Originally the Broncos denied Washington permission to speak to Turner, but they rescinded their denial earlier this week. Likely because it wouldn’t really have mattered anyway, since Turner was given the additional title of assistant head coach, and a sizable raise to back up that promotion.

Turner establish one of the top ground games in the NFL in Denver, and coached six different players to 1,000-plus yard seasons – including Clinton Portis. The other running backs were Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell, Terrell Davis, Reuben Droughns, and Olandis Gary. The Broncos had 11 individual 1,000-yard rushing seasons during Turner’s tenure, including (an NFL-record) four-year streak from 2003-2006 of having different running backs achieve the feat.

A statement issued by Shanahan said that, “Not many coaches can match the success that Bobby has had over the years. He is one of the top coaches in the NFL and, more importantly, a great person. We are excited to have him on the staff here in Washington. He will play a major role in the development of our offense.”

QB- Richard Bartel

TE- Chris Cooley

CB- DeAngelo Hall

DT- Albert Haynesworth

RB- Clinton Portis

G-   Paul Fanaika

LB- Robert Henson

DE- Renaldo Wynn

It Was Over When:
Shaun Suisham kicked a field goal with 1:10 left to play, to go up by 10.

Game Ball:
Levi Jones, who anchored the left side of the line, and looked phenomenal in his debut. Ladell Betts gets to share that ball though.

Key Statistic:
18 carries for 91 yards for Betts in the second half. Check out By The Numbers for all of the interesting statistics.

Game Recaps:

NFL.com
CNNSI.com
Redskins.com
Fox Sports

Highlight Videos at NFL.com

Check out our message board threads from during the game, and the post-game discussions.

Ten Longest Plays for Washington Redskins:
4-20-DEN 35 (6:39) (Field Goal formation) H.Smith pass deep left to M.Sellers for 35 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Field Goal formation switched to Shotgun, direct snap to #3 (Smith)
3-3-DEN 32 (4:37) J.Campbell pass short right to D.Thomas to DEN 5 for 27 yards (T.Law).
3-4-WAS 15 (2:06) (Shotgun) J.Campbell pass deep right to A.Randle El pushed ob at WAS 41 for 26 yards (C.Bailey).
1-10-DEN 29 (8:11) J.Campbell pass short right to F.Davis to DEN 5 for 24 yards (A.Davis).
1-10-DEN 43 (8:06) J.Campbell pass short middle to Q.Ganther to DEN 25 for 18 yards (B.Dawkins).
1-10-DEN 47 (14:24) L.Betts left tackle to DEN 29 for 18 yards (T.Law).
2-9-WAS 35 (15:00) (Shotgun) J.Campbell pass short middle to M.Kelly to DEN 47 for 18 yards (R.Hill).
1-10-WAS 44(9:33) R.Cartwright left end to DEN 39 for 17 yards (B.Dawkins).
2-7-WAS 44 (8:51) J.Campbell scrambles right end to DEN 43 for 13 yards (W.Woodyard).
2-2-WAS 40 (8:33) L.Betts left end to DEN 49 for 11 yards (C.Bailey).

Ten Longest Plays for Denver Broncos:
1-10-DEN 25 (3:46) K.Orton pass deep middle to B.Marshall for 75 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
3-11-WAS 40(12:56) (Shotgun) K.Orton pass deep left to B.Marshall for 40 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
1-10-DEN 33 (14:53) K.Moreno right end to WAS 39 for 28 yards (C.Rogers, A.Carter).
2-20-DEN 29 (11:00) K.Moreno right end to DEN 47 for 18 yards (J.Tryon, R.Doughty).
3-3-DEN 18 (5:15) (Shotgun) K.Orton pass short middle to B.Stokley to DEN 33 for 15 yards (R.Doughty, J.Tryon).
2-10-WAS 47(2:41) (Shotgun) K.Orton pass short right to E.Royal to WAS 34 for 13 yards (D.Hall).
3-9-WAS 33 (1:55) (Shotgun) K.Orton pass short middle to T.Scheffler to WAS 21 for 12 yards (R.Doughty).
2-7-DEN 43 (10:03) K.Moreno left end to WAS 46 for 11 yards (R.Doughty).
1-10-DEN 33 (4:32) K.Moreno up the middle to DEN 43 for 10 yards (R.Doughty, R.McIntosh). WAS-R.Doughty was injured during the play.
1-10-DEN 40 (6:32) K.Orton pass short right to T.Scheffler to DEN 49 for 9 yards (D.Hall).

