Joe Gibbs played quarterback Joe Theismann for every
non-garbage time snap of his first 4 1/2 seasons as Washington's coach. Gibbs
started Mark Rypien (except for six games when the quarterback was on injured
reserve) in every game during the last 3 1/2 seasons of his first Redskins
tenure.
That's the kind of
stability the Redskins expected when the Hall of Fame coach returned to the
team last season. Instead, they're getting more of the same. Gibbs' benching
Patrick Ramsey for Mark Brunell after just one game this season is the coach's
second such move in eight games and the Redskins' 13th quarterback change
dating to Week 10 of 2000.
"You bring
stability by playing the position the way you're supposed to, by winning some
games and moving the team," Brunell said.
Ramsey had played
pretty well in 2003, his second season, until breaking his foot in Week 11 at
Miami. He was still recovering from that injury when Gibbs took over the
following January and when the coach traded for Brunell two months later. The
supposedly open competition never really materialized in training camp. Brunell
started the first nine games and didn't lose his job to Ramsey until even Gibbs
couldn't deny how horribly he was playing.
Ramsey completed
62 percent of his passes the rest of the way. Gibbs declared him the starter
for 2005. But Gibbs then traded this year's second- and third-round draft picks
and next year's first-rounder for the right to take Auburn's Jason Campbell
25th overall this April.
And after Ramsey
was picked off four times in preseason and again on his second play in Sunday's
opener against Chicago, the fourth-year quarterback's exit from the game with
an injured neck in the second quarter gave the coach the opening he needed to
re-insert Brunell. The former Jacksonville star led the Redskins to a pair of
field goals in the second quarter and remained in the game even though Ramsey
was recovered in the second half.
Brunell passed for
just 70 yards on his five drives compared to Ramsey's 105 yards on three
series, but the veteran didn't turn the ball over (Ramsey also fumbled twice,
losing one). So now the job belongs to Brunell again.
"Not too many
things surprise me any more," said receiver James Thrash, a nine-year NFL
veteran who has spent six of those seasons inside the special madhouse that is
Redskins Park.
Barring an injury
to the about-to-be 35-year-old Brunell, it's hard to see Ramsey, whose contract
runs through 2006, playing for the Redskins again.
"I don't
agree," Ramsey said of his demotion. "I wanted a chance to play. I
haven't specifically told coach that I want a trade. I'm a Redskin right
now."
But if Brunell,
who looked more like his old athletic Jaguars self this summer having healed
from the badly pulled hamstring that affected him in 2004, plays so badly again
that even Gibbs feels a change is necessary, then the season likely will be far
enough gone that it will be time to see if Campbell can play.
SERIES HISTORY:
89th meeting. Cowboys lead series 54-32-2 including 14 victories in the past 15
meetings and nine straight triumphs in Dallas. The most historic meeting
between the teams was Washington's 26-3 victory over defending champion Dallas
at home in the 1972 NFC Championship Game which sent the Redskins to their first
Super Bowl.
NOTES, QUOTES
--After a poor
preseason, Antonio Brown sealed his exit on Tuesday by setting up Chicago's
only points in the opener when he fumbled the second-half kickoff after a
16-yard return. Although starting receiver Santana Moss is sixth all-time in
punt returns with a 12.0-yard average during his four years with the New York
Jets, the Redskins are replacing Brown with backup receiver James Thrash.
"Any time I
can get out there I'm excited," said Thrash, who replaced the injured Chad Morton as Washington's punt returner in Week 7 of 2004 before giving way to
Brown in Week 14.
Thrash averaged
just 8.1 yards on 20 returns since 2000 and hasn't returned a punt (even in
preseason) since being relieved by Brown. Gibbs said using Moss on punt returns
remains an option, but in a spot situations the way they used Darrell Green
back in the day.
"You want to
use Santana, but it's a heavy load," said Gibbs, who noted that Moss
needed an I.V. at halftime during the opener after suffering from cramps.
After catching
three balls for 81 yards in the first half, Moss caught just one 15-yard pass
in the second half.
--Nick Novak
hasn't kicked in an NFL game, but after playing in three bowl games at
Maryland, the rookie's not worried about the pressure of debuting on
"Monday Night Football" against Dallas. Novak was signed Tuesday
after kicker John Hall pulled a quadriceps against Chicago. Hall could return
for the Oct. 2 game against Seattle.
"It's good to
get out and practice with the snapper and holder and get comfortable with
everything," said the ACC's career scoring leader, who was waived by
Chicago during preseason and hooked on with the Cowboys before being cut.
"It feels like home to be back here (he went to high school in Charlottesville,
Va.). I've been in a lot of big games in college and I've risen to the occasion
so I don't think I'll be nervous. I want to capitalize on this
opportunity."
