Redskins @ Oakland, 1st quarter review

Play by play is taken from the NFL Game Book. My commentary is added in its own font.


1st Quarter

G.Gano kicks 69 yards from WAS 30 to OAK 1. G.Russell to OAK 11 for 10 yards (H.Blades).

Oakland Raiders at 15:00, (1st play from scrimmage 14:54)

1-10-OAK 11 (14:54) J.Fargas right guard to OAK 12 for 1 yard (C.Griffin).

Orakop blows through the TE and RT to force the RB back into the middle of the field.

2-9-OAK 12 (14:13) B.Gradkowski pass short right to G.Russell pushed ob at OAK 32 for 20 yards (C.Rogers).

The Raiders effectively sucker the line on a screen so the only man in a position to stop the big gain is Rocky McIntosh, who is badly held.
Carter beats the LT, and Orakpo blitzes form SLB on the opposite side and simply jumps over the RB's low block. Both sandwich Gradkwoski and force an errant throw, but McFadden makes a great catch while falling backwards. I've been as down on Landry as anyone, but I think this one was just an exceptional play by McFadden.

1-10-OAK 32 (13:42) D.McFadden up the middle to OAK 35 for 3 yards (Team).

2-7-OAK 35 (13:03) D.McFadden left tackle to OAK 36 for 1 yard (L.Fletcher).

Fletcher meets the leading FB in the hole and not only stops him but pummels him senseless, then tosses him aside to join Kedric Golston, who had overpowered the C, in taking down the RB. Seriously, that FB took at least three very solid blows to the upper body before getting knocked aside.

3-6-OAK 36 (12:18) (Shotgun) B.Gradkowski sacked at OAK 32 for -4 yards (R.Doughty).

Redskins stunt all four linemen AND blitz Landry, Doughty, and Fletcher. The LTE gets badly positioned when Orakpo stunts to the inside, so Doughty is able to blow past a pretty feeble block. The TE grabs him from behind and pulls him to the ground, but Doughty makes a diving tackle of Gradkowski's feet as he steps up to escape edge pressure from Chris Wilson.

4-10-OAK 32 (11:56) S.Lechler punts 68 yards to end zone, Center-J.Condo, Touchback.

Washington Redskins at 11:46

1-10-WAS 20 (11:46) Q.Ganther right guard to WAS 25 for 5 yards (T.Scott, K.Morrison).

Levi Jones is blown up by the DT to allow backside pursuit, but Ganther shows quick burst into the space opened up behing Mike Williams, then when he sees Rabach losing a battle that would close up the hole, he makes a small cut to get behind Derrick Dockery who is driving his man backwards for another few yards. Very impressive run in heavy traffic.

2-5-WAS 25 (11:07) J.Campbell sacked at WAS 19 for -6 yards (T.Scott).

Levi blocks down on the DT, so the RDE comes totally untouched and blindsides Campbell. There was no TE on Levi's side, so I don't know who he thought was going to pick up the DE that was lined up right over him.

3-11-WAS 19 (10:34) (Shotgun) J.Campbell pass incomplete short right [M.Mitchell].

4-11-WAS 19 (10:07) (Punt formation) PENALTY on WAS-H.Smith, Delay of Game, 5 yards, enforced at WAS 19 - No Play.

4-16-WAS 14 (9:54) H.Smith punts 56 yards to OAK 30, Center-E.Albright. J.Higgins to OAK 39 for 9 yards (L.Alexander).

A simply outstanding tackle by Lorenzo Alexander to prevent some serious yardage.

Oakland Raiders at 9:45

1-10-OAK 39 (9:45) B.Gradkowski pass short right to J.Higgins to OAK 48 for 9 yards (C.Rogers).

2-1-OAK 48 (9:09) J.Fargas left end to 50 for 2 yards (L.Landry). FUMBLES (L.Landry), ball out of bounds at 50.

Landry, at strong safety thank God, tracks the play across the field, engages with the pulling LT and slips past him, then squares his shoulders around knocks the ball out of the RB's hands. Smoot picks it up with his foot about half an inch out of bounds. Classic Redskin luck.

1-10-50 (8:49) B.Gradkowski pass short right to Z.Miller to WAS 30 for 20 yards (L.Landry).
PENALTY on OAK-C.Schilens, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at 50 - No Play.

The RG never stands a chance against Golston, and Carter is initially stood up by the RT but then fights past him, so Gradkowski is under heavy pressure when he throws. The PI call was legit as the Raiders set a pick based on intersecting crossing routes, but its the kind of thing you usually get away with. If the WR had been a little less obvious in lowering his shoulder to bump Landry as the routes crossed it probably wouldn't have been called.

