The Washington Redskins couldn't count on a gift from the football gods again this week against an NFC East opponent. This week, not showing up to play cost them a 27-3 drubbing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. It was never close, and it was never in doubt.
Passing:
Can the Redskins passing game even be called a passing game? Mark Brunell finished 16 of 31 for just 132 yards, and his only touchdown pass of the day was to an Eagle, not a Redskin. That interception early in the third quarter was actually the game-ender as it put Philly up by 24 points and quashed any hope of a comeback for the Redskins. The only passing play of any quality on the day was a 43-yard reception by Brandon Lloyd and the quality came in the catch, not the throw.
Redskin fans have been calling for Brunell's job for weeks, some for his head; regardless, the season is tanked and there's no more reasons left to not bring Jason Campbell in for a look.
1 Quarter (For B. Lloyd, not Brunell)
Rushing:
Despite an abysmal day overall for the offense, the running game really wasn't that bad. Clinton Portis went out with a broken hand early and it looked like the Redskins would have to abandon the run. Ladell Betts came in and ran very well though, putting up 83 yards on 20 carries. He ran hard and earned tough yardage up the middle of the field, but struggled some when the Redskins tried to get the ball out to the perimeter.
T.J Duckett also finally got to touch the ball wearing a Redskin uniform. He had a nice 12-yard gain on his first carry, and will now likely see some real playing time with Portis' injury. Both he and Betts are free agents at the end of the season, so the Redskins might be wise to use this opportunity to let both backs make a statement on who should be re-signed.
2 Quarters
Defense:
Do the Redskins have a bigger problem than their secondary? Carlos Rogers had one of his worst outings as a Redskin as Donte' Stallworth continually torched him on his way to a 140-yard day. Sean Taylor may hit like a Mack truck, but right now he's covering like one as well. The defense continues to give up huge plays on crucial downs. The Eagles seemingly marched down the field at will in the first half on Sunday, and by twenty minutes into the game, the Redskins were down 17-0.
The defense continues to play timid, and while many point to personnel changes, the complete lack of aggression would seem to be the biggest difference from the last two seasons.
0 Quarters
Special Teams:
No punt or kick returns of any note, a missed field goal, and the Redskins lost the field position battles at seemingly every turn. What can be said about the special teams other than that they were as uninspired as the rest of the team.
0 Quarters
Up next for the Redskins are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The team's focus should move to evaluating some talent and making some tough decisions now that the playoffs seem an impossibility. Brunell may have been the best option as long as there were playoff hopes, but obviously the Redskins have a lot of holes to fill before 2007 and need to know if quarterback is one of them. Will it be Jason Campbell's first NFL start?
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