Redskins Newsletter

Volume 12 #8

October 29, 2007

November 5, 2007

Redskins win in OT over the one-win Jets.

The Redskins won in overtime 23-20 over the New York Jets. The Redskins beat the Jets for the eighth time in the last nine meetings.

The situation was that the Jets tied the game with 10 seconds left in regulation. Now the Redskins had their first possession in overtime and needed only a few inches for a first down. Instead Coach Gibbs called on Shaun Suisham for a 46-yard field goal attempt. Suisham’s kicked ball just squeaked over the goal post for the overtime win. Suisham's winning kick was his fifth field goal, tying a franchise record. He kicked another 46-yarder earlier, along with field goals of 40, 22 and 40 yards.

"It's a good feeling," Suisham said. "You feel like you contributed to the team. The guys are working so hard all game and you're off on your own. I'm glad they all went through. I didn't do anything special."

Coach Gibbs explained his rationale for going for the field goal was this: "I'd hate to have a penalty or something take away a chance from winning the ballgame. And that was a chance to win it on one play. I've had bad experiences in the last three years with holding penalties and things like that. I didn't want to pass up a chance to win the game right then."

The game started with the Redskins kicking off to the Jets, who promptly returned this opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. Not a good way to start a football game if you are a Redskins fan.

Washington fell behind 17-3 in the second quarter, but Suisham kept the Redskins in it.

The biggest play of the game was after the Redskins fourth quarter and only touchdown, with about 11 minutes left, they went for a two point conversion. Campbell’s quick pass to Randle-El in the end zone put the Redskins up by three instead of just two.

Clinton Portis was outstanding carrying the ball 36 times for 196 yards, his most as a Redskin, and topped 100 yards for the first time since October 2006.

The win came after the Redskins again sent its fans on a roller coaster ride. First with a kick off return by the Jets on the first play of the game, then falling behind 17-3, then going ahead 20-17, then have the game tied with a Jets field goal in the last seconds of the game. There is some concern about the Redskins offense. Portis scored the Redskins' only touchdown Sunday, so to date the Redskins have only 14 offensive touchdowns in eight games. Sunday the Redskins ran the ball 48 times and passing only 23. Washington finished with 296 yards rushing. That’s a lot of yards for only one touchdown.

Trivia: Last week’s question: What NFL team was the last to integrate their rooster? Answer: After years of resistance the Washington Redskins become the last team to integrate their roster when they traded their top draft pick (in 1962) to the Cleveland Browns for WR Bobby Mitchell. The move came only after the NFL and District of Columbia threatened to evict them, that Owner George Preston Marshall, a known racist finally relented. Despite playing in a place where it was made known he was not welcome, Mitchell had a stellar season scoring 11 TDs, and posting 1,384 receiving yards, as the Redskins got off to a 4-0-2 start. However the Redskins would lose 7 of their last 8 games to finish with a 5-7-2 record.

This week’s question: What year was DC Stadium renamed RFK Stadium?

beganjrfl@comcast.net