With the season on the line, the Redskins put together a lackluster performance Sunday at the New Meadowlands, losing 31-7 to the Giants.
The Skins committed six turnovers. Donovan McNabb was sacked four times. Washington's running backs combined for just 69 yards rushing.
There were many heads hung in shame. Brian Orakpo was shown kicking and screaming after one brutal showing on defense in the second half. Albert Haynesworth, who was inactive on Sunday with an undisclosed illness, looked to be in a coma on the sidelines while watching his team get pounded late in the fourth quarter.
How bad was it?
Heck, they even made former Redskin Devin Thomas look good, as the recently signed Giant made several key special teams plays against his old mates, including a blocked punt.
Yep, it was that bad.
The game was a blowout by the middle of the third quarter as Brandon Jacobs rumbled 28 yards for his second touchdown of the game to make it 28-0. Jacobs and fellow back Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 200 yards rushing and four touchdowns on the day, leaving little doubt that the Giants offensive line manhandled the Redskins' defense all day long.
Sports
The Giants' running attack should not have been a surprise to the Redskins. New York entered the game with a makeshift receiving corps that was "bolstered" by the midweek signing of the former Redskin Thomas. But even though the Skins' coaches had plenty of time to find ways to stop New York's ground game, the players couldn't get it done on Sunday.
Jacobs set the tone with a 39-yard burst on New York’s second play from scrimmage. He soon followed with an 8-yard TD and the Giants were off and, uh, running into a first-place tie with Philadelphia atop the NFC East. The Giants (8-4) have won five straight against Washington (5-7), whose playoff chances pretty much disappeared.
McNabb, who had plenty of success as an Eagles quarterback against New York, wasn’t a factor in his first appearance against the Giants as a Redskin. He wasn’t helped by drops from his receivers and the tricky wind, which always has been a factor in the Meadowlands, whether in Giants Stadium or the new structure that opened this year.
Things started well immediately for New York as Danny Ware went 37 yards with the opening kickoff. Jacobs, who finished with 103 yards on only eight carries, then shed two tacklers to surge down the left side for 39 yards. Moments later, he was dancing in the end zone following his TD run on which he showed nifty footwork with a cutback.
It was the Giants’ first opening-drive TD in 13 games.
Soon after, running mate Bradshaw scored on a 4-yard run for a 14-0 edge. Working behind a jumbled offensive line due to injuries, Bradshaw also had a 10-yard burst to make it 21-0 at halftime -- and it could have been much worse for Washington. London Fletcher intercepted Eli Manning’s underthrown pass in the end zone on first down from the Redskins 4.
No matter. With Washington unable to move the ball or turning it over, the romp was on.
Bradshaw’s second touchdown was set up by Anthony Armstrong’s fumble that Terrell Thomas returned 10 yards to the Washington 35. And Jacobs’ 28-yard jaunt on which he high-stepped into the end zone in the third quarter to make it 28-0 followed McNabb’s fumble at the Redskins 46.
So now with the team's dream of reaching the playoffs all but over, it's time to turn attention to next year. It's obvious the 2010 season has turned into a nightmare that can't end soon enough.
