Larry Johnson had been looking forward to his Redskins debut for months.
After seven years in Kansas City and Cincinnati, Johnson was returning home to the Washington, D.C., region. He grew up in Pomfret, Md., and often attended Redskins training camps as a youth.
On Saturday night, Johnson saw his first preseason action in the Redskins' 23-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. (He sat out the preseason opener vs. Buffalo.)
He had eight carries and mustered just four yards against a stout Ravens defense. He split reps in the backfield with Clinton Portis in the first half.
"It was disappointing," Johnson said. "Trying to get into a rhythm is tough when you're getting subbed in and out. It's good that this is preseason and we can try to fix some things that we need to fix on the offense as far as our game."
The Redskins' game plan for Baltimore focused more on the passing game. Running backs carried the ball just 14 times while quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman combined for 47 pass attempts.
Overall, the Redskins' running backs posted just 25 rushing yards and 1.8 yards-per-carry.
Said head coach Mike Shanahan: "[The Ravens] did a good job up front. Their defensive front is very good and the reason why they will be one of the top two or three rush defenses in the league. We couldn't get things going and our game plan wasn't quite what it was a week ago. We do want to be more effective than we were [Saturday night]."
When the Ravens weren't stopping the Redskins, the Redskins were stopping themselves.
On a 3rd-and-1 play late in the first quarter, Johnson took a handoff from McNabb and followed fullback Mike Sellers to the left. Sellers fell down, though, and he appeared to trip up Johnson in the process. The play resulted in a 3-yard loss.
Three times in the first half, the Redskins' offense was backed up deep in its own territory, but Johnson said that should have had no bearing on the success of the ground game.
"No matter where you are on the field, you still want to run your offense," he said. "Backed up is backed up. When you start making plays and moving the ball a little but, you've got to continue to do that."
-- BECK FEELS LIKE A REDSKIN NOW
All last week, quarterback John Beck watched film of the Baltimore Ravens. He had to remind himself that the Ravens aren't his team anymore.
"When I watching tape of them, I felt like I was watching practice tape," he said. "I'm so used to watching that defense in practice every day."
Beck, in his fourth year in the NFL, was a backup for Baltimore last season. He spent the 2010 offseason with the Ravens before he was traded to the Redskins on Aug. 3 in exchange for cornerback Doug Dutch.
On Saturday night, the Redskins hosted Beck's old team at FedExField.
Beck did not see action in the game as Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman took the snaps at quarterback.
Following the trade, Beck feels he has adapted well to his new surroundings.
"You know what's awesome is that in just two weeks I feel like a Redskin," he said. "It happened that quick. I spend all my time here. I'm really trying to be the best I can be for this team. And that's my old team.
"And yet I'll be out there watching my old team, but I don't feel like a part of that team. I feel like a Redskin."
-- MOORE HAS KNEE INJURY
Kareem Moore suffered a sprained knee in the first half of Saturday night's preseason game and he was scheduled for an MRI.
Moore was upbeat about his injury prognosis in the post-game locker room.
"It's just a mild sprain," Moore told Redskins.com's Matt Terl after the game.
However, Mike Shanahan said he was "concerned" with Moore's injury. He is expected to update Moore's status on Monday.
Also, Mike Sellers was sidelined in the first half after suffering a knee injury. He was able to walk off the field on his own.
Trent Williams suffered an elbow contusion and the injury was wrapped up in ice post-game.
