Redskins Newsletter

Volume 12 #4

October 08, 2007

Campbell...M'm! M'm! Good! Redskins 34 - Lions 3, how good that sounds. Sunday the Redskins outplayed the Lions 366-144 in total yards. Washington's defense, which lost linebacker Marcus Washington to a hamstring injury, sacked Kitna five times, held the Lions to 76 passing yards and just one third-down conversion in 10 chances.

In his 11th start as the Redskins' quarterback, Campbell completed 23 of 29 passes for 248 years, with two touchdowns and a 125.3 passer rating. He did this with Santana Moss out with a groin injury and Antwaan Randle El, lost just before half-time with a hamstring pull. Also, twice he went in motion to become a receiver as the snap went to Clinton Portis on running plays.

Campbell will, inevitably, have bad days. What's important is that he is also having some good days like last Sunday. And if Randle El had gained another couple of feet on his pass reception, Campbell would have had his first three-touchdown game. After the game Gibbs called Campbell’s performance: "Probably his best effort. He made smart decisions all day long. He took what was there and didn't try to force things. He got out of the pocket with his legs and made a big play down on the goal line. Every time he takes a step up, it's huge for the Redskins. You have a young guy there that is starting to work his way up. He just needs to keep doing that. He showed [leadership] from the get-go on a day when we were missing Santana, our big-play guy." There will be tougher days to fellow, beginning next week in Green Bay when Campbell will have to compete on the same field as Brett Favre.

Fullback Mike Sellers rushed for one touchdown and caught a pass for another. Sellers scored two touchdowns; one was a 1 yarder for a touchdown and caught an 8-yard touchdown pass in the second. "It's kind of embarrassing because I've really, really been begging," said Sellers, "Every time a coach passes by, 'Can I run this play?' 'Can I run that play?' 'Can I do this?' After a while, Coach Gibbs, he tried to avoid me. It worked. I got a chance to do something."

The biggest play of the day might have been the safety. Late in the third quarter with Detroit trailing 14-3, Detroit began its possession of the ball on its own 8. In the second play of that possession, defensive end Andre Carter sacked the Lions quarterback in the end zone for a safety. After that the Redskins scored 20 more unanswered points. Of the safety Gibbs said: "What happens in football games is that you have emotional swings at different times. Certainly, that was one I think that was a huge play for us." Other notable players were wide receiver James Thrash, who returned a punt 62 yards to set up a fourth-quarter score, and corner Carlos Rogers returned an interception 61 yards for a touchdown. Interesting stats: The Redskins reversed a streak of losing four straight home games in which they led at the half. The victory kept alive Detroit's 70 year jinx. The Redskins are 21-0 at home against the Lions since moving to Washington in 1937.

Trivia: Last week the question was what date did the Washington Redskins first play at RFK Stadium? What was the stadium first called? Who did the Redskins play and who won? On Oct. 1, 1961, the Washington Redskins played their first-ever game at D.C. Stadium, as it was called at that time. It was against the New York Giants, and was witnessed by 36,767 fans. The Giants won, 24-21.

This week’s question is: In what year was the Redskins band and its new fight song introduced? Who wrote “Hail to the Redskins”?

Club News: A MESSAGE FROM BOBBE