Redskins.com recaps Sunday's 31-15 win over the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium in Houston:
First Impressions:
#### Revealing Moment:
The Redskins led 31-15 with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, but the Texans were driving downfield. Thoughts of the Giants' 17-point comeback over the Eagles last week crept into mind. Time for a fantastic finish? Cornerback Kenny Wright, who played for the Texans from 2002-04, erased all doubt when he intercepted David Carr in the end zone, sealing the win for the Redskins.
Redskins Play of the Game:
#### Redskins Player of the Game:
In the last six Redskins games, preseason and regular, it has been difficult to uncover even one player of the game. This week? Take your pick. We'll go with Mark Brunell--he did set an NFL record, after all. Brunell connected on his first 22 passes to break the NFL mark. Overall, he was 24-of-27 for 261 yards and one TD pass. His QB rating was 119.3.
Redskins Unsung Hero:
#### What Went Right
-- The Redskins' offensive line was dominant in run-blocking, pushing around the Texans' line and getting favorable matchups in blocking schemes. Joe Bugel's group opened holes up the middle and outside, and the offense compiled 234 yards on the ground. Also, for the second time in three games, the unit did not yield a sack.
-- Speaking of blocking, wide receivers Santana Moss and Brandon Lloyd pushed around cornerbacks and safeties downfield, helping running backs gain extra yardage. Moss's block of cornerback Dunta Robinson helped Ladell Betts get into the end zone for the Redskins' first touchdown.
-- Runner-up for "Redskins Play of the Game": Nine seconds left in the first half, the Redskins had the ball at the Texans' 30-yard line. Joe Gibbs wanted to get the ball closer, so he called a draw play to Clinton Portis and hoped there would be enough time to call a time out. Instead, Portis broke through the line of scrimmage and followed a Casey Rabach block into the end zone for a touchdown.
-- In Ron Dayne, Samkon Gado and Wali Lundy, Houston doesn't exactly have household names at running back. Still, the Redskins' defense did its job in shutting down the Texans' running attack, limiting it to just 60 yards overall.
-- Derrick Frost had only two punts, but he made the most of his chances. He had a 52-yard punt in the first quarter and a 60-yard punt--with no bounce--in the second quarter, keeping the Texans from getting good field position.
-- Kenny Wright recorded the Redskins' first interception of the season, pulling in a David Carr pass in the end zone.
What Went Wrong
#### What's Next:
The Redskins can--and should--savor their first victory of the 2006 season. But it gets tougher next Sunday, when Mark Brunell's former team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, arrive at FedExField. The Jaguars, at 2-1, have been among the NFL's top teams early in the season. They lost a close game to the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, 21-14, at the RCA Dome.
Stats Geek:
#### Quote:
"You don't want to lose any games, so it's always good to win. It's good for confidence. It's good for morale. There's not a sense of relief. You're always tight, you're always wanting to win, you're always preparing to win. There is never any relief--the hay is never in the barn." -- wide receiver Brandon Lloyd
Lasting Impressions:
The question remains: how good of a win was this, given that the Texans are a franchise going through tough times right now? Well, it's always good to get a win. And, as they say, the Texans get paid, too. It's hoped that the positive momentum and offensive identity the Redskins established on Sunday will carry over in the following weeks. But truth be told, the Redskins face a much tougher test against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday. The good news: it's at FedExField.
