jason Campbell has looked sharp in camp while Todd Collins floundered. Funny, the opposite was expected. If Campbell shows some timing in live action, the Redskins have a playoff chance this season.
Really, you’ll see all you need by 9 p.m. — just in time to catch “Family Guy.”
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
