Redskins grades

By | Friday, September 5, 2008

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RUN OFFENSE C

Clinton Portis finished with 84 yards on 23 carries, but he was stopped cold on third-and-1 at the New York 45 in the first half. The run-blocking wasn't great either, at least until Portis gained 23 yards on his first carry of the second half. Ladell Betts had one carry in the game.

PASS OFFENSE F

When a team doesn't complete a pass in the first 28:50 and gives up a sack on the first snap, it's not going well. Jason Campbell's 81.3 passer rating was helped by his 12-yard touchdown throw to a wide-open Santana Moss with 13 seconds left in the first half. Campbell completed multiple third-down passes short of the first-down marker.

RUN DEFENSE D

Tiki Barber has been retired for more than a year, but the running back who used to torment the Redskins has been replaced by the tandem of burly Brandon Jacobs and swift Derrick Ward. Jacobs powered for 116 yards, much of them in the first half. Ward ran for 39 yards on nine carries. Redskins middle linebacker London Fletcher distinguished himself with 17 tackles.

PASS DEFENSE D

Carlos Rogers and fellow cornerback Fred Smoot spent much of Thursday's game chasing Plaxico Burress, who had 10 catches for 133 yards. Smoot bounced back with an interception in the third quarter. Safeties Reed Doughty and LaRon Landry didn't have good games. Jason Taylor and fellow passrusher Andre Carter were nearly invisible.

SPECIAL TEAMS B

Rock Cartwright had a couple of long returns after a slow start. Rookie Durant Brooks was roughed on his second punt. The kick coverage was up to its usual excellent standards under special teams coach Danny Smith.

COACHING F

That new coach Jim Zorn had replaced the deposed Al Saunders as the offensive mastermind was barely noticeable. The touchdown to Moss was well designed, but the throws underneath the marker brought back memories of Mark Brunell circa 2006. The defense didn't play much better than the punchless offense in the first half. Maybe Joe Gibbs knew something when he walked away - just as he did when he quit the first time in 1993.

- David Elfin

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