Hot Topic
Like Wile E. Coyote before his inevitable demise,
everything was going smoothly for Washington's offense before last Sunday. But
after the "Massacre in the Meadowlands," a 36-0 whipping by the New York Giants in which they had more turnovers and penalties (nine) than first
downs (seven), the Redskins need some leadership.
Coach Joe Gibbs, who traded for quarterback Mark Brunell
to be his team's leader upon his return to the Redskins in 2004, said the
35-year-old is just the guy for the job as Washington (4-3) prepares for
Sunday's visit by four-time defending NFC East champion Philadelphia (4-3). A
victory and the Redskins are back in the thick of the division race. A loss
and they've got the basement to themselves heading to Tampa Bay.
"Mark's a born leader," Gibbs said. "He
has a lot of confidence. He has been there, done that. He's been in really
tough situations. All of those reasons instill confidence in those around him.
(But) none of us are going to be able to talk a team into believing in
something. The quarterback (position) - I don't care about personality or
anything else - comes down to production. Can you play?"
After playing so poorly in 2004 that he was benched in
Week 9 and his career appeared to be over, Brunell had experienced an amazing
renaissance prior to last week's debacle. From his first touchdown pass to
Santana Moss with 3:46 remaining in his first start of the year on Sept. 19 at
Dallas through the Oct. 23 rout of San Francisco, Brunell completed 91 of 153
passes for 1,250 yards with 12 touchdowns and one interception.
"The way Mark plays inspires other guys, the way he
takes some tough shots and still makes those throws," 20th-year offensive
lineman Ray Brown said. "Guys feed off of that."
The NFC's leading passer prior to last week, Brunell had
never played better, not even during his three Pro Bowl years. But after
passing for just 65 yards - while being victimized by several drops - before
being relieved by Patrick Ramsey with 16:07 left at New York, Brunell needs to
show Sunday that last week was a bump in the road, not the opening of a canyon
that will send the offense tumbling back to the oblivion of 2004.
Moss said Brunell didn't change as the offense crumbled,
staying calm and not panicking
"If Mark had been uptight, it probably would have
been worse," Moss said.
"You're not thinking about cracking jokes when
you're just trying to complete a pass," Brunell said. "(But) we try
to keep it light. This is a game. I have the best job in the world. I get to
go out with 10 other guys and test myself against a defense. I'm going to make
sure we have fun doing it. I guess that's (leadership) to a degree. Whatever
your team needs, hopefully as a quarterback, you can meet."
Quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, who previously worked
with Brunell in Jacksonville, said he's "very steady and focused. That's
why he's had the success he's had over the years."
Typically, Brunell wasn't fazed by the blowout,
especially since it came on the heels of five straight strong performances.
"We've done some very good things," Brunell
said. "We've scored points. We've moved the ball. We've had big plays.
We're a good team that had a real bad day. We're not going to start worrying
about 'What if?' and 'If we don't do this, then what?' You can't play like
that. The hard part is that you can't do anything about it until Sunday night.
"
SERIES HISTORY - The Redskins lead the series 74-62-5,
including a 20-6 playoff victory at Veterans Stadium in 1990 that was the last
game for blowhard Buddy Ryan - whom Joe Gibbs couldn't stand - as coach of the
Eagles. The most memorable meeting was Philadelphia's 28-14 victory two months
earlier, in which Ryan's aggressive defense knocked Washington quarterbacks
Jeff Rutledge and Stan Humphries out of the game, forcing Gibbs to play rookie
backup running back Brian Mitchell, a college option quarterback, at the spot.
"The Body Bag Game" as it came to be known after the boasting of
Ryan and Co., made the playoff triumph that much sweeter for the usually
mild-mannered Gibbs.
Notes
and Quotes
--LB LaVar Arrington's re-emergence could culminate with
a start against Philadelphia. After
playing sparingly the first three games and not at all on defense at Denver or
Kansas City, the three-time Pro Bowl pick had seven solo tackles in the Oct.
23 rout of San Francisco and played nearly 50 snaps last Sunday.
In the first half, Arrington played primarily when the
Redskins used a 3-4 alignment but he played almost the entire second half at
outside linebacker in the 4-3 package, replacing Warrick Holdman.
While the defensive playing time is in the hands of
assistant head coach Gregg Williams - who only speaks to the media on
Thursdays - coach Joe Gibbs said that Arrington had a good day during
Wednesday's practice and "is in a lot of the stuff that we're
doing."