Timeout #1 by OAK at 08:16.

1-20-OAK 40 (8:16) D.McFadden right tackle to OAK 49 for 9 yards (R.Doughty).
PENALTY on WAS-L.Alexander, Defensive Offside, 5 yards, enforced at OAK 40 - No Play.

1-15-OAK 45 (7:52) D.McFadden left tackle to 50 for 5 yards (L.Fletcher).

Andre Carter beats the LT to close off the corner, Lorenzo Alexander (at DT) is driven back by a RG-RT double team and Orakpo is insufficiently aggressive in backside pursuit, so a large cutback lane is available.

2-10-50 (7:11) B.Gradkowski sacked at OAK 41 for -9 yards (B.Orakpo).

Orakpo shoves the TE aside, then is solidly picked up by the RB and brushes him off too. From the other side of the play, Cornelius Griffin draws the RG to the outside, and when he starts to win his battle the FB steps up to help him - but that just opens a lane for Rocky McIntosh on a delayed blitz. Griffin, Rocky, and Orakpo all pile on Gradkowski. Oh wait, correction - apparently its actually spelled "Orapko."

3-19-OAK 41 (6:36) (Shotgun) B.Gradkowski pass incomplete short left to J.Fargas.

Pressure comes from Orakpo who races past the LT, and Tryon who starts out over the slot receiver and has a path opened up when LDE Chris Wilson stunts to the inside. With Golston and Doughty also bearing down on him up the middle, Gradkowski just throws the ball into the ground.

4-19-OAK 41 (6:33) S.Lechler punts 35 yards to WAS 24, Center-J.Condo, fair catch by A.Randle El.

Washington Redskins at 6:26

1-10-WAS 24 (6:26) Q.Ganther left end to WAS 27 for 3 yards (K.Morrison).

I'm starting to think Ganther is the real deal - Levi Jones and Fred Davis are both soundly beaten on this play and the corner is for all intents and purposes lost, but Ganther is so quick he slips between the two defenders who have penetrated and outruns the backside pursuit that is allowed by Yoder on the other side. This play should have lost yardage, and Ganther turned it into a 3 yard gain.

2-7-WAS 27 (5:49) J.Campbell pass incomplete short right to D.Thomas (C.Johnson).

Quick slant, but the Raiders clearly see it coming as both the CB and the WLB converge on the route as soon as the ball is snapped.

3-7-WAS 27 (5:45) (Shotgun) J.Campbell pass incomplete short left to S.Moss.

Edge pressure is allowed by both tackles, but Ganther decides to help out Dockery, who doesn't need it. Campbell steps up, thinks about running, then see Moss breifly get open just over the first down marker - but the throw is in the dirt.

4-7-WAS 27 (5:40) H.Smith punts 44 yards to OAK 29, Center-E.Albright, fair catch by J.Higgins.

Oakland Raiders at 5:33

1-10-OAK 29 (5:33) B.Gradkowski pass short right to D.McFadden pushed ob at WAS 23 for 48 yards (L.Landry).

McFadden splits out wide and draws Landry in man coverage, then beats him to the inside on a slant route which is opened up by the TE drawing Fletcher outside with a flat route. Once he gets the ball in his hands he sets up a move that leaves Doughty flailing at his feet and turns this into a big gain. Fortunately Landry has the speed to chase him down desptie being initially beat, but McFadden buys some more yards with some significant facemask action while throwing a stiff-arm.

1-10-WAS 23 (4:59) J.Fargas left tackle to WAS 20 for 3 yards (K.Golston).

2-7-WAS 20 (4:26) B.Gradkowski pass incomplete short right to Z.Miller.

3-7-WAS 20 (4:21) (Shotgun) B.Gradkowski pass incomplete deep right to J.Higgins.

Landry and Doughty both blitz, but its pressure from Griffin and Carter on the offensive right that forces the rushed throw.

4-7-WAS 20 (4:21) (Field Goal formation) PENALTY on WAS-K.Barnes, Defensive Offside, 5 yards, enforced at WAS 20 - No
Play.

4-2-WAS 15 (4:15) S.Janikowski 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-J.Condo, Holder-S.Lechler.

WAS 0 OAK 3, 5 plays, 56 yards, 1 penalty, 1:21 drive, 10:48 elapsed

S.Janikowski kicks 72 yards from OAK 30 to WAS -2. D.Thomas to WAS 23 for 25 yards (T.Watkins).

