"I took two hits all game. . . . Anyone can sit back and throw the ball when the running game is working like ours was today," said Ramsey. "I can think of one ball today I would like to have back. . . . When you can win games like this, it reinforces the way the coach wants to play."
Because the Redskins' defense has been so special all season, bordering on brilliant, little is really needed from the offense except a consistent running game and opportunistic passing. That hardly seems too much to ask, especially given the paychecks and proven track records of many offensive players. But until this game, it seemed virtually impossible.
Clinton Portis rumbles into the end zone with his second touchdown of the day, on a four-yard pass from Patrick Ramsey that gave the Redskins a 14-0 lead in the 2nd quarter. He also rushed for a score.
(Jonathan Newton -- The Washington Post)
|
| Game Day: Redskins 31, Giants 7
• The Redskins break the 20-point barrier for the first time since Joe Gibbs's return, dominating the free-falling Giants.
• Michael Wilbon: At Week 13, Redskins are learning to play to their strengths.
• Thomas Boswell: A sense of hope, and even pride, returns.
• Offense puts it all together on a perfectly scripted touchdown drive.
• News Graphic: Breaking down the Redskins' first possession.
• Rookie QB Eli Manning completes only 12 passes for 113 yards.
• Play of the Game: Portis scores on a shovel pass to put the Redskins up
14-0 in the second.
• Notebook: Defensive end Phillip Daniels likely done for the season.
• Best & Worst
• Sunday's Post: Gregg Williams emerges as a coaching candidate.
_____ On Our Site _____
• Photos
• Who knew? Portis changes his socks and the offense suddenly springs to life. While you ponder all this, try our postgame quiz.
• Summary
• Grade the Redskins.
• Talk about the game.
_____ Multimedia _____
• Video: Gibbs talks about the win, looks ahead to next week.
• Video: Patrick Ramsey talks about the why the offense clicked Sunday.
_____ The Chat House _____
• Get Michael Wilbon's take on the game at 1:15 p.m. EST Monday.
• Submit questions.
_____ E-mail Newsletter _____
Looking for Redskins coverage you can't find anywhere else? Sign up for our free e-mail newsletter.
_____ NFL Insider _____
• Post's Mark Maske on all things NFL -- only on washingtonpost.com.
| | |
|
"I don't know what this means," Gibbs said of the Redskins' complete domination of the line of scrimmage and monstrous 379-145 advantage in total yards. "Can we do it more than once against real tough teams?"
Perhaps Gibbs is a tad delusional. Or maybe he just remembers his own uniformly glorious Redskins past, but he seemed exceedingly hopeful after just one exceptional offensive performance.
"I feel bad for our defense," said Gibbs, meaning for the offense's struggles all season but also for a 92-yard kickoff return for the Giants' only touchdown. "We always seem to find a way to give away a touchdown. . . . I hate it for them.
"I'm hoping we play great down the stretch. I'm proud to be with our guys," said Gibbs, whose team actually has a not-insignificant chance to make the playoffs if it could somehow finish with a 7-9 record in the weak NFC this season. "Now, who knows? Fight hard down the stretch and who knows?"
That may be too optimistic -- by about a year. Still, Gibbs sees progress, especially in Ramsey's ability to cope with tough teams on the road the last two weeks, then help engineer a commanding defeat of a division foe. "The last two weeks, we didn't score [many points] but you could see Patrick was handling the game. We were in it in the fourth quarter in Philly and Pittsburgh," said Gibbs. "Patrick handled himself well. Tonight, he took another step."
For the Redskins, after 16 uniformly dismal offensive performances -- including the exhibition season -- this was a baby step. The Eagles await the Redskins in six days like a cruel reality check. Still, Gibbs's bust in Canton demands that his optimism be given due weight.
"We need to get something built here," he said. "And you need to find out who your guys are."
One of them is surely Portis. Another may be Ramsey. For the first, but perhaps not the last time, they formed the offensive backbone of a convincing Redskins victory.
