Redskins Already Having Identity Crisis

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- After spending an off-season indulging in possible replacements for quarterback Jason Campbell, the Washington Redskins exhausted much of their season opener in a less-is-more offensive mode with Campbell that proved to be, well, less.

This style just won't cut it.

Maybe the Redskins realize this after their dud 23-17 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday at Giants Stadium.

I saw a quarterback on a tight leash who when given the spotty chances to air it out looked awkward.

The Redskins' first pass play of the game was not awarded to Campbell but was given to a receiver (Antwan Randle El) on a reverse play that resulted in an 11-yard sack.

Campbell threw the ball only twice in the Redskins' first seven offensive plays.

The stunner was a third-and-8 play from the Washington 33 with 4:22 left in the third quarter. Washington ran Ladell Betts for a 2-yard loss though it trailed 17-7.

You simply won't find many NFL teams in that situation doing that.

And it was after a Washington timeout. Now, that's brainstorming.

And if coach Jim Zorn called it, shame on Zorn. If Campbell audibled it, shame on Campbell.

Really, plenty of shame to go around in this Redskins offensive performance.

Their only first-half points were gained on a fourth-down, fake field-goal run of 8 yards by punter Hunter Smith.

The Redskins let the Giants dictate the outside game with bracket coverage on receiver Santana Moss and were content with over the middle, short stuff. Chipping here, chipping there, does not work in the NFL when you do not have a Red Zone offense that capitalizes nor the run game to overwhelm nor the defense to dominate.

"I think one thing that happens in the NFL in every game is teams try to make you do what they want you to do,'' Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. "You can either comply or still do what you want to do. And that goes for any offense, any defense.''


That goes for the Redskins.

One game in and they are in identity-crisis mode.

Attack? Or be attacked?

Moss got into a silly pushing and shoving match with Giants cornerback Corey Webster and then a few plays later on a Campbell pass thrown down the sidelines let Webster win the more important jostle. Result: Webster interception. None of the Redskins receivers made plays like the Giants receiver Mario Manningham's determined catch and run of 30 yards where he broke three tackles or Steve Smith's third-and-5 belligerent, takeaway catch from Hall of 26 yards that led to a fourth-quarter field goal. The Giants made three catches of 26 or more yards; the Redskins made one.

Campbell said the few chances early for the entire offense "made it difficult to get into a rhythm.''

A Giants coach saw something else, emphasizing: "I think Campbell was feeling the pressure from the defense. It was hot back there. It think his best wide receivers are getting up there a little in age and the younger ones aren't growing up fast enough. I think people always want to judge the quarterback but I say look at the supporting cast.''

An NFL scout who analyzed the game concluded: "They definitely were protecting him [Campbell] tonight. They were careful. The Giants took the outside away from him. He's a good inside thrower. He can make some plays on the move. I just think you have to unleash him more -- early.''

The Redskins unleashed him late, down 23-10 with a tad over 3 minutes to play. Against a defense playing in unfastened, protection mode, Campbell completed passes of 8, 11, 4, 16, and 17 yards (the final one a score to tight end Chris Cooley) for the game's final points.

He needs his receivers to do more.

He must do more downfield.

He needs a plan that utilizes his big arm.

And one that gives him mountains more of trust and confidence.

Before meeting another NFC East opponent (the Eagles on Oct. 26), the Redskins play the Rams, Lions, Buccaneers, Panthers and Chiefs.

That is a get-well schedule to fix this problem -- if the Redskins get it.

SEYMOUR SEES HIS WAY TO OAKLAND: What a comical and confusing route former New England defensive end Richard Seymour took to the Raiders. He was traded, was confused over it, mulled it over, talked it over, finally hopped on a plane to the Bay Area and says he is ready to play against San Diego on Monday night.

The Patriots say the initial confusion was all about dollars.

Dollars that Seymour says he was promised. Dollars the Patriots deny.

Give the Raiders credit for their extra wooing. They helped romance Seymour to Oakland with private visits and personal phone chats and a promise of future dollars if he holds his end of the bargain on the field.

And give Patriots coach Bill Belichick this: He cost the franchise a 2008 first-round draft pick due to Spygate. By trading Seymour, he found a way to get a first-round draft pick back in tow for 2011. I doubt this is lost on Belichick, sort of re-paying the franchise by creating a future draft makeover for his mistakes.

The Raiders believe that with Seymour at one end and Greg Ellis at the other, they can be formidable up front. They say Seymour has been practicing in Patriots camp all year, is in shape and they can simply roll him out there against San Diego and be a better defense.

It is a tasty subplot to an engaging divisional-rivalry game with a sellout crowd anxious to see a Seymour instant impact in the Black Hole.

FREE KICKS: It does not always go this way, but Drew Brees showed that the equivalent of an exquisite run-and-shoot, fast-break offense (Saints) vs. a porous defense (Lions) can lead to exactly what was expected: Six Brees touchdown passes and 358 passing yards in a rout. "A lot of opportunities out there,'' Brees said. And he kept talking about the ones he missed. Sometimes in the NFL, the truth is cruel. ... Ask the Bengals. A prevent defense that could not prevent an 87-yard, deflected pass, game-winning touchdown in the final seconds. Said one NFL coach: "You play everybody back, you let the guy catch the ball and you tackle him. Then Bengals, obviously, didn't do that.'' ... Only one week in and NFL executive eyes are wondering if these veteran quarterbacks have hit a final wall in their careers: Miami's Chad Pennington, Carolina's Jake Delhomme and Houston's Matt Schaub. ... Several NFL personnel executives tell me that Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson is far better than most graded him in the 2008 draft and that he is a player to be feared this season. ... And that San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary is apparently, successfully changing the "guts'' of the 49ers, who shocked Arizona in its "own backyard,'' as Singletary described it. ... Two players stood out to NFL personnel gurus on Sunday: Running back Ray Rice in Baltimore, "a good player who looks like he can be a really good player,'' and tight end Tony Gonzalez in Atlanta "who could be the last piece for them, a guy who can be everything they want him to be.'' The two teams that only recently fired and replaced their offensive coordinators (Tampa Bay and Kansas City) struggled and flopped, proving "better late than never'' did not work for opening day.