Something about the vicinity of the 13-yard line at FedExField just doesn't sit well with veteran quarterback Kurt Warner. In fact, it's Warner's Bermuda Triangle.
On Sunday, the game was in the balance with 7:19 left when Andre Carter came off the edge and beat Arizona rookie left tackle Levi Brown. Carter separated Warner from the ball and Phillip Daniels recovered at the Redskins' 13.
The Redskins were ahead at that point 21-13 and they held on for a 21-19 win, owing to the fact that Neil Rackers' 55-yard attempt missed its mark by a foot or so.
Returning to Warner and the 13-yard line, you may recall that back in the 2002 season, when Warner was directing the St. Louis Rams' offense, he came up short in an eerie and similar manner.
In that Nov. 24 game five years ago, Washington held tight to a 20-17 edge late in the day when LaVar Arrington chopped away at Warner and produced a fumble that Daryl Gardner pounced on.
Same end of FedExField. Same spot: the 13-yard line. On both occasions, of course, Warner wore No. 13.
Actually, Carter was having a relatively quiet day against starter Mike Gandy and his replacement, Brown, the 6-5, 323-pound first-round draft pick (No. 5 overall) out of Penn State. Gandy was injured in the second half.
Regarding Carter's fourth-quarter sack, Brown said: "It was the crowd noise. I couldn't really hear, so I was late off the ball. If I could have just stayed with it, I probably could have gotten him a little bit deeper into the pocket."
For his part, Carter said: "Sacks are based on coming off the ball hard and being relentless. Sometimes as a pass rusher you set up your opponent, such as faking in, faking out and bull-rushing. I just keyed the ball and turned the corner. It was just the right play at the right time."
Carter finished with three tackles, a sack and the forced fumble versus Warner. His father, former Redskins assistant coach Rubin Carter, was in the stands for the first time this year.
Warner has started against the Redskins as a member of the Rams, Giants and Cardinals. On Sunday, he was 27-of-41 for 282 yards and two TDs, with two very costly interceptions.
He's the second of three straight Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks the Redskins will face. First, there was Brett Favre, then Warner and next week comes the biggest challenge of all in Tom Brady of New England.
On how he feels going into New England next week, Carter said: "The Patriots are a great team. They're undefeated, 7-0. They run their offense, defense, and special teams very well. We know they're physical. Let the best team win."
