Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3, L-3) at Washington Redskins (1-2, L01)

Sunday, Oct. 4, 1:00 pm from FedEx Field

TEAM STATS

WAS:  Pts-13.3 (28th), Yds-341.3 (13th), Pass Yds-249.7 (11th), Rush Yds 91.7 (24th)

TBY:  Pts-13.7 (27th), Yds-296.3 (25th), Pass Yds-210.0 (17th), Rush Yds 86.3 (25th)

LEADERS

WAS:  Campbell (67.6 comp %, 793 yds, 3 tds, 2 ints), Portis (47 carries for 183 yds, 3.9 ave, 0 tds), Cooley (17 catches for 189 yds, 11.1 ave, 1 td), Moss (15 catches ofr 219 yds, 14.6 ave, 1 td).

TBY:  Leftwich (54.2 comp %, 594, 4 tds, 3 ints), Williams (22 carries for 114 yds, 5.2 ave., 2 td), Ward (26 carries for 96 yds, 3.7 ave., 1 td), Winslow (15 catches for 134 yds, 8.9 ave., 2 tds)

PREVIEW

For the second week in a row, the Redskins get to face a rookie coach and QB.  This week it's Raheem Morris and Josh Johnson, a scrambling-type QB from University of San Diego, taking over from Byron Leftwich, who was benched in the fourth quarter of Tampa Bay's 24-0 loss to the New York Giants. 

"I don't want us as an organization to say that game was all Leftwich - but Byron is suffering the consequences," Morris said.

Johnson was a fifth round pick in 2008, and has had 10 career pass attempts, all last week.  The Skins D can expect Johnson to move around a lot, both in the pocket and to the sidelines, where he can utilize his speed and athleticism.  Leftwich was a statue that was taking a beating up front, as the Bucs are missing a couple pieces of their offensive line. 

Morris hopes Johnson's play-making will make the Redskins respect his ability to move outside the pocket, opening up more running lanes for what should be a decent running attack with Cadillac Williams, Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham.

TE Kellen Winslow is Tampa's leading receiver, but that might be testament to the Bucs inability to get a semblance of protection for Leftwich more than anything else.  Michael Clayton, late of Baltimore, and Antonio Bryant are the wideouts.

Bryant, Ward and Graham are all nursing leg injuries though, so it might be a good time to kick a team while they are down.

The Bucs D is giving up 5.2 yards per rush attempt and has only managed two sacks, both disappointments for what should have been an upgraded line, led by three-year veteran Gaines Adams.  "Being drafted fourth overall, [expectations] come with the territory. It's year three for me. Obviously it's time for me to step up."

As for the Skins, they know all about the pressure of expectations.  Almost to a man, they say they have more talent that what they've shown so far this season.

Problem is, they haven't proven it.

Middle linebacker London Fletcher might be the lone voice of realism this week.

"Maybe guys tend to think that (we're an elite team), and that you can just show up.  That's not the case. We're struggling to win ballgames. We're going to be in tough ballgames, week-in and week-out.

"We're not a great football team - never have been since I've been here - and it hasn't been in a long time, since, what, the '80s? It's been a long time since the Redskins have had a great football team. We have to come in here with a workmanlike attitude, with the mindset that we must work to win."

Coach Jim Zorn took a measured approach to the question of whether his team is getting better -- or worse. "In the big picture, I think things are progressing," said Zorn, 9-10 as the team's head coach. "We're getting better. It's not coming in the win. We're going to continue to press on and take care of those details."

Should the Redskins fall this week, to a battered and beaten Bucs team, he might not get the chance to lead them in their progression.

WEATHER

Sunny and 75F.  Beautiful weather for tailgating and watching NFL football.

PREDICTION

If the Redskins don't win on Sunday, against an 0-3 team starting a rookie (running) QB, there will be bloody hell to pay, as if this week wasn't bad enough.  Still, one gets an odd feeling that the Skins still have not hit rock bottom.  Washington is weakest where it is most obvious, on both lines, and Tampa Bay is desperate and has a decent running game if they can get any effort up front of their own.

The Skins eke out a win this week, let's say 13-9.  But it will be neither pretty, nor satisfying, and the vultures will continue to circle.

