Brunell, offense sputter at end

So much for the Washington Redskins’ new offense.

With the game on the line, Mark Brunell and Co. failed to make enough plays to avoid a loss to the Minnesota Vikings last night.

The Redskins scored only one touchdown in four trips to the red zone and constantly sputtered moving the ball. Brunell had difficulty getting the ball downfield; several of his bigger plays came on short throws that his receivers turned into big gains. The quarterback finished with 163 yards passing but could lead his team to only three points in the second half.

“They got the ball downfield,” Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. “We had a tough time getting the ball downfield.”

Brunell threw the ball away at least five times and credited the Vikings for keeping safeties deep. Even so, it was hard to explain why the Redskins couldn’t take advantage of things underneath.

“It was a lot of things in the passing game, in the running game,” Brunell said. “We are going to watch the film, and it is going to be frustrating because there were things that were there — some plays, some yards, maybe even some touchdowns — we left on the field, unfortunately. …

“How far off we are, I am not quite sure yet. I do know we are a throw away, a block away, a run away from really doing some good things tonight. I thought we were close.”

It was many of the same problems the 35-year old left-hander experienced last season, when the defense led the Redskins into the second round of the playoffs. Brunell did not throw any interceptions and did not do anything in particular to lose the game, but he did not make any plays that could have been the difference.

“I thought Mark handled himself real well today,” associate head coach-offense Al Saunders said. “He had to throw the ball away a few times. It’s always a work in progress. He will be better down the road. I was pleased.”

Brunell clearly wasn’t pleased at the inefficiency, particularly in the red zone.

“Three [points] is not good enough,” he said.

Penalties for Taylor

Redskins safety Sean Taylor didn’t dispute the two 15-yard penalties called on him in the fourth quarter.

The first was an unnecessary roughness call for hitting Marcus Robinson late.

The second was a face mask on running back Chester Taylor with 2:50 left. Replays showed Sean Taylor grabbed the side of Chester Taylor’s helmet, but that’s still a penalty. Six plays later, the Vikings’ Ryan Longwell kicked a game winning 31-yard field goal.

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