That includes snaps at defensive end in passing
situations.
"I'm working to get better, I'll let the coaches
worry about (who starts)," Arrington said. "I just want to be ready
if my number is called."
--While Washington's defense has already lost six starts
to injuries - all in the secondary - and figures to add that total against
Philadelphia, the offense has been remarkably healthy. If left tackle Chris Samuels can overcome his sprained knee to start on Sunday, the Redskins will
have reached midseason without losing a start on offense to injury.
BY THE NUMBERS
5 and 7: The Redskins have lost five straight games to
the NFC East rival Eagles in Washington and seven in a row to them overall.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Mark's one of the funniest guys in the huddle. I
never played with a guy (before) who's making jokes in the middle of the game.
You're looking around like, 'C'mon!' You're laughing. That's letting you know
you've got a guy who's having fun with this game. Mark knows that we're
prepared and going out there and making those plays for him. I guess we're
giving him that confidence in the huddle." - Redskins WR Santana Moss on
QB Mark Brunell.
Player
Notes
--LDT Cornelius Griffin didn't practice Wednesday because
of a hip flexor injury that sent him to the sideline after two snaps last
Sunday. Griffin is questionable for Sunday.
--RDT Joe Salave'a didn't practice Wednesday because of
the plantar fasciitis in his right foot that sent him to the sideline in the
second half last Sunday. Salave'a is questionable for Sunday.
--RDE Phillip Daniels didn't practice on Wednesday
because of the sprained ankle he suffered last Sunday. Daniels is probable for
Sunday.
--LT Chris Samuels didn't practice on Wednesday because
of the sprained right knee that sent him to the sideline in the second half
last Sunday. Samuels is probable for Sunday.
--TE Robert Royal didn't practice on Wednesday because of
a strained calf he suffered last Sunday against the New York Giants.
GAME PLAN
Offensively, the Redskins will try, as usual, to have
Santana Moss spark the attack. If the Eagles repeat the Giants' success in
controlling Moss, Brunell will look more for H-back Chris Cooley. And after
the running game was a nonfactor in New York, Gibbs will want re-establish
Clinton Portis against the Eagles' 21st-ranked run defense.
Defensively, the Redskins are praying that they can
assemble a semblance of a front four with Cornelius Griffin, Joe Salave'a and
Phillip Daniels all ailing. While Terrell Owens' likely absence makes blitzing
more tempting, the Redskins would like to keep Eagles QB Donovan McNabb in the
pocket because he's so effective on the move. At the same time, they don't
want to let running back Brian Westbrook kill them underneath.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Redskins RT Jon Jansen vs. Eagles LDE Jevon Kearse: After
missing all last year with a torn Achilles' tendon, Jansen has played all
season with one or two broken thumbs. Like the entire Redskins team, Jansen
struggled last week. Kearse, who's having a down year with just three sacks,
is questionable after spraining his right shoulder last week at Denver. Kearse
didn't practice on Wednesday.
Redskins WR Santana Moss vs. Eagles CB Lito Sheppard:
Moss had been burning up the league until being held to four catches for 34
yards in last week's debacle in New York.
Sheppard, who went to his first Pro Bowl in 2004, is the No. 1 corner
for a secondary that was considered the NFL's best last year. However, the
Eagles rank 25th in pass defense and gave up six completions of at least 20
yards in last week's one-sided defeat at Denver.
Redskins FS Sean Taylor vs. Eagles QB Donovan McNabb: If
standout WR Terrell Owens - who's listed as doubtful - doesn't play, there
will be even more pressure on McNabb to make plays. McNabb doesn't run nearly
as frequently as he once did, but the swift and hard-hitting Taylor could well
have the main responsibility to make sure that No. 5 doesn't kill the Redskins
with his feet either by rolling out or running.
INJURY IMPACT
If Griffin can't play, either Ryan Boschetti would make
his second career start or Cedric Killings would make his second career start,
his first since 2000. If Salave'a and Griffin both can't play, Boschetti and
Killings would start with undrafted rookie Aki Jones the lone backup. DEs
Renaldo Wynn and Demetric Evans would pinch-hit inside, but Evans is first in
line to start if Daniels can't. If Griffin, Salave'a and Daniels are all out,
Evans would make his first start of the year with Nic Clemons, who has played
in one career game, the lone backup outside other than pass-rushing
linebackers LaVar Arrington and Chris Clemons.
If Samuels can't play, 42-year-old Ray Brown would make
his first start at left tackle since December 1994.
