Redskins at Giants: Zorn Again, Again

Washington Redskins at New York Giants
4:15 pm Giants Stadium
Year two of the Jim Zorn era begins for the Washington Redskins. Like most seasons under the Dan Snyder regime, it begins with plenty of change and question marks, but with heightened expectations. There are many around the nation saying that this team will only win four or five games. Most of those people look at the Giants, Eagles and Cowboys and automatically put the Redskins in last. 4-12 or 5-11 won’t happen. It just won’t. There is too much talent on both sides of the ball. Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, Santana Moss, Albert Haynesworth, London Fletcher, Brian Orakpo, Laron Landry, etc… These players aren’t garbage. These are players that any team would want. Look at the other teams that should win only four to five games and you won’t see talent like that.

However, to assume that the Redskins are destined for a 12-4 season is also foolish. The offensive line is a huge question mark. The starters are good, but if anyone gets hurt, there are few if any capable backups. Orakpo and Rocky McIntosh look good on paper, but can the two help Fletcher at linebacker on the field? Who will step up as the team’s second wide receiver? And of course, there is the question at quarterback.

Jason Campbell is back, despite the efforts of many in the front office, as the starter. This really isn’t the biggest question mark on the team, but it is the one that’s naturally focused on. I personally think that in his second season in the same system (the first time that’s ever happened in his career), and with a contract year coming up, we’ll see big things from Campbell. But that’s assuming that he’s allowed to have a good season. I’m not talking about bad playing calling from Zorn. I’m not talking about meddling from the front office. I’m talking about the five guys who line up in front of him.

The big question remains the offensive line. When they were healthy, the Redskins went 6-2 last year. After Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas got hurt against the Steelers, they went 2-6. Most of what happened in the second half of last season had very little to do with Campbell. There were plenty of times last season that Campbell lined up with only two of his five starting offensive linemen on the field. If this line is healthy, they are old, but still talented enough to give Campbell time, Portis running room, and the offense a fighting chance. If they are injured, then the Redskins are in big trouble. But not in any more trouble that any other team would injuries would have.

Which brings me to my second question mark about this team: depth. The Redskins have very little of it on the line or just about anywhere else. The defensive line is overhauled (more on that in a second) and deep and the secondary is loaded. But depth is a serious problem at every other position. If the Redskins somehow struggle to a 5-11 season, it will be because of injuries and lack of depth. Not because of Campbell’s performance.

Those are the two big question marks I have. Let’s focus on the positives now. Clinton Portis still has one more great season left in him. Cooley is now among elite tight ends. The additions of Haynesworth and Orakpo completely change the complexion of what the defense can do. If Greg Blache actually blitzes this season, the Skins should easily be in the top tier of NFL defenses. He has no excuses not to. He has a monster in Orakpo, a space-eater in Haynesworth, and a bunch of other solid players who will find themselves in one-on-one situations because of the previously mentioned. Fletcher will have another 100+ tackle season. The secondary, assuming Carlos Rogers has learned to catch a football in the offseason, can hold their own. Hunter Smith helps with the punting game. The Redskins season comes down to the offensive line. If they hold, this is a ten win team. If they struggle, the Skins will probably win seven.

There are so many nuances that I would have loved to talk about this week, but thanks to my computer dying and just getting it back less than 24 hours before game time, I’ll have to spread them out through the month of September. Instead, I’ll just focus on the game at hand.

The NFL, in their infinite wisdom, scheduled the Redskins for a season opener in the lovely Jersey swamps for the second season in a row. This should not have been allowed to happen. First of all, I’ve long said that there should be no division games Week 1. You can't have some teams playing crucial division matchups while other teams play against the other conference in the first week of the year. And to force the Redskins to open up in the division and on the road two years in a row boarders on cruelty and favoritism towards New York. Not that there has been anything like that in recent years (like giving the Giants nine home games…just doesn’t happen).

While the Giants defense gets Osi Umenyiora back after an ACL injury ended his season early in 2008, they’ve basically lost their entire receiving corps and Derrick Ward on the offensive side. Eli Manning has never been the most accurate quarterback, and that was when he was throwing to Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Jeremy Shockey. Now he has such standouts as Hakeem Nicks, Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith (not that Steve Smith) to throw to. I can’t imagine he will be any better.

It will also be interesting to see what happens to the vaunted Giants running game without Ward as a change of pace back. Ahmed Bradshaw, despite being ballyhooed in the media, is nothing more than a short yardage and goal line back. Brandon Jacobs is a great runner, but has never really had to carry the load himself. I’m not so sure he can carry it for an entire season.

However, despite the possible problems, the Giants are strong on both the offensive and defensive line. In this league, that’s important. That’s why I see them winning the NFC East and probably making the Super Bowl. But in the NFC East, anything can happen because of the strength of all four teams. However, the Giants have the best combined offensive and defensive line, so that puts them in the driver seat at this point.

The 2009 Redskins defense was built to create more pass rush, but ironically, was probably built to stop the run even more. The Giants are a run first team. If the Skins have more luck stopping Jacobs this season than they did last year, they can win this game. If I’m Tom Coughlin, other than wondering how I still have a NFL job, I’m worried about having to throw Manning to the wolves with untested receivers in fourth quarters of ballgames. The Redskins have to put eight in the box, stop Jacobs, and take their chances with Manning and the unproven wideouts.

Offensively, there’s a good chance that Campbell looks terrible and all the critics that have been in hiding since the preseason game against New England come back to the forefront. If he stinks it up tomorrow, I wouldn’t be shocked or concerned. The Giants defense is good. More than that, they are great. If Campbell has a 13-28, 170 yards, INT stat line, don’t be worried. He wouldn’t be the first quarterback to do that against the Giants. Portis must get going early, and Campbell needs to complete some short passes for his confidence. Hopefully the Redskins offense can take advantage of some Manning mistakes and score with a short field. If the defense can’t force turnovers, this will be a close and low-scoring game. If they do, then forget that 6.5 line in favor of the Giants.

The best news for the Skins is that they get this game out of the way early in the season. They don’t have to worry about going to Meadowlands late in the year with something on the line. They get it out of the way and then get to move on to three teams that will probably finish last in their divisions (Rams, Lions, Bucs). A win here is an absolute steal, and may signify bigger things to come.