Redskins still going south

ATLANTA | Barely able to complete his three-step drop-back before being pounded into the turf by 559 pounds of John Abraham and Jonathan Babineaux, Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell finally showed the effects of a five-sack beating.

A player who normally pops up regardless of the violence of a hit, Campbell stayed on his knees with his hands planted into the ground for balance, gasping for breath made more difficult by his latest injury - a chest contusion.

Nothing epitomizes the first half of this woeful Redskins’ season better than Campbell’s prone position.

The Redskins are struggling to breathe, much less run, after their latest setback, a 31-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Washington is 2-6 for the first time in owner Dan Snyder’s 11-season tenure, and its fourth straight defeat had the usual elements: a slow start (down 24-3 at halftime), costly penalties (88 yards), bad pass protection (five sacks) and key injuries (Campbell left twice, and Clinton Portis’ concussion kept him out after the first quarter).

“I don’t know where you go from here,” defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said. “I guess you go up - that’s the only place to go. … If I keep looking back, I’ll get even more mad, discouraged, disappointed, whatever. Hopefully, things will go up for us. We have some problems with things.”

A franchise semi-accustomed recently to fast starts will need the second half of all second halves even to sniff the playoffs, much less respectability. It’s possible the Redskins won’t be favored in any of their final eight games.

Since starting 6-2 last year, the Redskins have lost 12 of 16 games, including seven straight on the road.

Touchdowns by Ladell Betts (1-yard run) and Todd Yoder (3-yard catch) on the opening two second-half drives pulled the Redskins within 24-17. Atlanta sealed the game on Michael Turner’s 58-yard touchdown run with 11:23 remaining.

“It’s a 60-minute game,” coach Jim Zorn said. “We can’t wait until halftime.”

The first half was equal parts expected and disappointing for the Redskins.

Expected: Atlanta led 24-3; opponents have a 103-36 first-half advantage over the Redskins. The Falcons also got to Campbell for five sacks.

“This one was horrible in the first half on offense,” Zorn said.

Disappointing: The Redskins had as many first-half penalty yards as yards of offense (69). Haynesworth jumped offside on the opening possession to keep an Atlanta drive alive; tight end Fred Davis had a pass go through his hands that led to Tye Hill’s interception return for a touchdown; and LaRon Landry hit Matt Ryan out of bounds, starting a melee on the Falcons’ sideline. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall engaged with several players and coach Mike Smith before being pulled away.

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