BY THE NUMBERS:
5 - victories for the Redskins in the 24 games against the Cowboys since Joe
Gibbs retired as Washington's coach after the 1992 season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's
easy to catch a pass, but it's not easy to catch a pass with 11 guys running at
your throat. It's like getting dressed in a phone booth. There's barely
anywhere to go and you've got to make a decision quick." -- Redskins
receiver Santana Moss, the sixth-leading punt returner in NFL history, on the
"adrenaline rush" of the job.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
With kicker John
Hall suffering from a pulled quadriceps, the Redskins tried out four kickers on
Tuesday and signed rookie Nick Novak, the former Maryland star.
To make room for
Novak on the roster, the Redskins cut receiver Antonio Brown, who had a
disappointing preseason and set up the Bears' only points last Sunday by
fumbling the second half kickoff. Brown's departure moves backup running back
Ladell Betts back into a kickoff return role alongside reserve receiver James
Thrash. Thrash becomes the No. 1 punt returner with starting receiver Santana
Moss as the other option.
Receiver Taylor Jacobs, who missed the entire preseason with a sprained left big toe, should
join Thrash as a backup to Moss and David Patten.
Safety Ryan Clark
should return to action after missing two preseason games and the opener with a
sprained left knee. Pierson Prioleau will likely remain the starter ahead of
Clark and Matt Bowen after the Redskins held the Bears to just 166 yards.
PLAYER/PERSONNEL NOTES
--DT Brandon Noble, who was hurt in practice on Sept. 8, had his left knee scoped on
Wednesday and will miss at least four to six weeks.
--SS Ryan Clark,
who missed all last week on Monday after re-spraining his left knee in the
Sept. 1 preseason finale at Baltimore, returned to practice and should play on
Monday.
--OLB Chris Clemons, who missed all last week after straining a hamstring against the
Ravens, returned to practice and should be ready to play in Dallas.
--RB Ladell Betts,
who led the Redskins with a 23-yard average on 23 kickoffs last year, has
regained that spot after Tuesday's release of WR Antonio Brown. WR James Thrash
will share the duty with Betts. Thrash replaces Antonio Brown as the main PR
(see Gameplan).
--K Nick Novak, a
rookie from Maryland who was in camp with Chicago and then Dallas this
preseason, will likely make his NFL debut against the Cowboys. Novak, an
All-ACC choice as a senior, is the conference's all-time leading scorer and
tied for fifth in NCAA history.
GAME PLAN: With their downfield
passing game likely limited by Brunell's relatively weak arm, the Redskins will
probably try to beat the Cowboys with plenty of RBs Clinton Portis and Ladell
Betts while trying to use the speed of WRs Santana Moss and David Patten to
pick up yards after the catch.
Defensively,
Washington won't be able to confuse veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe as it did
Chicago rookie Kyle Orton last week. Assistant head coach Gregg Williams will
try to exploit Cowboys RT Rob Petitti with OLBs Marcus Washington, LaVar Arrington and Chris Clemons, all speedy pass rushers.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Redskins C Casey Rabach vs. Cowboys NT La'Roi Glover. Glover, 31, has more Pro Bowls under his
belt (five) than Rabach, 28, has seasons (four, one of which he was inactive
all year).
Unlike many NTs, Glover succeeds with quickness. Athleticism
is also Rabach's strong suit.
Redskins LDT
Cornelius Griffin vs. Cowboys RG Marco Rivera. Griffin should have made his
first Pro Bowl in 2004 after leading the league in stuffs and the Redskins in
sacks and tackles for losses. Rivera, signed from Green Bay as a free agent,
has been to the past three Pro Bowls. If Rabach-Glover is more of a finesse
matchup, this is more of a one-on-one power battle.
Redskins PR James
Thrash vs. Cowboys punt coverage. Thrash replaced the injured Chad Morton as
Washington's PR in Week 7 last year before being replaced in Week 14 by Antonio
Brown. Thrash averaged just 8.1 yards on his 20 returns since 2000 and hasn't
returned one (even in preseason) since being relieved by Brown, who was cut on
Tuesday. The Cowboys had the NFC's third-worst punt coverage in 2004 and were
27th in the league last weekend.
INJURY IMPACT
--K John Hall, who
was hurt four times in 2004 and finished the year in injured reserve, pulled a
quadriceps on a kickoff in the third quarter this past Sunday against Chicago
and is all but out for Monday's game at Dallas. If Hall can't kick, rookie Nick
Novak will make his NFL debut on Monday Night Football on the road (see player
personnel notes).
--RT Jon Jansen
suffered a small fracture in his left thumb during practice on Sept. 5 and a
similar break in his right thumb against Chicago but will play at Dallas with
casts on both. Jansen, who recovered a fumble against the Bears, said the cast
on his left thumb didn't affect him. Doubling his unwieldiness might even
against Cowboys LDE Kenyon Coleman.
--With RDT Brandon
Noble out, Ryan Boschetti and Cedric Killings will be the backups to Joe
Salave'a. Neither had a tackle against the Bears. Noble's absence will likely
be felt more this week against the Cowboys' strong inside ground game with RB
Julius Jones running behind Gs Larry Allen and Marco Rivera.
