Season starts with a verdict for the defense
UpdatedSep 12, 2011 6:26 AM ETThe Redskins' offense was in a lose-losesituation entering Sunday's season-opener against the Giants. RexGrossman & Co. could have shined against the injury-depletedNew York defense and elicited a huge so-what?The Giants' starting middle linebacker was third string a fewdays ago. Two of their best defensive linemen spent the day instreet clothes. Their top defensive back went down with aseason-ending knee injury in the preseason.Under those circumstances, you'd expect Washington to crank outsome yards and put up some points. If so, big deal. Conversely,failing to produce against an injury-ravaged unit wouldn't bodewell for the new-look 'O' and their much-maligned QB. And theywould have heard about their ineptitude all week long.But the Redskins' defense wasn't going to begraded on a curve for Sunday's effort. There would be no pointsdeducted for holding down an undermanned foe. Instead, coordinatorJim Haslett's troops had an unadulterated chance to make a positiveimpression and begin their road to redemption after last season'shorrific performance.Statement delivered. First step taken.They pitched a shutout in the second half of Washington's 28-14victory, yielding just one drive longer than 15 yards. Rookie RyanKerrigan returned an interception for a touchdown, and fellowrookie Chris Neild contributed two sacks. Linebacker LondonFletcher and cornerback Josh Wilson stuffed halfback Ahmad Bradshawon fourth-and-1 with the Redskins clinging to a seven-pointlead.Everywhere you looked, the Redskins were making plays ondefense. Some were drafted last April, like Kerrigan and Neild.Others were holdovers, like Fletcher and safety Reed Doughty, wholed the team with eight tackles. Still others were free agentacquisitions, like Wilson and defensive end Stephen Bowen, who wascredited with a sack and two quarterback hits.When we last saw the Redskins' defense, it was finishinga season in which it ranked 31st out of 32 NFL teams, a sharpdecline from its top-10 ranking the previous three seasons."We went from a 4-3 defense - and a very successful 4-3 defense- and making the transition takes awhile," Fletcher said. "Lastyear, some of the plays the Giants ran today would've been bigplays. But this year, having the scheme under our belts and theaddition of the new guys makes a big difference."Maybe it's just that simple, where a little more familiarity, alittle more talent and a little more youthful energy equals a wholelot more improvement. Maybe coach Mike Shanahan's vision of anactive, ball-hawking, havoc-wreaking defense is en route tobecoming a reality. One game is too early to tell for sure, but Redskins nose tackle Barry Cofieldisn't waiting for additional evidence. His verdict is in."We're convinced of that," Cofield said, asked if his unit canrank among the best. "That's what we believe and that's whatHaslett preaches. We compare ourselves to the great 3-4 defensesacross the league, compare ourselves man-to-man at every position,and we don't sell ourselves short."They certainly came up short early in the game, yieldingtouchdown drives of 70 and 85 yards through the Giants' first fivepossessions. Doughty and cornerback Kevin Barnes were burnt on a68-yard pass from Manning to Hakeem Nicks, setting up the Giants'first score. And Manning went 4-for-4 for 58 yards on New York'sother scoring drive, late in the first half.But that pretty much concluded the Giants' highlight reel.Washington gave up just two first downs after intermission beforelinebacker Brian Orakpo blocked a field goal attempt with 5:04remaining. On the previous play, Doughty tackled Bradshaw for a2-yard loss on third-and-1.Orakpo said aside from the newcomers, the defense is pretty muchthe same with "a few tweaks here and there," and they're justfocused on themselves - not outsiders' impressions. He said hisunit wasn't fazed when Grossman took a sack and fumbled, setting upa short field for the Giants' would-be game-tying touchdowndrive."We were laughing when the 'O' turned the ball over," he said."We were ready to go."They proved it by holding the Giants to three-and-out, forcingthem into the blocked field goal attempt. There would be no letdownagainst the team that has dominated the rivalry recently. It was agreat day for the defense, but beating the Giants was the mostimportant outcome, by any means necessary."It was a good test for us because they've had our number,"Orakpo said.The defense passed its test and has begun posting some (good)numbers of its own.
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