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This One Doesn't Get Away
Reggie Bush is brought down by Andre Carter as Phillip Daniels and Vernon Fox, far right, close in. The star rookie running back for the Saints was held to 14 rushing yards and 19 receiving yards.
(By Toni L. Sandys -- The Washington Post)
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Cornerback Carlos Rogers, the 2005 top-10 draft pick who went 13 games unable to snare an interception despite having a chance to pick off at least a half-dozen passes, played his strongest game of the year, intercepting a Brees pass in the fourth quarter that led to a field goal, the first Redskins points off a turnover since Oct. 1.
And with 53 seconds left, after the Redskins had dominated a playoff team for 60 minutes but still were just a short, red-zone pass from a morbid defeat, it was Rogers who knocked a pass by Brees away from wide receiver Terrance Copper in the end zone on fourth and 7 from the 16-yard line.
"He means a lot to us," Gibbs said of Rogers. "We need him to play like that. With everything that has been happening here, I think now he's starting to get into a groove and be one of those corners that you put out there and leave out there. Hopefully, it is a confidence thing for him. It should be."
Cornerback Shawn Springs has wondered about his future with the Redskins, playing in only eight games this season because of injuries and figuring to cost the team $7.35 million against the salary cap next season. But Sunday he was dominant, in run support and in coverage. Springs's biggest play of the game came with 1:20 remaining when Brees threw for the potential game-winner, a fade route to rookie standout Marques Colston. Colston appeared to be open for an instant, between Springs and Sean Taylor, but Springs closed the space and deflected the ball out of bounds.
For weeks, the coaches have been as anxious as the players. Williams has met with Gibbs and even owner Daniel Snyder, conveying to them his position that there is nothing irreparable about the Redskins' defensive issues, even as his big-play players have not made many big plays.
But on Sunday, Rogers stood tall. With the Saints trailing 13-10 with 11:10 left and facing third and 19 from their 6-yard line, Brees hit Colston over the middle for a 24-yard gain. Hungry for a knockout, Brees lined up in a no-huddle formation, dropped back and threw for wide receiver Devery Henderson. The ball was badly underthrown, and Rogers caught the ball, bobbled it and nearly dropped it twice.
"I teased Carlos about the fact that he wants three interceptions for that one, because it took him three times to catch it," Williams said. "He almost dropped it twice."
But Rogers pulled in the interception. And the Redskins pulled in an unlikely victory.
