Well, here we go again. This team looks just as mediocre as last year's team with a few differences. The Offense still has problems making first downs when they need them and their quarterback looks like he can't do anything at the crucial moments in the game. The defense was OK, they made a few big plays but could not get the Giants off of the field when they needed to and allowed them to take control of the game in the first quarter. The special teams were good with the fake field goal and no major mistakes but shows no signs of explosiveness in any way. The 2nd-year receivers were non-existent and were once again a non-factor in the game. The play-calling was good at times but too repetitive and run-heavy, even-though they could not run against the Giants, other than the first play of the game. Overall, the team looked like it did last year, a team without any explosiveness, aggressiveness and lacking the big play from the offense that could give us some hope.
OFFENSE
Just like last year, they can move the ball at times but never get the key third down and have a quarterback that is so afraid of making a mistake that he holds onto the ball forever and doesn't use his legs to get easy first downs to keep the chains moving.
Offensive line - much maligned in the offseason and in the press, was very good in pass protection and was OK in the running game but they were hurt by unimaginative calls that put them in the same formation switching from left to right, no misdirections or counter plays that could have helped them.
Quarterback - Campbell was OK during the game except when he needed to be good. Everytime he gets into a drive he seems to be decent on first and second downs but doesn't look confident at all when he has to make a play. He was single-handedly responsible for giving up the biggest play of the game; the sack, fumble, and touchdown return by Umeniyora where Campbell had enough time to check to his 4th option and then run, the pocket was so big that he had about 2 yards in front of him that he could have stepped up and made a play but his tentativeness, the trait that most accurately describes him, haunted him again as he took forever to decide whether to throw or run with it. The interception was just plain stupid, he was already over the line and had an easy 5 to 6 yard run to get them into a 3rd and short. He seems to be on the wrong side of every big play in the game and, in mind opinion, was the biggest reason for the team's loss.
Running Backs - Portis was a non-factor and Betts should be cut tomorrow. Betts has no speed, no agility and dances every time that he gets a carry instead of hitting the hole and getting at least a few yards instead of 0 or 1 yards every carry. Time for them to get a speed back and let Betts go.
Receivers - Moss was a ghost of himself as he was constantly blanketed by the Giants, they mixed up man and zone against him very well and bracketed him on every snap with a safety over the top, allowing the corner to play bump-and-run against him knocking him off of his timing. Randle-El was good as a receiver but made one of the biggest bone-head plays of the game by not throwing the ball away on the botched reverse pass option, dumb play that took the life out of the offense when they were pumped up after Portis' big run. Kelly showed that he has great hands on his only catch as Campbell threw it hard and behind him but he still came up with the catch while being nailed by the safety. Everytime he was on the field, which didn't seem like too many times, it seemed like Campbell never looked his way, not even a jump ball in the end zone after the Hall interception, makes absolutely no sense to me.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line/Linebackers - They were much improved from last year, they provided a constant rush in Manning's face but were hampered by the coverage schemes that Blache used as they gave a huge cushion (same issue as last year) to the receivers, allowing them to get open quickly and giving Manning quick options to get rid of the ball. Haynesworth, while being visibly exhausted in the second half, provided a constant push, making several plays 2 or 3 yards in the backfield and tossing the Giant's left guard around like a rag doll, simply a beast. Carter fed off of Haynesworth and had one of his best games as a Redskins, creating havoc and forcing a few turnovers. The run defense was very good. The Giants could not get a first down on 3rd and short unlike the ease that they seemed to have in making 3rd and long plays but mostly because of their soft coverage in the secondary. Fletcher was a monster, playing off of Haynesworth making every tackle that he could and not allowing Jacobs to get into a rhythm at any time. McIntosh played well and Orakpo held his own, eventhough he wasn't really heard of in the game he was often targeted in the running plays and stacked the linemen up well enough to allow Fletcher and the rest of the defense to make the play.
Safeties - The safety play was quite good, Landry made a lot of good plays and Horton was all over the place as well as Doughty who seemed to play much better than he had done in the past. Landry had a few stupid penalties, a trend that is becoming a bit disturbing but overall made a lot of plays including the great jump he got on the interception by Hall. The Giants did not have any plays over the top and, on their only long play of the game, they did so by beating the corners and running into the endzone thanks to a few mistackles.
Cornerbacks - Awful is not a strong enough word to describe the pitiful performance by DeAngelo Hall and the rest of the group. Not only could Hall not tackle but he was constantly beat throughout the game by B or C quality receivers that don't scare anybody. The cushion they give the opposing receivers is staggering, on mid-range 3rd downs they are giving the receivers almost 10 yards! This is absurd! There is no reason to give that much cushion against guys that will are not exactly burners, it's not like they are lining up against Randy Moss or Larry Fitzgerald, they were playing the likes of Steve Smith (good possession receiver), Domenik Hixon (who?) and Manningham (a good player that has some moves but is not a barn-burner), the fact that they played off that far is beyond comprehension. There is no shut-down corner on this team, just solid players that need to play much better in man-to-man and tighter in the zone coverage.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Besides the fake field goal, not noticeable at all. They have no return game to speak of in either punt or kickoff and their coverage is merely OK. The punter is the best thing on the team, sad to say, but at least this position is set.
OVERALL TEAM
The Redskins seem like a team without any identity, they are not an aggressive defensive team with a cautious offense that can take control of games with a power running game and timely throwing. If the defense was as good as the Ravens defense in the early 2000's this team would be good enough to win a lot of games but they are not. They are good statistically but not in the key moments of the game. They seem to do the same thing as last year, they allow teams to march down the field and then hold them to a field goal, no 3-and-outs, the true sign of a good defense is what they do on 3rd downs which this team has not shown that they are very good at. The offense has no direction and is led by a quarterback who seems to be scared of making decisions and does not seem to be capable of doing what the play requires to make things happen. The coach makes gutsy decisions like the perfectly-timed fake field goal but then reverts to the run in the second half when the offense was moving the ball through the air and a defensive coach that designs blitzes that are so obvious and easy to cover that they rarely produce any sacks or pressures on the quarterback, leaving the secondary to play with fear of getting beat deep as they know that the rush won't get to the quarterback.
In short, this team is basically the same as it was last year, being OK during the non-crucial moments of the game but lacking the big plays that define the good teams and allow them to win games. The Giants won the game on 2 plays; the touchdown by Manningham and the fumble recovery and touchdown run by Umenyora, that's it, 2 plays and the game was won. If the Redskins come up with a stop on Manningham, forcing a field goal, and Campbell steps up in the pocket this could have been a 13-10 game that the Redskins could have won. This is the formula that they are going to have to attempt this year, to score 14-17 points a game and have the defense stop the opposing teams and force more 3-and-outs, that seems to be the only way that they can win games.
It is the first game of the year and the Giants are not a bad team so things could change but the fundamental issues that the team had last year; poor Quarterback play, lack of tight coverage on defense and no big plays on special teams (returns) seem to plague them this year and points to another 8-8 season, hopefully they can string a few wins together and gain the confidence that they need to win some games and get into the thick of the race, if not, we know the drill; Mike Shanahan as the coach and big-name quarterback instead of Campbell....let's hope that's not the case.
Keywords: DeAngelo Hall, Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins
