The Redskins enter today’s game 5-2 and tied for 1st place in the NFC East with the Eagles. The Cowboys enter today’s game 2-5 and looking to ruin the Redskins’ perfect division record. With Shawn Springs nursing a high ankle sprain, the Skins look to Kenny Wright to improve upon his high interception game against the Colts. The Cowboys can expect to get a heavy dose of the league’s leading rusher Clinton Portis, who has 949 yards to date and is followed closely by division rival Tiki Barber with 920 yards. If the Redskins can pull out another win, they’ll remain perfect within the division and possibly take the lead in the win column if the Eagles can manage to lose.
As usual the Skins elect to kick the ball off to the opposing team so that they can get the ball back at the half. The coaching staff believes in this defense so much that they trust them to hold off a scoring drive during that first possession. If the plan goes well, the Skins are usually up by 14 points in the 3rd quarter. Julius Jones takes the 1st play from scrimmage to the left on a stretch play for a gain of 2 yards. After Jones is pulled down by Taylor, the Cowboys huddle up, and on the next play, Glenn catches a rocket in traffic from Romo for 13 yards and the conversion. On this drive, the Redskins’ defense are giving up 3rd and long like nobody’s business due to the lack of coverage on Jason Witten. The Cowboys make it down into the end-zone and stall. Gregg Williams sends blitzes on 2nd and 3rd down to great success. Both blitzes are out of the dime package, sending Rogers and Doughty in for the kill. On 3rd down, Romo throws the ball early causing Crayton to run back towards it and open himself up for punishment courtesy of Sean Taylor. Dallas settles for a FG to take an early lead.
3-0 Cowboys
Rock Cartwright fields the kick off and rumbles out to the 30 yard line. Saunders sends the offense out to start the day off in a 3WR set; Dallas adjusts to the formation by dropping a LB onto the slot WR. Mark Brunell hands the ball off to Portis who gains 6 yards on his 1st run of the afternoon. You can see a bit of Joe Gibbs in the next play after you realize it is the same exact play just run opposite for a gain of four yards, utilizing the mentality of run it until they stop it. Portis trots off the field awkwardly after the second run, and Betts comes in to replace him. Betts gets blasted for a loss of one yard by Ware on his 1st attempt, setting up the Skins for a 2nd and 11. After relaying the play to his offense, Brunell gets under center and snaps the ball. He is forced to his right due to a nickel back blitz and squeaks off a pass to Moss on a hook pattern towards the sideline. Just as Moss is about to get crushed between Spears and Glenn, he spins out, causing the two Cowboys to collide. Moss takes the ball in to the end-zone for a Redskins’ touchdown.
7-3 Redskins
Looking to build off of their previous drive and come out of this one with 7 points, Dallas comes back out in full force, passing and running with their FB to good success. Dallas makes it to midfield, and on 2nd down with 6 to go, the Skins audible and seem to be blitzing. Tony Romo snaps the ball, and it’s a toss to the left which isn’t overloaded by defenders. Before Julius Jones can get the ball in his hands, Phillip Daniels hits him and recovers the ball too.
With Dallas giving the ball up so willingly, the Redskins are intent on making the best of this opportunity to increase their lead. Brunell hands off to Portis for a 9-yard gain on 1st down. Brunell heaves a rainbow of a pass downfield, but it is a tad under-thrown to a wide open Brandon Lloyd. Clinton converts on a run between the tackles to move the chains and sets up a set of downs. On 1st down, Brunell is hurried and is not able to connect with Sellers but is able to connect with Portis on 2nd down for a screen pass. The screen only gets the offense 2 yards and forces the Skins into a 3rd and long situation. Brunell goes back to Lloyd; but the Refs make a bad spot, and the Redskins are forced to kick a FG. Novak misses the FG wide right, and the Redskins return the ball to the Cowboys.
The following series are equally terrible for both teams as the Cowboys receive the ball at their 21-yard line. Two horrible runs later, Julius Jones puts them in 3rd and 17. After getting stuff for -1 yard on 1st down, JJ gets caught running backwards for a 6-yard loss by Marcus Washington. The Skins’ defense holds on 3rd and long after a tipped passed is bobbled and dropped by Lemar Marshall. Rogers and Jimoh generated the pass on a DB blitz.
Having to punt so deep in their territory forces the Cowboys to kick away from ARE. Looking to continuously run the ball costs the Redskins dearly as Clinton Portis is stripped by Roy Williams on a toss play to the left. Nick Novak punts to Terence Newman, and the Cowboys give the ball right back after two ineffective runs and an incomplete pass on 3rd down.
