RGIII Leads Comeback as Skins Top Bucs

The #2 rushing offense in the league. They also happen to be the biggest
rookie sensations since...Heath Shuler and what not. 

As the Redskins trotted off to their locker room at half-time Redskins fans had much to be excited for. 21 Points scored by the offense, Alfred Morris averaging over 7 yards a carry against the #1 rush defense in the NFL and, best of all, the defense forcing a turnover and giving up a paltry 6 points. This looked like a team that meant business and made proper adjustments from last week's game. RG3 took only 20% of the hits he took last week. He's running out of bounds when he has to and is fearless down by the goalline. The defense was stout, keeping pressure on Freeman, stuffing the running game and not allowing points to be scored. This looked like a Redskins team we haven't seen since the 80's.

But of course, reality soon kicked in.

The Redskins didn't score a point in 29 minutes of a 30 minute 2nd half. Combined with missed field goals and not being able to drive the ball into the goal line they allowed the Bucs to comeback. Josh Freeman found a rhythm, and staring hitting Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson for huge plays. The Bucs scored and the Skins punted. Before you could blink the score was 22-21 Tampa Bay with under two minutes to go.

The Redskins of old simply wouldn't and couldn't win this game. 2 Minute drills were unheard of for Washington quarterbacks, especially game winning ones. And when they did drive close enough for a game winning or game tying field goal something happened. Bad snap, bad hold, a stupid penalty to move them back (look no further than Week 2 of this season) or a missed kick. But these are the new Skins, led by rookie tandem Alfred Morris and Robert Griffin III. They weren't going to lose three in a row. Backed up at the 20 and with a malfunctioning headset RG3 led a methodical drive, gaining big chunks of yards and managing the clock against a porous Tampa Bay defense. 7 seconds to go and the final timeout is called, setting up a Billy Cundiff 41 yard field goal try. Cundiff had already missed three on the day, one from 31 yards out. This was 10 yards longer. As the fans held their breath, the football watched as the field goal team set up.

Good snap, good hold and the kick squeezed within the left upright. The Redskins came back and made a game winning field goal. Been awhile since anyone has been able to say that.

Looking to next week
Next week includes a tough matchup for the 2-2 Redskins against the 4-0 Atlanta Falcons. This is a tough game but not impossible. For one the Skins are at home and last week proved a tough game for Atlanta, with Cam Newton running the ball and throwing it with good efficiency. Scoring 28 on the Falcon defense. Our offense can compete but the question is how strong our defense is going to hold. Roddy White and Julio Jones tear up defenses on a regular basis and DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson aren't shutdown corners and need to keep the game competitive. They can't afford to give up big plays and need to get the offense off the field on third down.

The best defense however, is offense. Matty Ice can't throw a touchdown from the bench and the offense needs to keep him there as long as possible. Its going to be a tough game next week but a test to see if the Redskins are going anywhere this season.