FOR THE FIRST time
Tomorrow's nationally televised "Monday Night Football" game against the Philadelphia Eagles will serve as the end of the honeymoon period of Washington's schedule. The only problem with that is that the Redskins had a hellacious honeymoon.
Losses to three NFL bottom-feeders (Detroit, Carolina and Kansas City) and minuscule victories over two other inept teams (St. Louis and Tampa Bay) wasn't the way that head coach Jim Zorn had drawn up the first six weeks of the Redskins' season. This was supposed to have been the easiest section of the team's schedule.
Zorn has been under fire all season. Many national outlets reported that the second-year coach was going to be fired as early as this week. That didn't happen.
He was publicly endorsed by Vinny Cerrato, Washington's vice president of football operations, for the first time on Friday, when Cerrato declared that Zorn was going to be retained as the Redskins' coach throughout the remainder of the season.
"Knowing that he's going to be around for the rest of the year is huge," said defensive tackle Kedric Golston. "I think he's doing a great job. We just need to find a way to start winning football games."
If knowing that their coach will be around is going to benefit Golston and his teammates, then knowing who will be their starting quarterback should as well.
Jason Campbell was given the nod for tomorrow's game. He was benched at halftime a week ago in favor of veteran reserve Todd Collins.
"We've got confidence in Jason, and we know he's going to give us a real good chance to win," said fullback Rock Cartwright. "He's been good for us this season. Last week was last week."
So scratch Campbell off the list of potential problems? According to Golston, Zorn doesn't deserve the blame for the Redskins' 2-4 record, either. Who's to blame, then?
One of the biggest reasons for the Redskins' problems this season has been the team's offensive line. The club has lost two key starters, left tackle Chris Samuels and right guard Randy Thomas. Neither is expected to return this season.
The injuries have taken their toll on the Redskins' efforts to move the football on the ground and through the air.
Washington doesn't draft offensive linemen. It has used just eight of its last 63 draft picks (dating back to 2000) on offensive linemen. Only three of those eight linemen were taken on Day One of the draft, and only one was taken in the first round.
That isn't good enough, and there's a direct correlation between the team's draft strategy and its inability to open holes for Clinton Portis and protect Campbell with regularity.
"It doesn't matter who is on the line, we just need to do our jobs," said Stephon Heyer, who started the season at right tackle but has since been moved to left tackle. "We're going to keeping working at it, and we'll find a way to get it right."
In the past, the Redskins have played their best football when they were left for dead. They'd better hope that history repeats itself.
Grant Paulsen can be reached at The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401 or by fax at 540/373-8455.