After months spent dispelling any semblance of suspense from their draft plans, the Washington Redskins finally selected Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick in this year’s draft. Three rounds later, the Redskins put some suspense back in their offseason by drafting yet another quarterback in Kirk Cousins.

Experts bemoan the potential for quarterback controversy, but closer inspection reveals forward thinking.

It is difficult to argue in favor of the move to draft Cousins given the needs along the offensive line and in the defensive secondary. However, the Redskins didn’t draft Cousins for the simple luxury of having two rookie quarterbacks.

The Redskins drafted Cousins to push Griffin and show enough to catch the eyes of needy teams around the league.

One of the most talked about free agent moves, aside from the courting of Peyton Manning, was the fate of former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn. Flynn’s NFL film reel consists of 82 completions, nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

He earned a three-year, $26 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks based on the potential he showed in a six touchdown performance in the final game of the 2011-2012 regular season against the Detroit Lions.

It may be argued that Flynn’s big performance was a fluke and that the Lions didn’t really have much to play for at that point in the season. That might explain a great performance, but not the exceptional performance he turned in, even against the 11th worst pass defense in the NFL.

Flynn isn’t the only backup that has earned a big deal based on his relief performances. Kevin Kolb received similar attention during the 2011 offseason.

Kolb appeared in 19 games with seven starts for the Philadelphia Eagles, producing 2,082 yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Teams were apparently willing to forgive his inconsistency, evidenced by the offseason interest showed by Cleveland, Denver and Arizona.

The Cardinals ultimately gave up cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie a second round pick to acquire Kolb from Philadelphia.

Cousins, like Kolb and Flynn, will be viewed as a potential future starter in the NFL and the Redskins are looking to cash in on that potential.

The ESPN analysis crew, Trent Dilfer in particular, made a big deal about the creating of unnecessary quarterback controversy with the pick. It may have been a questionable pick from a need standpoint, but it doesn’t take anything away from what the Redskins drafted Griffin to do for the franchise.

Mike Shanahan has a reputation for developing quarterbacks and perhaps Cousins is a pet project of his.

Worst-case scenario. Griffin struggles mightily or sustains an injury that puts Cousins in position to start ahead of fan favorite Rex Grossman. Cousins may struggle himself, but it would be expected from a fourth-rounder and teams would forgive him, especially considering the unpolished nature of the offense heading into the season.

Best-case scenario, Cousins has a good preseason showing and gets the chance to show his mettle in mop-up duty during the regular season.

In the event of the latter, the Redskins have the makings of serious trade bait in a league that is perpetually desperate for franchise quarterbacks. In the event of the former, the Redskins have a project passer with enough skill to hold the fort until the next franchise passer comes along.

Washington can’t afford to miss the mark with Griffin, but Cousins gives them a temporary safety net should the unthinkable become a harsh reality.

Drafting Cousins, however questionable it may be in the face of so many other needs, is not a move that undermines Griffin as the future of the franchise. The Redskins gave up a lot for Griffin, and Cousins gives them a prospect that they can mold and potentially trade in an effort to recover picks in future drafts.

The Redskins are thinking long-term with their selection of both Griffin and Cousins, but the end-game with Cousins is recouping losses, not leading the team.

PALM BEACH, Fla.—The Washington Redskins were interested in signing quarterback Peyton Manning in free agency even after trading up in the NFL draft order to select either Robert Griffin III or Andrew Luck, Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday.

   “There was a definite possibility” of the team getting both Manning and a prized rookie quarterback, Shanahan said at the NFC coaches’ breakfast at the annual league meeting.

   Shanahan confirmed that he and his son, Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, met with Manning at Mike Shanahan’s home outside Denver during Manning’s free agent deliberations.

   “It was interesting, fun to sit down and talk football for a number of hours and that’s what we did,” Mike Shanahan said.

