Redskins Run Defense — The Redskins held the Carolina Panthers to under 90 yards and 2.7 yards per carry. The only chance Washington had to win this game was to hold the Panthers rushing attack in check and force the mistake-prone Carolina QB Jake Delhomme to pass early and often. The Redskins didn’t win the game, but they did play well against the run and that gave Washington a chance to win a game in which their offense really did almost nothing.

THUMBS DOWN

Redskins Offensive Line: Washington’s offensive line repeatedly collapsed and failed to protect QB Jason Campbell at all. As it became clear that Campbell would not get the time to make any plays downfield, Head Coach Jim Zorn adopted a short pass-only passing offense, relying almost entirely on short slants and screens that the Panthers eventually figured out and stopped. The offensive line didn’t do much better for the running game, which averaged only 3.1 yards per carry. The Panthers defense had been reeling and awful, but Washington could managed only 198 yards of offense. Truly, another woeful performance. 

Redskins Special Teams: It was a nightmarish game for the special teams, which made two glaring mistakes leading to 14 of Carolina’s 20 points. First, the kickoff coverage team destroyed any momentum the Redskins had after scoring their 2nd TD of the game by giving up a return to the Washington 40 yard line. Set up on a short field, the Panthers scored a few plays later. Then, Byron Westbrook got in the way of a punt return and the football hit his foot. The Panthers recovered deep in Washington territory and scored their second TD soon after. It was a controversial play,but what isn’t controversial is that Westbrook was too close to punt returner Antwaan Randle El and then allowed himself to be shoved into the way of Randle El and the football. It was the sort of careless and thoughtless mistake that has plagued the Redskins during the Zorn era.