Redskins at Cowboys: New Stadium, Same Old Team

Washington Redskins (3-6) vs. Dallas Cowboys (6-3)
1:00 p.m. Cowboys Stadium
Hey, a win! How about that sports fans! Makes it a little easier to write about the Redskins. They’re still bad, but they aren’t 2-7 bad. I guess there’s a difference. I don’t know. Anyway, the Redskins won the game by doing exactly what they should have been doing since Week 1…RUNNING THE FOOTBALL. Everyone knew coming into the season that the strength of the offense was the run game. Despite what you may or may not have thought of Jason Campbell back in August, you’d be crazy to think that he was the offense’s best player. It made even more sense to run the ball after the entire offensive line got hurt or proved they didn’t belong in the NFL.

Many have said that the Redskins simply couldn’t run behind that line. Since that time, the Redskins have proven two things. First, they certainly can’t throw the ball behind that line. And second, turns out they can run behind a makeshift offensive line. It may not always be pretty. There may be many drives where the run game goes nowhere. They still can’t run a stretch play to save their lives (which is probably for the best since hopefully that play will disappear from the playbook). But they can run the ball, they can move the ball downfield, and they can drive and score against a pretty good defense. There are only a handful of defenses that are better than Denver’s at this point. So there is no reason the Redskins can’t do that against the majority of teams.

Even in a win – double-digit win no less – there is still a bonehead of the week award to hand out. Carlos Rogers, come on down. If you missed his mistake, and it happened so early in the game there’s a great chance you did, here’s the recap. Denver has a 3rd-and-12 at the Redskins 40. Rogers is guarding Brandon Marshall. He gives Marshall a 10-yard cushion. While this kind of cushion always drives me nuts (it opens you to slant patterns and long runs, which has been a Broncos staple this season), I could understand it given the 3rd-and-long situation. The ball is snapped, and Rogers instantly backpedals another 5 yards. Which means he’s at the Redskins 25-yard line. Despite the 15-yard cushion, Rogers is not only completely fooled by a half-assed double move (one that Marshall threw at him thinking there was probably no chance he’d be tricked by it), he was beaten by a good 10-15 yards on the play. He was beaten so badly, I thought he must have pulled his hamstring or calf muscle. Turns out he was just embarrassed by a double move that probably wouldn’t have fooled 99% of corners in the league. This mistake comes a few weeks after getting burned by Desean Jackson in a nearly identical situation (3rd-and-long, ball near midfield, large cushion, etc…).

Furthermore, this is the same Brandon Marshall who made the Pro Bowl last season. The same guy that the Redskins assuredly game-planned for the entire week leading up to Sunday. So it’s not as if it was any surprise the Broncos would try to go to him in key situations. Getting burned by Marshall isn’t the problem; it was how he got burned. Compounded with an identical mistake a few weeks ago, the errors become unforgivable.

So Jim Zorn does what most rational coaches would do. He benches Rogers. Now Rogers, like most athletes, was and should have been frustrated. It’s certainly not easily to be embarrassed like that, then benched, in front of 85,000 people and several thousand more watching on TV. But to go on a rant following the game, a game which his team won, is completely foolish and selfish. Saying that he’s probably going to walk after the season because he’s a free agent…well Carlos, don’t let the door hit you on the way out. I’m not sure how many teams are going to be clamoring to sign a cornerback who has proven over and over again that he can’t defend the deep ball. The Redskins defense surrendered seven points in the four plays that Rogers was on the field for. In the ensuing four quarters, the Redskins defense only allowed ten. There aren’t going to be too many Redskins fans or players that will miss you. Of all the problems the Redskins could be facing this offseason, re-signing Carlos Rogers is somewhere near the bottom of the list.

What have I forgotten? Oh, the Cowboys! Silly me. The Skins get their first look at Jerry Jones’ $1 billion mistake of a stadium and the $100 million mistake on the field. The Cowboys check in at 6-3 and they are in first place in the NFC East. But the weather is getting colder, so this is usually where the Cowboys season starts taking a nose dive. Dallas has not had a winning record in December since 1996, and with their schedule this season (at Giants, Chargers, at Saints, at Redskins, Eagles), it doesn’t look like 2009 will be the year. That’s at least three more losses in that stretch. They already began the process of tanking when they went to Green Bay last week and allowed the Packers, the same Packers team that allowed the Buccaneers to score 38 a week before, to hold them scoreless for the first 59 minutes and 30 seconds of the game. Given their schedule, their history, and their annual chemistry problems, the Cowboys will not be any better than 10-6. 9-7 may be more likely. They certainly aren’t winning in the Meadowlands or in New Orleans. They certainly aren’t winning both home games against San Diego and Philly. That leaves two games against the Redskins and the Thanksgiving game against Oakland. Chances are the Redskins split with them. The Skins have done very well against this team during the past five seasons, especially in Dallas. Again, I’m going to stick with my 9-7 prediction.

The Cowboys of 2009 have many of the same problems that the Cowboys of 2008 did. Tony Romo is all over the map, and it isn’t even December yet. You never know if you are getting four touchdowns, four interceptions, or both out of him when he steps on the field. He’s still feuding with a receiver, except it’s Roy Williams this season instead of Terrell Owens. The running game remains the team’s strength, but the Cowboys often ignore it. Jason Witten remains the best target to throw to, but he’s usually Romo’s third choice on most progressions. The offensive line is starting to get beat up. The defensive front seven is still very good, but the secondary is one of the worst in the league. Find a way to keep DeMarcus Ware off your quarterback, and the defense is very vulnerable. Finally, Wade Phillips is still their coach. He looks as clueless as always, and he continues to waste what is supposedly a talented roster. This is the same team that missed the playoffs last season. No better, no worse.


Just because the Cowboys are not as good as their record indicates, that doesn’t mean the Redskins win will. Clinton Portis is a no-go again, but it didn’t seem to affect the team last week. Even more damaging may be the loss of Albert Haynesworth. There are still many Redskins fans that don’t see the impact he’s making. He’s not putting up the numbers, but there’s a reason that Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo have combined for 16 sacks this season. In fact, the Redskins have 24 sacks through nine games. They had 24 sacks all of last season. Haynesworth is taking up two to three blockers a play and allowing the rest of the line to get the stats. He’s listed as questionable, but it looks as if he will not play. Without him, the Skins won’t be able to pressure Romo. Without pressure, even Romo will manage to have a decent day. I’m not saying that Romo goes off for one of those four touchdown performances, but he’ll probably put enough points on the board to keep the Skins at bay. But who knows, Washington has managed to play Dallas tough the last few years in Irving, including a rather dominating perfomance last season in the old hole-in-the-roof stadium. Regardless, here’s hoping for a win over these pricks.