   Shanahan said he thought having Manning and a highly regarded rookie quarterback on the roster would have created a perfect situation for the Redskins and didn’t believe Manning would have been fazed by such an arrangement. But by the end of the meeting, Shanahan said, he had a sense that the Redskins wouldn’t be able to sign Manning.

   Manning signed a five-year, $96 million contract last week with the Denver Broncos. The Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers also were among Manning’s finalists.

   Shanahan’s meeting with Manning reportedly took place on March 10, the day after reports surfaced that the Redskins had completed a trade with the St. Louis Rams for the second overall selection in the NFL draft.

   “We had a great conversation,” Shanahan said. “I know he gave it a lot of thought.” 

More on Redskins’ quarterbacks:

Sneak peek at RGIII

Hard hits: Which QB is the better fit for Redskins?

Griffin impresses at pro day

It’s difficult to spin a 5-11 season as anything but a failure, and in our winner-takes-all sports culture, where regular season games—even those against hated rivals—are analyzed only in the context of playoff seedings and potential championship runs, abject failure may be the most appropriate descriptor.

Revival was the theme of NFL 2011. The Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers made the playoffs for the first time since God-knows-when-or-cares-to-remember. The city of Houston earned its first playoff game since the beloved Oilers relocated to the Bible Belt. Even the Miami Dolphins showed signs of life after briefly threatening to lay a goose egg in the wins column.

In Denver, a God-fearing quarterback and serious young man teamed up with a resourceful coaching staff to revive the read option offensive scheme, which hasn’t seen this much NFL action since before the NFL-AFL merger.

But in the feel-good culture of reinvigorated franchises and continued TV ratings dominance, not every team received an auspice of better things to come. The Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns, two of the most hapless franchises in all of professional sports, remain relegated to history, confined to NFL Films highlight reels that recall a time when meaningful games regularly took place off the banks of the Potomac and Cuyahoga Rivers.

Browns fans take the cake for most pained NFL fanbase since they have never experienced a Super Bowl win, and their current team can only be described as the pseudo-Browns, the original franchise having left almost two decades ago to take up residence in Baltimore. That doesn’t mean the men, women and children who commute an unfathomable distance to FedEx Field every Sunday to sing Hail to the Redskins are any less frustrated.

Washington and Cleveland are actually connected in more ways than one: Since Art Modell took his team and their talents to the city where everyone’s favorite meditation on the decay of urban America was set, the Ravens, not the Redskins, have been the class of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area.

Twenty years ago, no one could have predicted that the beloved and uber-successful Redskins would one day be usurped as the best professional football team south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but such a transformation has happened, and now, no one can say with certainty if the Burgundy and Gold will ever regain their status as one of league’s elite franchises.

Bruce Allen hired Mike Shanahan to restore the glory, but the latter has since admitted that turning the Redskins around has been harder than he initially anticipated. Shanahan clearly did not understand all the baggage he was taking on when he signed Dan Snyder’s offer letter.

But even in a rain-cloud filled season, there are a few silver linings to be gleaned and more than a few lessons to be learned.

Professional football today is all about the audacity of hope, the illogical impulse to believe that your team will be the one out of the 32 (a three percent chance for the mathematically disinclined) to host a trophy at season’s end.

The Washington Redskins won’t be that team this year, but with a few tweaks, they may one day get back to where they once belonged. In the mean time, fans can take solace that the Redskins are still 100 times more competent than the no-account Washington Wizards.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Washington Redskins‘ miserable National Football League season has hardened the resolve of head coach Mike Shanahan to return the once-proud franchise to its winning ways.

The three-time Super Bowl-winning Redskins finished in last place in the NFC East with a 5-11 record, losing 10 of their last 12 games after opening the year with a 3-1 mark.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of putting a great football team together here with the Washington Redskins. I know we’re not there yet,” Shanahan told reporters on Monday.

“But I’m excited with what I do. I’m excited about this football team and the players that we’ve got. And I’m excited for the future.”

