By Douglas Holtz-Eakin
The young drop coverage to avoid higher premiums
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
The Washington Redskins ruined DeAngelo Williams' Sunday morning, so the Carolina Panthers running back was determined to ruin their afternoon.
Ten players and coaches were added to the greatest list of Washington Redskins on Friday as part of the team's 80th anniversary celebration.
The Redskins have never given up more for a player than they've given the Rams for the second pick in the draft. The laundry list includes three No. 1s (2012, '13 and '14), one of them the sixth pick this year, plus a No. 2 (2012). That's how badly they want Robert Griffin III, the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from Baylor (or, if the Colts opt for Griffin, Andrew Luck, Stanford's to-die-for QB).
In his tour of NFL second-hand stores and used-coach lots, Dan Snyder has happened upon Jim Fassel. The former New York Giants boss, who was said to be finalizing a deal with Snyder last night, makes perfect sense as a replacement for Joe Gibbs — that is, as "perfect sense" is currently defined in Redskinsland.
Rock Cartwright always has been in Washington coach Joe Gibbs' core group of true Redskins even when he hardly played except on coverage teams in 2004 and 2005. But Cartwright, who has played for the Redskins longer than any current player except offensive tackles Jon Jansen and Chris Samuels, snapper Ethan Albright and fellow backup running back Ladell Betts, might be in his final days in the District.
This definitely wasn't the start Jason Campbell imagined. The Washington Redskins quarterback was making the first opening-day start of his NFL career, and his first completion went to the other team.
His blindside protector will be the rusty Chris Samuels, five weeks removed from spraining his medial collateral ligament.
At 8:30 last night, the Redskins' season hung in the balance. Last week's scoreless preseason opener by the offensive starters and the sprained knees that have kept four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels and record-setting running back Clinton Portis out since July suddenly were mere footnotes.
1. STARTING OFFENSE
Give Reed Doughty credit for one thing — his preseason debuts always are memorable.
Joe Bugel didn't mince words yesterday about his offensive line's performance in the Washington Redskins' preseason opener at Tennessee.
Overshadowed by the sluggish offensive start and the late comeback that gave the Washington Redskins a 14-6 win over the Tennessee Titans on Saturday was a respectable start for the retooled first-team defense.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The most telling image from the Washington Redskins' first-half offensive performance last night against the Tennessee Titans wasn't the inefficient running game, the zero points or the constant third-and-long situations. Photo Gallery
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Marcus Mason's late 1-yard plunge and Byron Westbrook's subsequent fumble recovery for a touchdown may have given the Washington Redskins a 14-6 victory over the Tennessee Titans in their preseason opener last night. Photo Gallery: Redskins vs Titans
Show next to nothing of the play book. Allow the starters to break a sweat before putting in the reserves. Hold the belief that when the real games start, things would automatically fall into place.
"He'll put that hammer down on you if you don't act right, and I think that's what we needed around here," said six-time Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuels, who retired last year and is working with the staff on a coaching internship.
Samuels said he knew the injury wasn't as bad as he and the Redskins initially had feared.