         

Washington Redskins (1-1, W-1) at Detroit Lions (0-2, L-2)

Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1:00 pm from Ford Field.

LEADERS

WAS:  Campbell (68.9 comp. %, 453 yds, 1 td, 1 int.), Portis (35 carries for 141 yds, 4.0 ave., 0 tds), Cooley (14 catches for 151 yds, 10.8 ave., 1 td), Randle El (11 catches for 137 yds, 12.5 ave, 0 tds)

DET:  Stafford (50.7 comp. %, 357 yds, 1 td, 5 int.), K. Smith (39 carries for 103 yds, 2.6 ave., 1 td), C. Johnson (8 catches for 141 yds, 17.6 ave., 1 td), K. Smith (9 catches for 62 yds, 6.9 ave., 0 tds)

PREVIEW

The Lions come into this game with a rookie QB, one of the league's worst defenses, and a RB averaging less than three yards a carry.  Oh, and there's the matter of a 19-game losing streak.

The Skins, on the other hand, have a QB completing almost 70% of his passes and a defense giving up just 15 points and less than 300 total yards per game.

No brainer?  Far from it.

The Lions smell blood this week, a chance to get the consecutive-loss monkey off their collective backs.  First year coach Jim Schwartz is standing by his QB, Matthew Stafford, despite leading the league in picks through two games. 

"He's our quarterback," Schwartz said Monday. "We're pleased with him. He's going to be a very good quarterback in this league and we're going to win with him."

Detroit passed on USC QB Mark Sanchez, long thought to be the apple in Daniel Snyder's eye, but went to the New York Jets instead.  The Jets -- and Sanchez -- are 2-0.

The Lions have surrendered 72 points thus far in losses to New Orleans and Minnesota, and give up 4.5 yards per rushing attempt.  To make matters worse, they lost one of their leading tacklers, LB Ernie Sims, with a shoulder injury.

Washington enters this game perhaps relieved to be on the road, after suffering boos and cat calls all afternoon in their 9-7 win over St, Louis at home last week.  Coach Jim Zorn was under particular scrutiny for some questionable play calls in the red zone, leading to just three Shaun Suisham field goals and a turnover on down deep in St. Louis territory.

The Skins have managed just 26 points in two games.

RB Clinton Portis announced this week that "We're all on the hot seat," and looks to achieve his third 100-yard rushing day against the Lions franchise.  He's averaging 4.0 yards per carry, but has yet to reach the end zone.

That task may have been made that more difficult due to the torn triceps of starting guard Randy Thomas.  Thomas was placed on the I.R. and will be replaced by a combination of Chad Rinehart and Will Montgomery.

The defense has allowed 30 points in two games, but only has two sacks and is 18th against both the run and pass. One of the teams' stated goals this week is to pressure Stafford, a rookie making his third NFL start, into continuing the pattern of throwing interceptions; he has five in two games and has been sacked three times.

WEATHER

Indoor.  72F.

PREDICTION

The Redskins have had much difficulty in the red zone this season, and the Loins have surrendered 36 points per game.  Sounds like the prefect panacea, but the Skins have to show it first before we'll buy into it.  I think the Skins win this one, but far from convincingly.  Skins 19-14.

DETAILS

Redskins host the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Sept. 20 1:00 pm at Fed Ex Field.

PREVIEW

The St. Louis Rams come calling this week in the Redskins first home game of the season, and coach Jim Zorn couldn't have asked for a better schedule.  The Rams were one of the worst teams int he league last season, and judging by their opening day 28-0 loss to Seattle, this year's prospects don't look much better.

Rams first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo, who served as the Giants' defensive coordinator the past two seasons, wasn't pleased with his team's play on either side of the ball last week.

Marc Bulger was 17 of 36 for 191 yards and got sacked three times, while Steven Jackson rushed 16 times for 67 yards.

"We'd drive the ball and then shoot ourselves in the foot," Bulger said. "We have to find a way to get past that 30 and start handing the ball to [Jackson]. He's too good of a player to not be able to use, and that's on all of us."

