If this was the dress rehearsal, the Washington Redskins saw a role reversal.
This time the starting offense shined and the defense dived. Two quarterbacks seemingly clinched their slots while defenders saw tire tracks on their jerseys.
It was a strange night, but the Redskins revealed in their biggest exhibition game that they’ll compete this season despite Washington’s 27-24 loss to New England on Friday.
The offense shirked two poor preseason outings to suddenly show some muscle largely thanks to Jason Campbell. The beleaguered passer silenced critics by leading the Redskins to 17 points, including a nifty touchdown run, before leaving midway in the third quarter. Campbell didn’t connect on three deep balls, but still managed 13 of 22 for 209 yards. It was about as well as he’ll play, and that’s good enough to win games.
“Once you get some completions, you can dial up anything you want to,” Campbell said. “You get into a rhythm and everything changes. I feel like I got into a groove, like I was playing my game.”
Campbell wasn’t the only quarterback who seemingly sealed his role. Colt Brennan rallied from a 99-yard touchdown interception to throw a 33-yard score that Campbell seems incapable of matching. The crowd darling since last year’s gutsy rookie debut to on the bubble versus this year’s rookie sensation Chase Daniel, Brennan made it a tough call for coach Jim Zorn during the final roster cutdown.
“I needed it,” said Brennan of his score. “Amongst all the negative things it was nice to have something positive.”
But as much as the offense finally emerged, Washington’s defense was shredded by probably the best quarterback-receiver combination it will face this season. Tom Brady threw two touchdowns to Randy Moss. They made the Redskins look defenseless in connecting six times during Brady’s 12 of 19 for 150 yards before leaving with a sore shoulder after Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth crunched him.
The secondary looked soft and the pass rush didn’t help. But, this was Brady-Moss, the NFL’s best tandem in 2007 before the passer missed 15 games last season when injured. They make everyone look bad.
The background noise suddenly changes for the final preseason week. Campbell gives his hot seat to cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Fred Smoot with one preseason game remaining.
Suddenly, what the Redskins thought they knew about this team may not be true after all.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com or e-mail [email protected].