Washington Redskins at 4:12, (1st play from scrimmage 4:05)

1-10-WAS 23 (4:05) J.Campbell scrambles left end to WAS 31 for 8 yards (T.Howard).

The line gives pretty good initial protection, and Campbell seems to see something downfield but is slow in his delivery and gives time for the DE on Levi to finally beat him and make a hit. Campbell shows good strength to absorb the blow and keep his footing. A demerit for Devin Thomas - he turns and sees Campbell running to his side of the field, and actually steps out of the way and makes no effort to block the LB covering him. It turns out not to effect the final yardage, but Devin didn't know that when he made the decision not to block.

2-2-WAS 31 (3:24) Q.Ganther right tackle to WAS 32 for 1 yard (Team).

Heyer and Davis give up the corner, so Ganther is forced to cut inside but he runs right into a DT who beats Rabach. I criticized Thomas on the last play f'or a non-block that did not effect the result, so here I want to point out that he was blocking his man with a purpose on this one and that would have been useful had Ganther been able to make the corner.

3-1-WAS 32 (2:37) J.Campbell pass short left to Q.Ganther to OAK 26 for 42 yards (C.Johnson).

Redskins line up in trips right to draw most of the secondary to that side, then Thomas fakes like he's getting a hitch to freeze them there. Dockery gets to the outside on the opposite end of the field and blocks a very lonely DB to open up the play, then Ganther runs through a tackle 11 yards downfield and Malcolm Kelly sets a key block to turn it into a really big gain.

1-10-OAK 26 (1:53) J.Campbell pass incomplete deep right to D.Thomas.
PENALTY on OAK-C.Johnson, Illegal Contact, 5 yards, enforced at OAK 26 - No Play.

Not a cheap call - the contact probably prevented a touchdown. In fact, it probably should have been PI.

1-10-OAK 21 (1:47) S.Moss left end to OAK 19 for 2 yards (N.Asomugha).

Kelly is split wide on the play side of this end around, and mysteriously sheds off his block very quickly and (and heads off camera). It's that DB who wrecks the play. I can't be sure, but it almost looks like Kelly forgot the play and the contact that occured between him and the DB was only him trying to get off the line against press coverage and run his route. I kind of hope I'm wrong about that. If that one DB had been blocked we would have had a big play - Rabach, Levi, and Yoder had sealed off the remaining defenders from that side of the field.

2-8-OAK 19 (1:07) J.Campbell pass incomplete deep middle to D.Thomas [G.Ellis].

The line slides its protection to the offensive left, leaving Yoder (at FB) and Rock to handle the LDE. But Yoder merely dives at his feet. Rock doesn't notice that this fails to bring him down, so he turns his attention upfield to block a DT and the LDE gets back up to hit Campbell as he throws.

3-8-OAK 19 (1:01) (Shotgun) J.Campbell scrambles up the middle to OAK 6 for 13 yards (T.Branch, G.Ellis).

The Raiders have only three down linemen, then blitz two LBs to the offensive left. Dockery is initially occupied by a RDE, allowing a LB to beat him on his outside shoulder. Levi is frozen by the second blitzing LB, who goes wide outside, and blocks nothing while Rock takes care of the outside man for him. Meanwhile a DT beats Mike Williams with a swim move and has a free shot at Campbell, but Campbell pulls a 360 spin to escape the two defenders and break into the clear for a first down.

1-6-OAK 6 (:13) (Shotgun) J.Campbell pass short middle to F.Davis for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
PENALTY on WAS-F.Davis, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 15 yards, enforced between downs.

Levi is beat again but the RDE slips on the wet turf when he tries to turn the corner and hit Campbell. The rest of the protection is solid and Campbell has time to let Fred Davis set up his man and get open on the goal line.

G.Gano extra point is GOOD, Center-E.Albright, Holder-H.Smith.

WAS 7 OAK 3, 7 plays, 77 yards, 1 penalty, 3:59 drive, 14:47 elapsed

G.Gano kicks 76 yards from WAS 15 to OAK 9. G.Russell to 50 for 41 yards (L.Holmes, K.Moore).

Another great kickoff from Gano - if he'd been kicking off from the proper spot this would have gone six yards deep in the endzone. Unfortunately the coverage team leaves a big seam open up the middle and Gano also has to make the tackle. Sometimes you just have to do all the work yourself.

Oakland Raiders at 0:13, (1st play from scrimmage 0:05)

1-10-50 (:05) B.Gradkowski pass deep left to D.McFadden to WAS 24 for 26 yards (L.Landry).