Skins' QB Jason Campbell wasn't stellar in his opening day performance against the Giants, either.  He went 10-for-26 for 211 and a TD, but also threw a pick and fumbled on a sack, leading to Osi Umenyiora rumbling 31 yards for a Giants score.

Look for the Skins to really establish Clinton Portis and to try to dominate on both lines of scrimmage.  The Rams have a lot of holes and although they have some talented pieces, there's still not enough there left to plug up the soft spots.

It seems like the "Greatest Show on Turf" is long gone from St. Louis.

WEATHER

Glorious.  Sunday's forcast calls for sunshine and a high temp of 78F.  The humidity will be around 60% and the UV Index is high, so wear your sunscreen.  I forgot for last week's game up in New York and I'm still peeling.

PREDICTION

The Redskins win this one, but it won't be the cakewalk it should be based on talent.  The Skins have an awful lot of work to do yet to become a team, but with home games against St. Louis and Detroit in consecutive weeks, they have time to work on it.  Consider the next two weeks the real pre-season.

Skins win this one 16-10, Portis has a nice day but folks will still be nervous about Campbell.

This is the first installment of my weekly game preview, which will come out Friday afternoons before every Redskins game. Please expect quite a bit of format tweaking as we go along, since I'm just kicking this thing off.

To start with, I plan on posting twice weekly until I really get in the hang of it: Fridays, as mentioned, with the game preview, then the day after the game with the review, analysis and commentary.

With that, here we go!
_________________________________________________

WASHINGTON REDSKINS
(8-8 in 2008; 4-4 on the road; 2-4 in division; 265 PF, 296 PA)

OFFENSIVE LEADERS

J. Campbell: 315/506; 62.3%--3245 yds--13 tds--6 ints--38 Sacks--84.3 rtg
C. Portis: 342 carries for 1487 yds--4.3 per--9 tds
C. Cooley: 83 catches for 849 yds--10.2 per--1 tds
S. Moss: 79 catches for 1044 yds--13.2 per--6 tds
A. Randle El: 53 catches for 593 yds--11.2--4 tds

DEFENSIVE LEADERS

L. Fletcher: 96 solo--37 assist--0 sack--1 fumb rec
R. McIntosh: 60 solo--27 assist--2 sacks--2 fumb rec--1 int
C. Horton: 57 solo--19 assist--1 sack--0 fumb rec--3 int
L. Landry: 49 solo--16 assist--0 sack--2 fumb rec--2 int
A. Haynesworth (TEN): 41 solo--10 assist--10 sacks--3 fumb rec

KICKING LEADERS

KICK: S. Suisham: 25/25 PAT; 26/36 FG; long of 50; 9 touchbacks
PUNT: H. Smith (IND): 53 for 2343; 44.2 ave; 23 inside 20; 2 touchbacks; 11 fair catch

RETURN LEADERS

KICK: R. Cartwright: 51 for 1307; 25.6 ave; 0 td
PUNT: A. Randle El: 39 for 254; 6.5 ave; 0 td
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NEW YORK GIANTS
(12-4 in 2008; 7-1 at home; 4-2 in division; 427 PF, 294 PA)

NYG OFFENSIVE LEADERS

E. Manning: 289/479; 60.3%--3238 yds--21 tds--10 ints--27 sacks--86.4 rtg
Jacobs: 219 carries for 1089--5.0 per--15 tds
A. Bradshaw: 67 carries for 355--5.3 per--1 td
S. Smith: 57 catches for 574 yds--10.1 per--1 td
Hixon: 43 catches for 580 yds--13.9 per--2 tds

DEFENSIVE LEADERS

A. Pierce: 72 solo--23 assist--2 sacks--2 fumb rec--0 int
K. Phillips: 55 solo--12 assist--0 sacks--0 fumb rec--1 int
J. Tuck: 52 solo--15 assist--12 sacks--3 fumb rec--1 int
M. Kiwanuka: 34 solo--17 assist--8 sacks--2 fumb rec--0 int
O. Umeniyora: INJ

KICKING LEADERS

KICK: L. Tynes: 3/3 on PAT; 1/1 FG
PUNT: J. Feagles: 64 for 2814; 44.0 ave; 23 inside 20; 5 touchback; 13 fair catch

RETURN LEADERS

KICK: A. Bradshaw: 39 for 867; 22.2 ave; 0 td
PUNT: D. Hixon: 24 for 242; 10.1 ave; 0 td
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PREVIEW:

This matchup is the very definition of rivalry. Separated by just a couple hours by car, there's plenty of emotions on both sides of the ball. New York can't help but feel cheated out of a chance at the Super Bowl last season, and they enter 2009 as one of the favorites in the division once again.

