Redskins.com recaps Saturday night's 41-0 preseason loss to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium:
First Impressions:
#### Revealing Moment:
The first sign that this was not going to be the Redskins' night--other than losing the coin toss--was when John Hall's 43-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter was blocked. But the "Revealing Moment" came on the Patriots' ensuing drive. Quarterback Tom Brady engineered the Patriots' offense to the Redskins' 6-yard line. Brady and tight end Ben Watson anticipated a blitz from Adam Archuleta, so Watson faked pass protection, then broke off toward the end zone. Brady lofted a short pass over the middle, just ahead of Archuleta's arrival, that dropped right into Watson's arms for a touchdown. The Patriots took a 17-0 lead.
Redskins Play of the Game:
#### Redskins Player of the Game:
Slim pickings. Might as well go with...Chris Cooley had a nice 14-yard grab in the first quarter, converting a first down on a 3rd-and-4 play. Cooley also logged a seven-yard catch in the second quarter.
Redskins Unsung Hero:
#### What Went Right:
-- Turnovers were among the storylines of the Redskins' first two preseason games. On Saturday against the Patriots? Problem solved. The Redskins did not turn the ball over once against the Patriots. Of course, losing 41-0 indicates other problems need to be addressed.
-- For the second time this preseason, Jimmy Farris led the Redskins in receptions. He recorded three catches for 13 yards against the Patriots. Farris still faces an uphill battle to earn a roster spot, but he is making it interesting against James Thrash, who logged a forced fumble on a kick return on Saturday evening.
-- Adam Archuleta could develop into the Redskins' top "gunner" on special teams coverage. Against New England, he was solid on punt coverage units, recording two tackles. In the first quarter, he sped past blockers and leveled punt returner Kevin Faulk for no gain.
-- In the end, preseason games are all about finding young talent to round out the roster. So who stepped up? Linebacker Rocky McIntosh recovered the Redskins' first turnover of preseason. Safety Reed Doughty forced a fumble and had three tackles. Tight end Buck Ortega had two catches for eight yards. Running back Jesse Lumsden had a nice 11-yard reception. Wide receiver Steven Harris hauled in a deep pass from Jason Campbell for a 35-yard gain.
What Went Wrong:
#### What's Next:
Saturday's preseason game was the last chance for many Redskins to make an impression and stick with the team for at least another week. The first-round of roster cuts are due on Tuesday, Aug. 29, at 4 p.m. ET. All teams must reduce their roster to a league-mandated 75 players by that time. The Redskins close out the preseason next Thursday, Aug. 31, against the Baltimore Ravens at FedExField. Kickoff is 8 p.m. ET.
Stats Geek:
#### Quote:
"There's no need to panic. Obviously it is early, and there are a lot of things we need to fix. I just keep thinking of when I played here in New England, we used to beat the Philadelphia Eagles every year in the preseason and I used to say to myself, 'They are the worst team ever.' And every year they would end up in the championship game and one time in the Super Bowl. Using that experience, it is way too early to start jumping ship. The best thing to do is to get back in the classroom, get back on the field, start practicing again and go from there. We know we have a lot of work to do." -- tight end Christian Fauria
Lasting Impressions:
Plenty of teams in NFL history have played awful in the preseason, only to be among the best in the league when the real games start. Will that list include the 2006 Redskins? Consider that last year Washington was 1-3 in preseason but still went on to make a playoff run. Even though positives have been few and far between this preseason, it's best to take your cue from Joe Gibbs, who was surprisingly calm after the game: "I think we have a lot of character on our team, and we are being tested. I think when you go through tests like this, you find out what you are made of."