The Cowboys kick right at ARE but he allows the ball to sail over his head and into the-end zone. From the 20, Portis is handed to twice and gets a total of 3 yards. On 3rd and 7, the Skins come out in the shotgun formation. Brunell passes to CP in the flats just as he is yanked to the ground by Spears. It appears as if CP’s momentum would carry him out of bounds, but he wills himself inside the white line as a complacent Ayodele stands and watches. Due to Ayodele assuming he’d go out of bounds, CP is able to run for a 30-yard gain. During the next play, Brunell drops back and moves to his left; Lloyd is doubled, and Moss is in single coverage and toasts Glenn. Moss makes the reception at Dallas’ 18-yard line. With one minute left in the half, the Skins have Moss and Lloyd on the left, and Lloyd is running a slant. Brunell rifles a pass between Ware and Newman to Lloyd for a TD.
14-3 Skins
With 27 seconds left on the clock, the Cowboys go 3 and out after two completions for two 1st downs to Glenn. The Skins force the Cowboys to punt and get the ball with 2 seconds left. Brunell throws a pass to Moss just before getting pummeled ,and Moss draws interference at WAS 47-yard line. The clock reads 00:00, yet the Skins have one more try; however, Brunell fails to connect with Thrash for the TD. The Redskins’ offense is showing that they’re consistently looking to score at any given opportunity.
HALF-TIME
Red hot is the only way to describe the Skins’ offense heading into the half, and they look to keep the ball moving starting the 3rd quarter. It doesn’t seem that the momentum carries over completely as Brunell tosses an interception. The pass is picked off by Glenn on an attempt to Moss at Dallas’ 41-yard line. The interception is Moss’ fault as he allows the defender to step in front of him for the interception. Dallas marches down to the Skins’ 25 due to good misdirection by Julius Jones and Rogers getting continuously beat by Glenn and Romo. For the 3rd time in the game, Dallas goes to their FB to convert a 3rd down. During the next 2nd down, Lemar blitzes and takes down Romo for a loss of 8 yards. On 3rd down, the Skins blitz 3 players: Lemar, Rocky and Marcus come on the blitz, targeting Romo. Marcus Washington gets there first; Romo spins out of it, right into Rocky who throws him to the ground. The Cowboys kick a FG to increase their score to 6.
14-6 Skins
Rock returns the ball to the 23-yard line after a booming kick-off. TJ gets into the game for the 1st time today and gains 6 yards due to a key block by Sellers. CP gets 3 yards to the left as Moss picks up the 1st with a 15-yard strike from Brunell. The drive is stalled by 2 failed passes and the Cowboys winning the battle in the trenches. On 3rd down, Brunell’s pass is batted down by the safety, and it is apparent the defense will need to hold down the fort. Novak punts to Dallas.
Dallas avoids a disastrous play on their possession. Doughty misses a tackle in the backfield during an exchange between Romo and Jones to force a fumble. Taylor kills Jones, removing any possibility of him recovering the fumble. Gurode is too big, and Adam Archuleta can’t get the ball from him as Dallas is ruled with the recovered. Lemar hunkers down behind Andre Carter, allowing Lemar to get his 2nd sack on 3rd down and forcing the Cowboys to punt.
Samuels can’t block Canty, causing Clinton Portis to be tackled in the backfield. Again, Skins go to shotgun, and Brunell passes to CP. Roy Williams commits pass interference, giving the Skins a new set of downs. This is an aggressive drive as the Skins run enough to get 1st downs but consistently go down field to keep the defense honest. Brunell eventually connects with Moss for a 25-yard pass and attempts to score a TD with Lloyd in single coverage. Lloyd’s pass is tipped at the line, but Brunell gets a pass off to Randle El for a 17-yard reception and the score.
21-6 skins
The Redskins continue to blitz but pay for it as the Cowboys have great success running the ball. JJ continues to exploit empty lanes once housed by potential blitzers. It seems as if the wide receivers don’t share the same get-it-done mentality as they short-arm two passes. Both Glenn and Hurd drop passes on 2nd and 3rd down respectively. The dejected Cowboys’ offense trot off the field as they have to punt with 6 minutes left in the game.
Punt
Rock carries the short kick-off from the 16-yard line to the 30. Clinton Portis is prepared to carry the team to victory but gets no help from the rest of the offense. Brunell is almost picked, and Thrash drops the conversion after getting steam-rolled by Newman. The Skins punt, and the Cowboys start at their 42-yard line. Due to poor tackling, Jones gets 8 yards on his 1st run. Glenn catches a pass to move the chains on 2nd down. TO has been largely absent from today’s game, especially considering he’s been a favorite target of Romo prior to today’s game. Springs doesn’t break out of his back pedal as Bledsoe launches a pass to TO running a hook route. The ball is on target, but an eager Springs and lazy route running by TO equals a Redskins’ touchdown as Springs returns it for a TD.
27-6 Skins
With 3 minutes left on the clock, Dallas has punted the ball after going 3 and out. It’s now garbage time, and the future of the Redskins has stepped onto the field. Jason Campbell moves the ball down to midfield allowing the clock to run completely dry. Two seconds are left on the clock when the Skins take a time out. The next play is a bomb thrown to Moss, who is hit in stride but dragged down at the 7 yard line.
The future is here.
27-6 Skins
– Christopher Allen
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Christopher Allen