Take that, Dallas!
It was Monday Night Football, and the Redskins were playing the Cowboys. For a Redskins fan like myself, it does not get much better than this. The rivalry is ancient, going back decades, and I can remember watching these same games with high anticipation as a kid in front of the TV when I was still trying to figure out all the rules of the game. Actually, this game had more in common than one might think with those ancient days. For one, the coaches were the same. Gibbs was back in DC, and Parcells back in Dallas. Oh, it was just too good.
But things were not going so well. Brunell did not seem confident in the pocket at all, overthrowing or underthrowing his receivers consistently. The offensive line was getting schooled, with Brunell getting sacked and pressured to a far greater degree than his equally aged counterpart Bledsoe. The Cowboys were stuffing the running game, with Clinton getting almost more yards catching than he did rushing (he got held to just over 3 yards per carry). Our defense was doing a great job, but they were a little off their best. Nevertheless, you gotta give them some slack. They can't give us a shutout every game, and due to the ineptitude of the offense they were on the field for the vast majority of the time in 100 degree weather.
It looked as if it was going to be a painful ending, and the Cowboys would win another one, making that 14 of the past 15 games against the 'skins that they would have won. They were leading 13-0 with only a few minutes to go.
And then, in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, a miracle occurred. His name is Santana Moss, our new wide receiver with blazing speed. On 4th down and 15 the Redskins were getting desperate, and Gibbs called a play they had been saving for the end. Moss ran a double fake, and got open and caught an amazing pass from Brunell for a touchdown. Suddenly it was 13-7, and there was hope. And then, 70 seconds later, after another improbable play in which Brunell scrambled for 10 yards, they did it again. Brunnell suddenly looked like the quarterback he used to be back with the Jaguars, chucking a pefect 50 yard pass right over the shoulder of Moss as he outran the coverage with his blazing speed. Did I mention he's fast? :)
And now, amazing as it seems, the Redskins are 2-0. No, they did not play that well overall. No, they did not keep pressure off the quarterback. No, they did not reduce their penalites.
But they won against Dallas, in Dallas. And by gosh, that was worth the entire season right there. It was a thing of beauty. I sincerely hope the Redskins use their bye week to fix their issues, figure out how to get a better running game going, and beat the Seahawks. But even if they don't it's okay. I've already forgiven them.
It was Monday Night Football, and the Redskins were playing the Cowboys. For a Redskins fan like myself, it does not get much better than this. The rivalry is ancient, going back decades, and I can remember watching these same games with high anticipation as a kid in front of the TV when I was still trying to figure out all the rules of the game. Actually, this game had more in common than one might think with those ancient days. For one, the coaches were the same. Gibbs was back in DC, and Parcells back in Dallas. Oh, it was just too good.
But things were not going so well. Brunell did not seem confident in the pocket at all, overthrowing or underthrowing his receivers consistently. The offensive line was getting schooled, with Brunell getting sacked and pressured to a far greater degree than his equally aged counterpart Bledsoe. The Cowboys were stuffing the running game, with Clinton getting almost more yards catching than he did rushing (he got held to just over 3 yards per carry). Our defense was doing a great job, but they were a little off their best. Nevertheless, you gotta give them some slack. They can't give us a shutout every game, and due to the ineptitude of the offense they were on the field for the vast majority of the time in 100 degree weather.
It looked as if it was going to be a painful ending, and the Cowboys would win another one, making that 14 of the past 15 games against the 'skins that they would have won. They were leading 13-0 with only a few minutes to go.
And then, in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, a miracle occurred. His name is Santana Moss, our new wide receiver with blazing speed. On 4th down and 15 the Redskins were getting desperate, and Gibbs called a play they had been saving for the end. Moss ran a double fake, and got open and caught an amazing pass from Brunell for a touchdown. Suddenly it was 13-7, and there was hope. And then, 70 seconds later, after another improbable play in which Brunell scrambled for 10 yards, they did it again. Brunnell suddenly looked like the quarterback he used to be back with the Jaguars, chucking a pefect 50 yard pass right over the shoulder of Moss as he outran the coverage with his blazing speed. Did I mention he's fast? :)
And now, amazing as it seems, the Redskins are 2-0. No, they did not play that well overall. No, they did not keep pressure off the quarterback. No, they did not reduce their penalites.
But they won against Dallas, in Dallas. And by gosh, that was worth the entire season right there. It was a thing of beauty. I sincerely hope the Redskins use their bye week to fix their issues, figure out how to get a better running game going, and beat the Seahawks. But even if they don't it's okay. I've already forgiven them.
posted by slithytoves at 11:49 PM
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