By James A. Lyons
By arming the rebels, we're aiding al Qaeda
The Redskins' guiding philosophy during this salary cap crisis is clear little more than a month after free agency began. They believe continuity and familiarity can help offset whatever gains in talent the club could not achieve because it lacked necessary cap space.
The footballs fluttered toward the end zone, one after the other, as the final seconds slipped away.
DeAngelo Hall is not a quarterback, and Eli Manning is not a rocket scientist. That much was clear Wednesday when the former Pro Bowl cornerback and the reigning Super Bowl MVP traded barbs while continuing the post-mortem of Manning's 77-yard touchdown pass that lifted the New York Giants to a 27-23 win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
Mike Shanahan came to his weekly Monday news conference with a mental inventory of everything the Washington Redskins' defense did well a day earlier in their 27-23 loss to the New York Giants.
In the Washington Redskins' locker room late Sunday afternoon, amid the dazed looks and downcast eyes, Barry Cofield said something interesting: "We get to finger-pointing this early in the season, it can be a disaster."
Robert Griffin III trudged off the field alone late Sunday afternoon. All but one of his Washington Redskins teammates had disappeared into the locker room after the New York Giants ripped out their collective heart in the cruelest fashion.
Madieu Williams used whatever footing he had left last Sunday to dive for the end zone as he was pushed out of bounds. The Washington Redskins' free safety finished his interception return by extending the ball with both hands. Sure enough, he knocked over the pylon. And when Williams got up and saw the referee signaling a touchdown, the celebration was on.
The fans wearing white and burgundy jerseys jumped and hollered as Robert Griffin III tucked the ball and ignited the afterburners in those magic legs of his. They had waited almost 13 months for their beloved Washington Redskins to give them something to cheer. And as Griffin blazed past the defense 76 yards into the end zone, they finally had it.
When Billy Cundiff missed a 31-yard field goal last week, an error that ultimately cost the kicker his job, the course of the Washington Redskins' game against the Atlanta Falcons changed.
Getting Brandon Meriweather and Tanard Jackson in the offseason figured to shore up the Washington Redskins' safety position. On Sunday they'll play their sixth game of the year without either, Jackson suspended indefinitely and Meriweather dealing with a left knee injury.
Mike Shanahan drafted Robert Griffin III in April with the intention of plugging him into a proven formula for success with a rookie quarterback. Through three weeks, a strong defense, specifically the secondary, has not matched Griffin's contribution to the formula.
Everyone is upset about the NFL's replacement officials, and the lockout of the NFL Referees' Association has had such a big impact already this season.
Robert Griffin III knelt near the 20-yard line after Santana Moss surged into the end zone Saturday afternoon. The Washington Redskins' new franchise quarterback had thrown a touchdown in front of the home fans for the first time. It was time to celebrate.
It was the morning after the Washington Redskins' preseason opener at the Buffalo Bills, and linebacker Lorenzo Alexander didn't have to go to the team's practice facility to review his game performance. He could do that in his basement, or over a bowl of cereal.
Continuity has been the theme for the Washington Redskins on defense. Barring injury, they should have the same defensive line and linebackers as they did at the end of last season, and coordinator Jim Haslett's 3-4 scheme remains in tact.
"Whenever you force turnovers, you give your offense a chance with another possession," said safety Madieu Williams, who returned an interception for a touchdown against Minnesota in Week 6. "The statistics go to show that if we can win the turnover battle, the likelihood of us winning the football game increases dramatically."
Redskins' positive turnover differential integral in past two victories →
"We've got to execute the defense better," he said, "the way it is drawn up."