Washington was 6-10 a year ago in Shanahan’s first season with the club and the coach admitted he did not expect to see an immediate turnaround for a franchise that has not made the NFL playoffs since the 2007 campaign.

“We’ve got the people that I feel give you the chance to make up something special. And that’s where it starts. It’s not going to happen all in one year or two years,” he said.

“I’m still disappointed we didn’t win 10 or 11 games. I really believe if we would have stayed healthy – that’s not using it as an excuse because we didn’t have a lot of depth – I think we could have gotten there.”

The Redskins lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 34-10 in their season finale on Sunday, sealing the team’s fourth-consecutive finish in the NFC East basement.

Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos, conceded losing was agonizing.

“With all the time that you put in, every time you have a loss, especially with the effort that you put in, it’s like somebody sticks a knife in you. It’s tough to go through a season like that,” he said.

“Thank God I haven’t gone through any like this before. I might not have been in this profession very long. But it’s something that really drives you, motivates you.

“It’s something that I look forward to doing – putting a great football team together and doing it the right way. And sometimes it takes a little bit longer than sometimes expected.”

(Reporting By Steve Ginsburg; Editing by Frank Pingue)

The Washington Redskins’
miserable National Football League season has hardened the
resolve of head coach Mike Shanahan to return , you better be
motivated, because if you’re not motivated, you’re not going to
be in this business for a long time,” Shanahan the once-proud
franchise to its winning ways.

The three-time Super Bowl-winning Redskins finished in last
place in the NFC East with a 5-11 record, losing 10 of their
last 12 games after opening the year with a 3-1 mark.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of putting a great
football team together here with the Washington Redskins. I know
we’re not there yet.

“But I’m excited with what I do. I’m excited about this
football team and the players that we’ve got. And I’m excited
for the future.”

Washington was 6-10 a year ago in Shanahan’s first season
with the club and the coach admitted he did not expect to see an
immediate turnaround for a franchise that has not made the NFL
playoffs since the 2007 campaign.

“We’ve got the people that I feel give you the chance to
make up something special. And that’s where it starts. It’s not
going to happen all in one year or two years,” he said.

“I’m still disappointed we didn’t win 10 or 11 games. I
really believe if we would have stayed healthy – that’s not
using it as an excuse because we didn’t have a lot of depth – I
think we could have gotten there.”

The Redskins lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 34-10 in their
season finale on Sunday, sealing the team’s fourth-consecutive
finish in the NFC East basement.

Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos,
conceded losing was agonizing.

“With all the time that you put in, every time you have a
loss, especially with the effort that you put in, it’s like
somebody sticks a knife in you. It’s tough to go through a
season like that,” he said.

“Thank God I haven’t gone through any like this before. I
might not have been in this profession very long. But it’s
something that really drives you, motivates you.

“It’s something that I look forward to doing – putting a
great football team together and doing it the right way. And
sometimes it takes a little bit longer than sometimes expected.”

PHILADELPHIA – With the clock winding down in the first half, the Washington Redskins’ field-goal unit hurried onto the field only to watch time run out before attempting a short kick.

That about sums up the season for the Redskins.

Michael Vick threw three touchdown passes, including a 62-yarder to DeSean Jackson, and the Eagles beat Washington 34-10 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

While the Eagles (8-8) go home feeling positive about a strong finish, the Redskins (5-11) have fewer bright spots. They finished last in the NFC East for a franchise-worst fourth straight year. It was Mike Shanahan’s worst full season in 18 years as a coach.

“I think the last five, six games we’ve done some good things, run the football against some good teams, not as good as we need, though,” Shanahan said. “We talked about adding a few pieces on offense, we need a few pieces on defense, a good draft, but we made some strides. Our football team is a lot different than a year ago, and that’s a positive.”

The Redskins had one more win last year, but feel they made strides this season.

“Oh yeah, tremendously,” linebacker Brian Orakpo said. “Even though our record’s worse, I feel like our defense is tops in the league. Statistically, we kind of fell off toward the end, but I really feel like we got the core guys we can build off of and really look for a bright future for this team, especially with all the young guys you see this year.”