Noteworthy:
The 27 points by the Redskins was the most that they have scored since week 2 of 2008… Jason Campbell was a perfect 9 of 9 in the second half… Suisham is now 12-for-12 on field goals the season… Broncos failed to capitalize on WR Brandon Marshall catching 40- and 75-yard touchdowns on Denver’s first two possessions…

There will be one big offensive change on Sunday against the Broncos, Levi Jones will be getting his first start at left tackle. Redskin fans seem quick to dismiss this move as futile because Jones failed to catch on with a couple of teams earlier this season, but I don’t see it that way at all. The Redskins need some personnel ‘luck’ with the state of their roster, especially the offensive line, so if Jones can come in and play well, he could prove very ‘lucky’ indeed. In my opinion, Washington need to sign four offensive linemen before the start of 2010, so if Levi plays well, he could turn into one of those players. He really only has to be better than Stephon Heyer to make it worthy of serious consideration.

It isn’t practical to expect the Redskins to get four offensive linemen that can start in one draft, so finding a guy that can come in off the street and play, is a win-win. If Samuels decides to come back, then Jones can be the right tackle, or he can just be Samuels’ back-up. Part of fixing what is broken with the offensive line, is being able to bring in depth that can provide very little drop off in talent.

I’ll be watching Levi all game long to see how he does. While it would be unfair to expect him to put in a Pro Bowl performance, I’ve spent a lot of time watching Heyer struggle the last few weeks, so I won’t have any trouble gauging the relative performances of Heyer and Jones.

On top of struggling, Heyer has been banged up – so hopefully he can get a chance to heal up a little bit. If Jones can stick, it will bring up an interesting scenario; would the Redskins then be better to put Heyer back at right tackle, and move Mike Williams back to guard in place of Will Montgomery? When cohesion is such an important pert of the offensive line, it’s hard to want to play musical chairs all of the time; but would that then actually be the best combination available to the Redskins? Heyer would have to establish that he could play better back on the right, than he has on the left, but Montgomery has struggled as well. Williams has played well at both tackle and guard when you consider how far he has come, but I thought his best game was actually at guard.

It will be interesting to see if the Redskins just sit Heyer down now, or if they continue to tinker with the line-up. While cohesion may be paramount to success, I’d settle for average protection at this point. I wouldn’t hesitate to try the aforementioned line combination – we’re 2-6 and we need to not only play our young guys, but we need to see how our ‘cheap’ options work as well. Guys like Jones and Williams are very worth retaining if you can get them on the cheap – now is the time to see what kind of money is worth throwing at them.

Keep your eye on the left side of the line this week, and see how Levi does. Hopefully the Redskins will get him help from a TE or RB chip, early and often. Let him settle in a bit and shake off some rust. I’d run Betts between Jones and Derrick Dockery on the very first play. Then I’d run a late developing screen to Levi’s side and let him get out in front blocking – that’s how important I think it is that the Redskins give him every opportunity to be successful.

LJ?

Larry Johnson was released by the Kansas City Chiefs this week, and cleared waivers as well, so he is an unrestricted free agent

Redskin fans, who have become accustomed to thinking EVERY free agent will end up here, will spend the entire week going back and forth about why it’s the worst idea on the planet, or why it’s the best idea on the planet.

Personally, I take a flyer on LJ and here are my reasons:

1) It won’t cost anything. Larry’s already been paid his $2.3M this season, so it’s probable that he is going to sign for minimal money – probably even league minimum money – so that he can try and ‘re-establish’ himself as a viable NFL entity.

2) With Clinton Portis and the rest of the Redskin offense struggling – what do they have to lose? There has been a lot of talk lately about how CP may have lost a step and maybe on the downside of his career, so the running back job for 2010 is certainly up in the air.

3) Considering the wealth of personnel moves that Washington has ahead of them, they have to start somewhere, and they have to count on a little bit of luck. Luck in the sense that if the Skins could find a couple of people that other teams have given up on, and give them a shot, then the risk-reward factor could be very favorable. Washington doesn’t have enough good draft picks to land 4 starting offensive linemen, a franchise quarterback, and a stud running back, so some of this new personnel will have to come from free agency. Johnson is a proven performer – even if he hasn’t done it with enough consistency. Sometimes a change is all a player needs to get back on track.

4) Bringing in LJ and him being able to contribute, doesn’t in any way prevent the Redskins from drafting another RB in the 2010 draft or looking to free agency for the need – it just gives them a possible option.

