By Showing Restraint, Williams Sacks Lions

Al Saunders took the wrapping off Jason Campbell, who was allowed to win a game instead of being entrusted not to lose it.

Chris Cooley, who caught six passes coming into the game, finally was an offensive weapon again instead of an extra blocker.

Even the special teams were tremendous. Derrick Frost is one of the league's underrated punters who hits these impossibly high, booming kicks that a return man has no choice but to fair catch. James Thrash filled in for an injured Antwaan Randle El in the second half and almost took a punt all the way back.

But Williams's defense set the tone. Staying back, letting his once-maligned line do the work, the Redskins flustered and panicked Kitna.

"That was the first offense we played that didn't disguise who they were," Evans said. "From watching film and everything else, they told us they were going to pass and just about dared us to stop it. If you're a defensive lineman, you can't help but take on a challenge like that."

Martz, who did not speak to the media after the game, basically said, "Come get us," and Williams waited before pouncing.

"It was a glaring stat for us to see that Jon Kitna's quarterback rating versus pressure defense was 102 going into this game," Williams said. "You just gotta take a look at what's the lesser of two evils.

"We tackled very well as a defense today, and we were able to pressure with our front four. I wish I could tell you there was a [heck] of a lot of smart things going on, but there wasn't."

It sounds humble, plain-spoken. But it took a lot of restraint to play that defense against the Lions and not fall into Martz's trap. It took composure not to try and simply one-up the other smart guy in the room.

"I think the most common thread between the two is they don't play scared," said Saunders, who's coached with both men. "There are a lot of coaches who play the percentages and do what's been successful. But Mike and Gregg are innovators. They want to push the game to the next frontier like Sid Gillman or Buddy Ryan at different times."

Whether genius applies to any football coach other than the late Bill Walsh is debatable. But in the Mensa world of the modern NFL yesterday, Williams came across as much more clever and creative than Martz, the man who scripted the Greatest Show on Turf.

The Redskins held one of the most productive quarterbacks this season to 106 yards passing and one completion more than 15 yards. They picked him off twice.

If Gregg Williams's defense is not yet back to the swarming, hellion crew it was in 2004 and 2005, it's certainly getting closer.