First reactions to the Buccaneers game

This has got to be the most draining 2-2 start of all time.

I have a bit of a confession to make. As you’ve probably picked up on by now, I’m not one to advocate radical change as soon as things start going badly. But by the mid-second quarter, I was hoping Jason Campbell would be pulled from the game. During the first half I truly felt we were witnessing the end of Jason Campbell as a viable NFL quarterback. He was finally coming apart. I wanted him to be benched almost out of mercy, to salvage what little might remain of his self-confidence. Obviously Todd Collins isn’t somebody we’re developing for the future, so I’m not sure if I would want a season-long change or not. But it seemed like if Collins provided a noticeable upgrade we could continue that course, and if not it might at least give Campbell a chance to get his head on straight before his eventual return to duty, next week or later.

And then, just to make me look like a schmuck for doubting him, he comes out in the second half and shows impressive composure to get his team right back in the game. In all honesty, things were at the point where he could have been forgiven for collapsing under the pressure. He certainly didn’t do enough to confirm he should be the Redskins’ starting quarterback long-term, but he did earn himself the benefit of the doubt by coming out and performing at a high level when absolutely nobody, including me, believed in him.

So while it’s a relief that Campbell, and the team as a whole, rebounded from a thoroughly nightmarish first half, it leaves us in an absolutely maddening position. A few weeks from now, will the first half of the Bucs game be seen as the point at which the Redskins hit rock bottom, before the resurgence? Will it be seen as a harbinger and it was the second half that was the aberration? Or will it be something in between? I honestly don’t have a clue.

A more detailed game review will follow, as always.