AP: Redskins show some regular-season plays

[1niksder]

Redskins show some regular-season plays

By JOSEPH WHITE
AP SPORTS WRITER

ASHBURN, Va. -- In a way, the Washington Redskins didn't fight fair in their final exhibition game. They blitzed both cornerbacks on the first play and showed other blitzes and formations usually reserved for the regular season.

But momentum and confidence are precious commodities, and the Redskins now have both after an easy shutout win over the Atlanta Falcons.

"I think we showed a little more than normal, but I think it was good for us," safety Matt Bowen said Saturday. "We needed to have a start like that, and for the defense to have that confidence going into the regular season."

A 28-3 loss to St. Louis the week before had coach Joe Gibbs concerned and raised a few doubts whether the returning Hall of Fame coach could pick up where he left off when he retired. Substitute Friday's 27-0 win over the Falcons, and suddenly everyone's feeling much better.

"I think this is the year for the whole shebang," linebacker LaVar Arrington said.

Arrington, back after missing two games with a sprained knee, was a dominant force again. He went unblocked twice on blitzes and forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick took just five snaps in three series.

"They brought some blitzes we didn't expect and we didn't game plan for," Vick said. "They blitzed, and who says you can't blitz in football?"

Upcoming Redskins opponents will study those blitzes carefully, but it won't give them the whole picture. The players say there's plenty more to come from assistant coach Gregg Williams' defense.



"It's a complicated defense," defensive tackle Brendan Noble said. "It's nice not to have shown everything, because then you can go out that first week and maybe surprise some people."

The offense wasn't nearly as creative. Mark Brunell played only one series, leading a 78-yard touchdown drive against a team that, frankly, looked as if it left its real players back in Georgia.

Most of the starters were gone after the first quarter, but that quarter offered many promising signs for the Redskins.

Rookie H-back Chris ey got his first start and did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm he is generating as an apparent third-round bargain. ey evoked comparisons to New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey on one play, breaking away from linebacker Keith Brooking and bowling into safety Cory Hall for a 10-yard reception.

Defensive end Phillip Daniels played his first game of the preseason after missing nearly all of training camp with an abdominal strain. Ladell Betts was sufficiently recovered from his hamstring injury to rush for two touchdowns, solidifying his spot as the primary backup to Clinton Portis.

The starting offensive line played fine without Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas and Jon Jansen. Samuels and Thomas are expected to play in the season opener Sept. 12 against Tampa Bay, while Jansen is out for the year.

Also, middle linebacker Mike Barrow sat out again with tendinitis in his knee. He didn't play a down during the preseason.

Even with eight days to prepare for the Buccaneers, Gibbs had the players report to Redskins Park on Saturday for meetings and a short practice. There's still work to do.

"I don't think we have major issues," Bowen said. "I think we have things to fine-tune. If you have major issues now, you might be in trouble."

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/ ... 20Redskins

[welch]

...and Joe Gibbs hates when the team plays badly. I suspect that he lit a blowtorch under the team this past week: go all out on every play, even if the play is simple vanilla.

[skin_to_the_bone]

...and Joe Gibbs hates when the team plays badly. I suspect that he lit a blowtorch under the team this past week: go all out on every play, even if the play is simple vanilla.

Thats what Coach is all about......"All or Nothing" on every down and every tick of the clock.