It’s the first time since 2007 that Philadelphia didn’t qualify for postseason play and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons.

“We have to get better all the way around, starting with me,” Reid said. “This wasn’t good enough.”

One of four NFL games on the final day that had no playoff ramifications, this had the feel of a preseason game. There were thousands of empty seats at the always sold-out Linc, and there was far more interest in the Mummer’s Parade on Broad Street.

The Winter Classic alumni game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers across the street at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday generated more excitement.

Playing without NFC leading rusher LeSean McCoy, the Eagles relied mainly on their passing attack. Vick threw for 335 yards, becoming the second player to have consecutive seasons with 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing.

Rex Grossman had 256 yards passing, one TD and one interception, and Evan Royster had 113 yards rushing for Washington.

“I’m not sure what my opportunities are going to be,” said Grossman, who will be a free agent. “I hope this is the best opportunity. It’s a very good team. I’m proud of every single teammate that I played with. Everybody worked hard, nobody gave up. We have great character in that locker room. Even though we finished where we finished, I was proud to be a part of this team.”

The Redskins were 3-1 and leading the NFC East when the teams met on Oct. 16. A 20-13 loss to Philadelphia started their six-game losing streak and knocked them out of the playoff picture.

“I think it was encouraging to see how we played in the first half of games this season, but was disappointed that we did not finish some games,” linebacker Ryan Kerrigan said. “We did not always play up to par this season.”

Vick’s 7-yard TD pass to Chad Hall in the second quarter gave Philadelphia a 10-0 lead after Derek Landri blocked Graham Gano’s 36-yard field-goal attempt.

Vick connected with Jackson to make it 20-10 in the fourth quarter. It could’ve been Jackson’s last game with the Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver played the final year of his rookie contract and never got the extension he wanted after holding out in training camp.

A 4-yard TD toss from Vick to Brent Celek made it 27-10.

Roy Helu turned a screen pass into a 47-yard TD to get Washington to 10-7 on the opening drive of the second half.

The Redskins turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles 35 in the final minute of the second quarter. They got the ball back when Brian Orakpo sacked Vick and forced a fumble. Perry Riley recovered at the 17, but the Redskins wasted the field position.

An unsportsmanlike penalty on Santana Moss for taking off his helmet and arguing a non-call for pass interference pushed the ball back, and the clock expired before Gano could attempt a field goal after Jabar Gaffney was tackled at the Eagles 7. Long snapper Nick Sundberg wasn’t on the field as players scurried to the line of scrimmage.

“A little mix-up there relative to communication, coupled with not getting the play,” Shanahan said, explaining that the headsets weren’t working at the time.

NOTES: Grossman finished with 20 interceptions despite not starting three games. … Shanahan’s previous worst season was 6-10 last year and with Denver in 1999. … Orakpo left with a left shoulder injury. He’ll have an MRI on Monday.

Michael Vick threw three touchdown passes, including a 62-yarder to DeSean Jackson, and the Eagles beat Washington 34-10 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

While the Eagles (8-8) go home feeling positive about a strong finish, the Redskins (5-11) have fewer bright spots. They finished last in the NFC East for a franchise-worst fourth straight year. It was Mike Shanahan’s worst full season in 18 years as a coach.

“I think the last five, six games we’ve done some good things, run the football against some good teams, not as good as we need, though,” Shanahan said. “We talked about adding a few pieces on offense, we need a few pieces on defense, a good draft, but we made some strides. Our football team is a lot different than a year ago, and that’s a positive.”

The Redskins had one more win last year, but feel they made strides this season.

“Oh yeah, tremendously,” linebacker Brian Orakpo said. “Even though our record’s worse, I feel like our defense is tops in the league. Statistically, we kind of fell off toward the end, but I really feel like we got the core guys we can build off of and really look for a bright future for this team, especially with all the young guys you see this year.”