The drawbacks for getting LJ are not lost on me either. He’s had a multitude of off-field transgressions and his production has slipped considerably. He hasn’t exactly established himself as a leader or a team player over his career, so he does still have the potential to put the fun in dysfunctional.

Can the 2009 Redskins actually be any more dysfunctional though?

It is obviously impossible to know ahead of time if things could work out, but it’s difficult for me to see how Johnson could make the offense more inept, or the team, more dysfunctional.

So while I’m not saying for one second that it’s a lock for success, I just don’t see how the possible rewards don’t outweigh the risk factor. To me, there is no risk factor if you sign him to a small contract. If they can do what the Eagles did with Michael Vick and lock him up on a two-year cheap deal, they can let Larry’s play decide his future. If he doesn’t work out, they can cut him at little harm to the cap.

With Portis possibly seeing his last season in the burgundy and gold, to me it’s worth taking a shot.

The Redskins have nothing left to lose.

THN: It was written on the Washington Post’s Redskins Insider blog that Coach Blache said Albert Haynesworth isn’t the reason for your improved performance but you’ve said several times that he makes the people around him better, especially you. Why does what Blache says contradict with what you have said? http://voices.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/jason-reid/a-helping-and-from-haynesworth.html#more

AC: I couldn’t even tell you. I do know that the sacks I have is God’s gift. How I am playing is God’s gift. I have always worked hard and prepared my mind and body for the season. My faith and focus has grown from 2001 as a rookie to 2009 as a vet. Haynsworth has been a great addition but the other men on the field have done their part as well. I have worked with [Cornelius] Griffin, [Brian] Orakpo, [Kedric] Golston, when Haynsworth needed a blow. I thank all my teammates first and foremost.

THN: What, in your opinion, is it going to take to turn this ship around?

AC: Faith and believing that we can get this turned around.

THN: Is the team getting frustrated losing to division opponents (especially on national TV)?

AC: I think the team hates losing period no matter who we play. The division opponents hurt the worse because it puts you in a bind when you are trying to make a playoff run.

THN: How did you spend your bye week?

AC: I spent a lot of quality time with the family. Took my son on the merry go round and took many naps, during the day. I am well rested now.

THN: “Urgency, heart, ‘want-to,’ whatever. I don’t know. We’re lacking a lot of stuff right now. The fans are losing interest. The more games we play, the fewer fans come. It’s getting bad.” That was a quote from Albert Haynesworth by the Associated Press after the Eagles game. Is Albert correct and does he have a point? How does the team find its “want-to”?

AC: It’s about making a choice. We can choose to play hard and win or chose to be inconsistent. It’s the matter of having the want to.

THN: It seems as the defensive line improves and applies more pressure to the quarterback, the secondary gives up more big plays. Do you believe that assessment and if so, what will it take for the defense to come to a happy medium and be able to provide blanket coverage in the secondary to go along with pressuring the quarterback consistently?

AC: I feel as a defense we are getting better. There are many things we need to work on. Tackling, controlling our gaps, etc. One thing we do well is play hard, fast and together. As a defensive line we continue to communicate and focus on stopping the run and rushing the passer.

THN: Is the defense blitzing enough?

AC: Greg Blache makes the call and we go out and play. We haven’t blitzed as much I think due to the success of our four man rush.

THN: Clinton Portis only had 43 yards and was the team’s leading rusher against Philly. What is the reason for his lack of production (for his standards, at least)? Is it because of a decline on his end or the troubles with the offensive line?

AC: I really don’t know. It’s really hard to say.

THN: What do you do to handle the stress of a single loss or even a losing season? What do you do to get your mind right and do you think your teammates are taking to correct measures to appropriately handle the team’s current situation?

AC: My faith, my family and the great men and coaches that I work with gets me through the day. In life, if it’s good or bad, you always have to have a positive perspective.

Matt Teri had some great quotes from Jones today at the Redskins Official Blog:

“Today was a real good day,” Jones told me. “I mean, I feel good about the plays; I’m not worried about gettin’ out there and playin’, I’m just worried about getting’ out there and knowing what TO do. I’ve been starting for seven years, so playing … that’s gonna be second nature to me. But knowing what to do in new schemes, new offense, new technique … well, I got with our center, Casey Rabach, and I’m starting to feel good about that.”

