First quarter
From a packed and rowdy FedEx Field, Derrick Frost kicks
off to start the season. Frost gets off a knuckleball that bounces into the end
zone. It will count as a touchback just like a boomer that went through the end
zone on the fly.
On a second and eight play the Vikings tried to cross the
Skins up with a run up the middle. It was nothing doing for Cornelius Griffin,
who stuffed his blocker into the backfield and almost tacked the ball carrier by
reaching around him.
Brad Johnson is having a rather leisurely time standing
back there and throwing the ball. Gregg Williams is laying off on the blitz, for
now. That won’t be the case for long.
Hutchinson and McKinnie certainly earned their sizable
paychecks on that opening drive. They collapsed Andre Carter and Joe Salave’a
on a few occasions, including
Taylor
’s TD run. That doesn’t happen to Salave’a often.
A missed extra point always comes back to haunt you.
An old friend gets the new offense off to a great start.
The slip screen to Moss works for 23 on the first snap. I guess he wanted to get
it out of the way. He won’t be calling again until October if his pattern of
not calling the same play twice in four games sticks.
Brunell may have lost a bit in terms of speed, but he sure
knows where to go. That run for a first down on second and six was perfect. He
knew exactly where to go.
I’m not sure that it was a good idea to switch to Portis
when they got near the goal line. It seemed like there was a conscious effort to
get the ball to him and the drive fizzled. Portis is certainly a bit rusty and
maybe the time to start to get him involved was closer to midfield
Chester Taylor is running well. He just got by Carlos Rogers for a gain of five and Rogers is one of the better tackling CB’s
you’ll find.
First quarter scoring:
Taylor
4 run (attempt failed)—Vikings 6, Redskins 0
FG Hall 27—Vikings 6, Redskins 3
Second quarter
Taylor
almost hit Wiggins too hard when he knocked the ball free from him there. The
Redskins had no chance of recovering the fumble since it got out of bounds with
such high velocity.
Thank you, Troy Williamson. That was six points that he
dropped.
Chris Samuels cost the Redskins a nice gain on a first-down
play. He was flat footed as Erasmus James blew by him on what was to be a quick
pass to Cooley. The TE was open and had some running room, but James was in
Brunell’s face almost immediately.
Right after that we saw why the Redskins need Portis in the
lineup. Betts made a nice attempt at pass blocking, but he got knocked backwards
and Brunell didn’t have a chance to get off a long pass to Randle El.
OK, it’s third and 18. Does Williams bring the house or
does he continue to play it safe?
There was a little pressure, but Johnson overthrew an open
receiver.
Maybe that block by
Rogers
is what the Redskins need to get a kick start. They sure don’t come any
better than that. Slobberknocker, de-cleated, knocked him into next week stuff,
crowd gasps in unison stuff there.
You know it’s a good play call when your guard pulling
out to be the lead blocker doesn’t have anyone to make contact with until
he’s about 20 yards downfield.
It took Clinton Portis until well into October to score his
first touchdown last year. It took him just about 22 minutes this year. Mike Sellers is a heck of a fullback.
Maybe that block by
Rogers
was what the Redskins were looking for. They get the touchdown and then follow
it up with a three and out defensively.
Some day the Redskins are going to pump and go on the slip
screen to Moss and he’ll be open from here to the Beltway. The Vikings are
jumping that hard now.
Another three and out by the Vikings. That left side of the
O-line isn’t getting quite the push it was earlier in the game. The Skins
might be cheating that way a little bit.
The kickoff coverage continues to suffer. Williamson just
ran around it for a good gain that gives the Vikings good field position.
I’m not sure how a ball that comes within inches of a
potential interceptor’s arm can be called uncatchable, but that call just cost
the Redskins three points
Second Quarter Scoring
Portis 5 run (Hall kick)—Redskins 10, Vikings 6
FG Hall 27—Redskins 13, Vikings 6
FG Longwell 46—Redskins 13, Vikings 9
Third Quarter
No catches for Cooley or Lloyd in the first half. That
needs to change if the Redskins are to develop any breathing room or maybe even
if they are going to win the game.
Washington
’s nickel and dime defense was atrocious on
Minnesota
’s opening drive of the half. Three third down conversions, including the
touchdown, all on third and seven or more yards to go. And one of them to Billy McMullen.
I thought it was kind of odd that they didn’t employ
Duckett in for second and goal at the four. That would seem to be the situation
that you brought him in for.
Another third-down conversion for the Vikes, although this
one was on third and short. Williams needs to find an answer for that and fast.
Third Quarter Scoring
M. Robinson 20 pass from Johnson (Longwell kick)—Vikings
16, Redskins 13
FG Hall 22—Redskins 16, Vikings 16
Fourth Quarter
For a coach who has been playing it pretty close to the
vest all night, it was rather off of Brad Childress to call for a 54-yard field
goal attempt. Longwell’s a good kicker and that’s in his range, but it’s
still not much better than 50-50 for him. We’ll see if his defense can hold
the Redskins so they can’t take advantage of the field position.
Derrick Frost does get the bounces and rolls, doesn’t he?
Again, bad third down defense by the Redskins on the
completion to Travis Taylor. They still haven’t solved it and now it has the
potential to cost them the game.
Time to stop being cute on offense. Power run and long
passes is what is needed when there are 80 yards to go with
7:36
left in a tie game.
Slants, sweeps, swing passes all add up to four plays and
out. The defense has to come out on the field again.
Third and long, the killer down for the Redskins again.
Thirteen plus a face mask. That one may cost them the game unless they can come
up with a turnover.
The Redskins aren’t tackling, they’re getting
physically whipped.
Brunell is on the sideline just trying to stay loose.
Minnesota
’s eating up a lot of time here and if Brunell gets a shot to tie or win it he
won’t have much time to get it done.
That was a good Viking drive against a tired
Washington
defense.
48 yard field goal to tie is no good. I don't think that a
person in the stadium really thought that Hall would make that kick.
Fourth Quarter scoring
FG Longwell 31
Final: Vikings 19, Redskins 13