Offense remains a serious concern for Redskins

Sep 5, 2008 - 11:48 PM By Chris Bellamy PA SportsTicker Staff Writer

If recent history is any indication, the Washington Redskins will need a substantial effort from their offense - in particular quarterback Jason Campbell - if they expect to earn their second playoff appearance in a row.

With that prerequisite in mind, the team's poor offensive showing in Thursday night's season-opening 16-7 loss to the New York Giants may be especially worrisome.

Since Daniel Snyder bought the franchise before the 1999 season, he has tried everything to put together an offense that can compete in today's NFL - from bringing in renowned offensive gurus like Marty Schottenheimer and Steve Spurrier, to going through 10 different starting quarterbacks, re-hiring the retired ex-coach who masterminded some of the most explosive offenses in football from 1981-1992.

So far, nothing has worked - at least, not in the long-term.

The Redskins' brief flashes of success over the last nine seasons have all been courtesy of out-of-nowhere performances by veteran quarterbacks - Brad Johnson's career year (4,005 yards, 24 TDs) in 1999, Mark Brunell's resurgence in 2005 and a Cinderella story from career back-up Todd Collins last season.

But those three campaigns - the club's only playoff appearances in the last 15 years - netted two playoff wins and no long-term answers. Now, with a first-year head coach in Jim Zorn installing a new offensive system, and Collins, last year's December savior, back to his familiar spot on the sideline, the Redskins' offense is starting over once again.

The first game of this new start was dubious at best. On Washington's first snap Thursday, Campbell was sacked. The offense was stagnant for the bulk of the first half, failing to register a first down of its own until the 1:19 mark of the second quarter. Prior to that, the Redskins had moved the chains twice, but only thanks to a pair of penalties by the Giants.

Though Campbell and company didn't turn the ball over, they certainly didn't do much with it, either. The Redskins managed just 133 yards through the air and converted just 3-of-13 third downs. The biggest play of the night came on special teams, as Rock Cartwright's 50-yard punt return set up Washington's only scoring drive.

"My first game was very frustrating," Zorn said. "I feel like we've learned where we need to improve tonight. If anything is positive out of it, it's got to be that. ... We saw where we're at offensively, and I think if I was trying to look at the cup half-full, that would be it. I don't know if the cup has any water in it right now, for me."

One of the biggest knocks against Campbell has been his inability to consistently throw the ball down the field, and he did nothing to temper those sentiments. He rarely took advantage of the team's best deep threat, Santana Moss, whose longest reception was a 12-yard touchdown at the end of the first half.

"I think if you grasp the offense and get going in the offense, then you will do well in it," wide receiver Antwaan Randle-El said. "I think that he has shown that he can do well in the offense, just (Thursday) wasn't the day. Not just him, but the whole offense."

Moss also caught short passes for 11, 7, 4 and 3 yards - hardly the kind of gains one would expect from a receiver who has averaged nearly 16 yards per catch during his career.

"We just sputtered a lot ... sputter here, sputter there," Moss said. "In Game One we've seen a lot of things that we hope not to ever see again from our offense, and hopefully this week we can put it all behind us."

The Redskins have not made consecutive playoff appearances since a three-year stretch from 1990-1992 and have had scoring offenses in the league's top-10 just twice in the 15 years since.