“That’s the funny thing about it, because all the techniques that they’re trying to get me to do now, and everything that they have going on is what I learned in college. My offensive line coach, Dan Cozzetto, learned under the Joe Bugel offensive line system. So all this stuff, I was doing in college and doing … well, doing well enough to be drafted in the first round, you know?

“Health feels great,” he said. ” I mean, surprisingly good. Better than I’ve felt in a LONG time. I’m ready to go.”

The second quote is very interesting. It’d be a great coup for Levi Jones to come in off of the street and play well, and it would be a rare treat to see the Redskins actually catch a personnel break. As I blogged a few days ago, it won’t actually be that difficult to get better play than we’ve seen to date – so it is conceivable (to me) that Jones comes in and works his way on to the starting line-up. If he can pick up on the system quickly, and is in relatively good shape, Washington may have at least found a temporary solution to improve the line a little bit. With Chris Samuels soon to be on injured reserve – the Redskins announced today that they would probably do so during the bye week – the Redskins are desperate for offensive line help.

Now for the bad news – well actually it’s more just the ‘not so good’ news…

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is listed as questionable for Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Big Al sat out practice all week due to a sprained ankle, reports vary today as to whether or not he practiced today, but if he did, it was in a limited capacity. He will be a game-time decision, and a massive loss if he can’t go.

Running back Clinton Portis is also listed as questionable, but will play according to Jim Zorn. Portis has problems with pretty much everything below his right knee – foot, ankle and calf issues.

DeAngelo Hall didn’t practice today either. He has a sore knee, but is expected to play on Monday as well.

THN: Haynesworth apparently left to go to the locker room with about 25 seconds left in the game but he was also the one guy to make his voice heard and try to motivate guys and get them to step their game up after the game. Is that true? If so, why did he leave so early and what did he say?

AC: I didn’t realize he left early and I don’t know why. To be brief, he spoke about having passion and continuing to be the best in this game.

THN: How frustrating is it to put the offense in so many great situations and have very few
results come from them? Have any of the defensive players talked with any of the offensive players about that in private?

AC: The offense is doing all they can. Like I have said before this is a team effort. It’s vital we have each other’s back no matter the circumstances. There has been no finger pointing, bashing, slandering, etc. We have communicated as a whole as far as what must be done. Negativity with team will only bring the team morale down. We have been optimistic and will continue to be on a high note.

THN: The defense seems to have several inspirational leaders such as London, Phillip, Griff and yourself and you guys get VERY fired up for the games. Is there anybody on the offense that plays that role because there seems to be no fire or leadership on that side of the ball. That appears to play a role in the lack of production on the field.

AC: Even though they are injured, Randy Thomas and Chris Samuels have been leaders on the offense. Randle El has been an inspiration to the younger players. The leadership is there, and we know the offense is doing their best to move the ball successfully.

THN: What performance or play stood out to you the most against Kansas City and why?

AC: That’s a tough question. I saw a lot of great plays on three sides of the ball. Fred Smoot made a crazy hit on special teams. Laron Landry had a nice open-field tackle on a receiver and Clinton making that 78-yard run. A lot of people stood out.

THN: It’s safe to say that this is the lowest point of the season. Is the team’s mentality “it can only go up from here”?

AC: We can never say that it will get any worse. If we do then we will never put up a fight. Our faith and desire to play this game is strong. We will turn it around.

THN: The defense has been able to do its job against inferior opponents. Why hasn’t the offense been able to do the same on their end? Why, with all the talent this team has, is the offense struggling the way it has been?

AC: I really don’t know. I wish I had an answer. Watching them and knowing they are trying their best is all we can ask.

THN: You’ve gotten to know the Eagles very well since you’ve played them twice a season for the last three seasons. What is one common theme or pattern you’ve noticed with them?

AC: One thing about the Eagles is they never quit. The defense is very aggressive. They have the old Gregg Williams mentality. They love to blitz at any given down. The offense can put points on with a quickness.

THN: Earlier you said you didn’t know why the fans are booing. Now do you have a better understanding?

AC: I have heard mix reviews. I just hope that we can all come together.

THN: Does the booing really affect the players? Why or why not?

AC: We have to focus on our opponents and win. The rest will take care of itself.

THN: The Eagles certainly have a better offensive line than the Kansas City Chiefs. As was stated before, you know them pretty well by now. What will it take for you and the defense to get to McNabb like you did against Cassel?

AC: Like any game it’s important to study your opponent. Know their strengths and weakness and exploit them. Communication with teammates is vital when it comes to setting up pass rush moves.