The Giants do have some soft spots that the Redskins should try to take advantage of. Starting corners Kevin Dockery and Aaron Ross are injured, and the G-Men are expected to play Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, an second-year man from USC, and Bruce Johnson, an undrafted free agent rookie out of Miami (FL) at the corner spots.

The defensive line for the Giants will look to provide plenty of pressure on the Redskins up front. Mathias Kiwanuka, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, returning from injury, all really get after the passer and are adequate against the run as well.

At receiver, both Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer are gone, leaving Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith as primary targets for QB Eli Manning. Manning is solid, if not spectacular, but does have a propensity to leave a little too much air under the ball or force it in at times.

The Giants running game is as solid as they come. Brandon Jacobs is a horse--just ask Laron Landry after last season's opener. Ahmad Bradshaw is a quick change-of-pace back that will inherit many of the carries that went to Derrick Ward, who fairly split carries with Jacobs.

The Giants kicking game isn't much to write home about. Lawrence Tynes is a journeyman who did not play much last year, and punter Jeff Feagles is one of the oldest players in the league, but still serviceable.

Bradshaw and Hixon are both dangerous return men though, and can go all the way any time they touch the ball. But with both being asked to do more on offense this season, it may cut into their burst in the return game.

The Redskins game plan should be simple: attack the corners with quick hitters and soften them up the middle with heavy doses of Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. The offensive line is still trying to gel, after a pre-season of inconsistency and sporadic scoring while the first team was on the field.

Keeping Jason Campbell upright is a key. If the embattled QB can control field position and take advantage of matchups with Santana Moss, Malcolm Kelly, Antwaan Randle El and especially Chris Cooley in the slots, the Skins should be able to stay in the game.

The defense should be a strength this season. They added Albert Haynesworth up front to clog up the middle and provide needed pressure from the middle of the line. He registered 10 sacks from the tackle position for Tennessee, despite constant double-teaming.

If the Skins can get to Manning two or three times, it'll make their day a lot easier. Manning tends to get "happy feet" when he feels the rush.

The other key addition is rookie Brain Orakpo, a stud OLB from Texas. He'll be active on the weak side, chasing down RBs and QBs alike. He joins London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh at LB, and they will be busy all day Sunday shutting down Jacobs and Bradshaw.

In the backfield, Carlos Rogers is nursing a call injury, but is probable for the game. He'll join DeAngelo Hall and Fred Smoot covering the Giants inexperienced receivers. Landry and Chris Horton, the find of last season's draft, will provide plenty or necessary run support, as New York's tight ends are not much of a threat.

As for the kicking game, the Skins feel like they significantly upgraded their punter, signing Hunter "The Punter" Smith away from the Colts, but could not find anyone to unseat incumbent Shaun Suisham, one of the league's least-accurate kickers.

Rock Cartwright returns kicks once again; he'll do a solid job. But Randle El was disappointing returning punts last season--he seemed of fair catch punts 2-to-1 over returning, and when he did his average was near the bottom of the league. Neither men had a return TD last season.

WEATHER

The weather for Sunday couldn't be more perfect for an early September game. The 4:15 game time temperature should be in the mid-seventies and sunny, with just a trace chance of precipitation. The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with scattered clouds, and as it gets dark, the temps should settle into the upper sixties.

PREDICTION

As most Skins-Giants games, I expect this one to be hard-hitting, tightly contested and concentrating on both teams' running games, with the passers being opportunistic. The Giants are traditionally very tough at home, and there's no reason to suspect a change in that for 2009.

If the Skins show and can get to Manning a couple times early, they could stick around and make things interesting in the fourth quarter. But I expect that Jacobs will eventually wear out the Skins and the Giants pull out a close one.

Let's say 20-16 Giants.