In a Bad Place

Giants Dominate as Redskins Again Fall Flat in New Jersey

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Oct. 8 -- The score was not nearly as lopsided as it was last October, but it might as well have been. The Washington Redskins' 19-3 loss to New York on Sunday was every bit as convincing as their 36-0 defeat at the Meadowlands a year ago, with the Giants pushing them around for four quarters and dominating every facet of play.

After compiling nearly 1,000 yards of offense and 67 points in consecutive victories, the Redskins were humbled Sunday by what had been one of the worst defenses in the league, handcuffed for 164 total yards. On defense, the Redskins continued to botch tackles and conceded huge passing plays as the Giants rolled up 411 yards (the most ever under assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams and 25 more yards than they gave up in the 2005 loss). If not for one touchdown reversed by a penalty and a missed field goal, the margin would have been worse. As a result, the formerly reeling Giants are 2-2, while Washington sits at 2-3.

"We just couldn't get anything going," Coach Joe Gibbs said. "We couldn't get a spark anywhere across the board."

The Redskins have mustered a total of 17 points in three trips here during Gibbs's second regime (getting outscored 75-17) and wasted an opportunity to make a statement in the muddled NFC East. New York came into the game off a bye week and enveloped by turmoil from its 1-2 start, while the Redskins appeared to be hitting their stride. But now New York is 2-0 in the division, while Washington is 0-2 in the division and 0-3 in the conference (last year's 5-1 division record and 10-2 NFC mark lifted the franchise to its first playoff berth since 1999).

"We've got too much talent to be 0-2 in the division and behind the eight ball," said tailback Clinton Portis (19 carries for 76 yards). "Now they're 2-0, and we're 0-2. We had an opportunity to put them away and shatter their hopes, and now here we are with our backs against the wall."

Former Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington, playing against his former team for the first time, said: "You either break from [bad times] or get better from it. And it looks like we got a little bit better from it."

The Giants moved the ball at will, and almost all of their offensive stars had a good day. They converted seven straight third downs at one point (9 of 16 in the game) and quarterback Eli Manning (23 of 33 with a 102.6 passer rating) completed passes of 46, 44 and 27 yards. Wide receivers Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Tim Carter all contributed clutch catches, and tailback Tiki Barber rushed 23 times for 123 yards (5.3 yards per carry).

"You can't let them run the ball on you like that, and you can't give up big plays," said safety Adam Archuleta.

The Redskins actually opened with a 3-0 lead. Toomer beat cornerback Mike Rumph for a four-yard gain -- another deep pass completed over the middle -- and the Giants appeared to score a touchdown three plays later, but it was nullified by tight end Jeremy Shockey's holding penalty. They settled for a 24-yard field goal by Jay Feely early in the second quarter, and on their next possession Burress turned safety Sean Taylor around for a 46-yard gain, keying what would be the go-ahead field goal.

Washington was ineffective on the blitz and did not register a sack (the Redskins have just seven all season). They have allowed 21 pass plays of 20 yards or more this season, and at least two in every game.

"There were three or four plays today that really hurt us, and I think all of those plays were on third and long," defensive lineman Renaldo Wynn said. "Obviously, it's something they're seeing that we're doing on film, and until we stop it teams are going to continue to test us in those areas."

Feely's third field goal came with six seconds left in the first half, and the Giants doomed the Redskins with a 15-play, eight-minute masterpiece drive to open the third quarter. Toomer caught a 21-yard pass on third and 16 -- officials ruled rookie safety Reed Doughty had forced him out of the bounds on the completion -- and Burress capped it by snagging a two-yard touchdown lob over Taylor.

Washington, meantime, amassed all of 100 yards in the first half, and only 64 in the second. Quarterback Mark Brunell (12 for 22 for 109 yards) was sacked three times and New York's passing defense, ranked 29th entering the game, negated all of the Redskins' playmakers. Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce, a former Redskin, dropped Portis for a loss twice in the same first-quarter drive, setting the tone for the day.

"Of course, I knew what [Portis] was doing," Pierce said. "I always know what they're doing. As a team and as a defense we had a good idea of what they were trying to run today."

The Redskins, taking a conservative offensive approach all day, still had one last chance to make it a game with the score 16-3 in the third quarter, but on third and one from the 24 associate head coach Al Saunders called for a pass, and Brunell failed to connect with tight end Chris Cooley. Gibbs opted to try a 42-yard field goal rather go for it on fourth down, and Hall sent it wide left.

"I'm not saying it all came down to that one play, but that was a big possession," guard Randy Thomas said. "On a third and one, you never want it to have to come down to your kicker, so we should've gotten a first down. We have to find a way to get into the end zone on drives like that."