Rain pattered against the glass of the enormous windows, and gave the night an even more ominous feel. The only light in the office was coming from the crackling fire in the aforementioned fireplace.

Snyder sat hunched behind his desk occasionally batting the top of one of the small army of Jason Taylor bobble-heads left over from last year disastrous trade.

“You wanted to see me sir?” said Vinny Cerrato as he entered the cavernous office.

“Ah, Vinny,” replied Snyder “how are things going with the XMB-5000”

Snyder swept his hand across his desktop of Jason Taylors and Vinny couldn’t help but feel like each of those little bobble-heads was nodding at him.

“Uh, well sir, as a concept, I’d say it’s pure genius.” Vinny continued “We have designed this computer to scan all the message boards and send in the plays that the fans want to see.”

“Yes, I got that from our last meeting, how is the progress?” Snyder waved his hand across the bobble-heads again and set off another army of toys that seemed to agree with him. This made him smile. “If we can’t use this thing to replace Jim Zorn, and I mean soon, I don’t know what I’m gonna do with that closet of Albert Haynesworth bobble-heads over there. Get a bigger desk I suppose.”

“Well sir,” said Vinny, tempering his words, “It seems to be working.”

“It does?” said Snyder, brightening at the thought of good news.

“Yes sir, but we keep running into the same problem.”

“I’m sure it’s just some technical glitch, we can work that out right?” said Snyder, who seemed to be attempting to hypnotize Vinny by continually making the bobble-heads nod.

“I’m sure your right sir.”

“So, what’s the problem? Does it not understand the plays?”

“Well, no, it seems to know what the fans want alright.”

“Is it the fact that it talks like a Speak-and-Spell?”

“No,” said Vinny, starting to shake his head.

“Is Jason Campbell having trouble understanding it when it calls the play in through his helmet?” said Snyder starting to laugh, “Boy, that’d be ironic, huh? You know for Campbell’s first three years here, I couldn’t even understand him.”

“Heh, heh, well, that would be irony” said Vinny, “but that doesn’t seem to be the problem either.”

“Well what then?” said Snyder starting to grow impatient, “What else could there be? I’ve spent 2.3 billion on R&D, brought in the best scientists money can buy to design the thing, what could possibly be wrong with it.”

“Well sir, I think we under-estimated the response from our ‘fans’ sir.”

“What?” said Snyder, settling back down in his chair, “Oh, you mean they have too many good ideas that it doesn’t know which ones to pick, huh? Yeah, we do have the best fans in the league; certainly the smartest.”

“Well, there were a lot of ideas…” said Cerrato; obviously hesitating, “I’m not sure how many were good.”

“Go on…” said Snyder

“Well, when we first got it all hooked up; Jason began to complain that the computer was recommending he commit suicide.”

“Oh, that’s not good.” said Snyder.

“That’s not the worst of it.” Said Cerrato, “When we reset it and hooked it up again, it took us 20-minutes to get Jason’s hands off Coach Zorn’s neck.”

“Oh, no” said Snyder, burying his head in his hands.

“The machine kinda got away from us at that point,” Vinny continued, “and before we knew it Jason had kicked Clinton in the butt, smacked most of his offensive lineman, and I could be wrong, but I think he was on his way to your office to kill you before we were able to tackle him.”

“Thank God he’s slow” said Snyder

“Agreed,” said Cerrato “It was very ‘Manchurian Candidate’ there for a while.”

“So what do you think Vinny?”

“I’m afraid to hook the thing back up, sir.” said Cerrato, “You know how the fans feel about me.”

Snyder sighed, and with the air of resignation said “Yeah, you’re probably right. Oh well, wouldn’t be the first time I blew a bunch of money on a project that didn’t work, huh?”

No sir.” Said Vinny

“I do have a few ideas though” continued Snyder as he swept up an armful of Jason Taylor bobble-heads and carried them over to the fire. As he began chucking them in one-by-one he looked over his shoulder and asked “Is that guy Shanahan still available?”

Ok, I admit it. The homer in me is thrilled with the result today.

The Redskins got a W. The offense found a little of it’s mojo, albeit not until the second half, with both a rare Redzone touchdown, and an even rarer deep strike for a 59 yard touchdown. The defense played pretty tough, and got the plays when they needed them. They consistently got off the field on third down. Tackling was solid.

Reed Doughty showed why he got the start today. This is an interesting conundrum… Horton has not been playing poorly… it’s just that when Doughty has been in the game, he’s made the most of it. Today, as the starter, he was credited for 11 tackles (10 solo). That’s nearly 17% of the defensive plays today! Again, where the ball was, there was a good chance you could find #37 somewhere near. As a longtime fan of a previous # 37, Pat Fischer, I have to say the he’s doing a nice job of honoring the number.

Despite his limited playing time today, Chris Horton is doing what he can to make the argument that the starting job should be his. He recovered the fumble which sealed the Redskins victory.

Albert Haynesworth got 0 tackles… but he did a wonderful job of disrupting Tampa Bay’s blocking assignments, and contributed to the success our linebackers had in pursuit… ultimately, that is why he is here. He was in on most defensive snaps, and appeared to play like he had something to prove. Good to see.

Kudos also go to Shaun Suisham… he was “Johnny on the Spot” after the late loss of Hunter Smith in punting duties, due to a groin injury. His kickoffs were consistently deep, and his punts, while not works of art, did the job. That blocked PAT was not on him.

Chris Cooley continues to earn his paycheck as Washington‘s clutch receiver. He added 5 receptions (including 1 for a touchdown) today, to bring his season total to 21, for 254 yards. How can you not love this guy?

Clinton Portis gutted out a painful calf injury to get 98 yards on 25 carries (not quite 4 yards/carry). It was a gutsy performance.

The Redskins did not back into the win. They needed to earn it. Good for them.

Did you know that curmudgeons tend to be a tad on the cynical side? It’s true!

I remain very concerned about this offense. It consistently finds a way to play down to the level of the opposition, and allows them to remain in games that should be won by the middle of the 3rd quarter. Today was no different. The offense wasn’t offering much help at all to the Defense in the first half. That was one of the most disappointing performances we’ve seen in a while (ok, it was horrid). The Defense, while not playing “lights out” during the half, played a significant role in keeping the game in arm’s reach. Of course, some help from Tampa Bay’s hapless kicker, Mike Nugent, with 2 missed field goal attempts, didn’t hurt either.

Does anyone know if the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to NFL Cornerbacks with severe hand-eye coordination deficits? Would someone please declare Carlos Rogers to be officially in need of an equalizer?  Is there any player in the league (including offensive linemen) that has worse hands???  This guy needs a league waiver to be authorized to use stickum, and I mean right now. Lets slather him up, ala Lester Hayes, and see what happens. It’s really sad. That missed pick 6 at the end of the first half would have created a very different game (though, I’m sure, the Redskins would have figured out a way to keep the Bucs involved).

The play calling wasn’t quite as scary as it has been, but I don’t think I’d call it satisfactory. A run game that can go right, as well as left, would be nice.

Can anybody tell me why Anthony Aldridge is on the team? We seem to have this habit of panicking and bringing in running backs whom we never use. Is there a plan for him? I wouldn’t mind seeing what he can do.

While I’m on the subject, why is Antwaan Randle-El still returning punts? Sigh.

Finally… 6 first half points in the last 3 games. Is that right???

I can’t wait to see what creative game plan they devise to keep Carolina in the game.

Jeremy Jarmon forced a Clifton Smith fumble with less than a minute to go in the game, and Chris Horton recovered.

The Turning Point…
Jason Campbell and Santana Moss hooking up on a 59-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter; it put the Redskins ahead for the first time in the game.

Game Balls:
Offense – Clinton Portis
Defense – Reed Doughty

Key Statistic:
3 catches for 46 yards (17,12,17) for Chris Cooley, including a 17-yard touchdown reception, on the Redskin drive that got them back into the game at 10-9.

Noteworthy…
Cooley had 65 yards on 5 catches – 3 of them (including a touchdown) on one drive; he could easily be given the game’s offensive game ball… Jason Campbell turned the ball over 4 times himself, with three interceptions and a fumble… Campbell had as many turnovers (two) as he did completions in the first quarter… Justin Tryon had his best NFL game with 3 tackles and an assist, to go along with his first NFL sack… DeAngelo Hall caught his second interception of the season… Bucs kicker Mike Nugent missed two field goal tries in the first half

For some of the game’s interesting numbers and statistics, check out By the Numbers, THN’s 1200th exclusive article in the database.

Other Links:

NFL.com Video highlights of the game

NFL.com Gamebook Official Statistics

Redskins.com Game Overview

ESPN.com Photos

CNNSI Photos