It’s the first time since 2007 that Philadelphia didn’t qualify for postseason play and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons.

“We have to get better all the way around, starting with me,” Reid said. “This wasn’t good enough.”

One of four NFL games on the final day that had no playoff ramifications, this had the feel of a preseason game. There were thousands of empty seats at the always sold-out Linc, and there was far more interest in the Mummer’s Parade on Broad Street.

The Winter Classic alumni game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers across the street at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday generated more excitement.

Playing without NFC leading rusher LeSean McCoy, the Eagles relied mainly on their passing attack. Vick threw for 335 yards, becoming the second player to have consecutive seasons with 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing.

Rex Grossman had 256 yards passing, one TD and one interception, and Evan Royster had 113 yards rushing for Washington.

“I’m not sure what my opportunities are going to be,” said Grossman, who will be a free agent. “I hope this is the best opportunity. It’s a very good team. I’m proud of every single teammate that I played with. Everybody worked hard, nobody gave up. We have great character in that locker room. Even though we finished where we finished, I was proud to be a part of this team.”

The Redskins were 3-1 and leading the NFC East when the teams met on Oct. 16. A 20-13 loss to Philadelphia started their six-game losing streak and knocked them out of the playoff picture.

“I think it was encouraging to see how we played in the first half of games this season, but was disappointed that we did not finish some games,” linebacker Ryan Kerrigan said. “We did not always play up to par this season.”

Vick’s 7-yard TD pass to Chad Hall in the second quarter gave Philadelphia a 10-0 lead after Derek Landri blocked Graham Gano’s 36-yard field-goal attempt.

Vick connected with Jackson to make it 20-10 in the fourth quarter. It could’ve been Jackson’s last game with the Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver played the final year of his rookie contract and never got the extension he wanted after holding out in training camp.

A 4-yard TD toss from Vick to Brent Celek made it 27-10.

Roy Helu turned a screen pass into a 47-yard TD to get Washington to 10-7 on the opening drive of the second half.

The Redskins turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles 35 in the final minute of the second quarter. They got the ball back when Brian Orakpo sacked Vick and forced a fumble. Perry Riley recovered at the 17, but the Redskins wasted the field position.

An unsportsmanlike penalty on Santana Moss for taking off his helmet and arguing a non-call for pass interference pushed the ball back, and the clock expired before Gano could attempt a field goal after Jabar Gaffney was tackled at the Eagles 7. Long snapper Nick Sundberg wasn’t on the field as players scurried to the line of scrimmage.

“A little mix-up there relative to communication, coupled with not getting the play,” Shanahan said, explaining that the headsets weren’t working at the time.

NOTES: Grossman finished with 20 interceptions despite not starting three games. … Shanahan’s previous worst season was 6-10 last year and with Denver in 1999. … Orakpo left with a left shoulder injury. He’ll have an MRI on Monday.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ANALYSIS/OPINION

A review of the best and worst performances by the Washington Redskins’ offense and some observations after re-watching the TV broadcast of their 34-27 loss to the New England Patriots.

GAME BALLS

RB ROY HELU: The Redskins will enter the offseason in three weeks with a long list of needs on offense. That’s obvious. After his third straight 100-yard game, an important question is whether Helu has changed coach Mike Shanahan’s thinking about the magnitude of the need at running back. Would Shanahan be content to go with Helu as a featured back and devote the Redskins’ resources to acquiring a top quarterback prospect, improving the line and getting a receiver or two?

Shanahan had success in Denver with different backs. However, coaches and former players distinguish between Terrell Davis’ ability and others’ (Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson). When Gary and Anderson ran for 1,200 and 1,500 yards, respectively, Davis would have had at least 500 more, they say, because of his ability to diagnose cutback lanes, his feel for creating them himself, his patience and his speed. Helu is closer to the Gary/Anderson/others category than Davis or Houston’s Arian Foster. Is Shanahan OK with that considering how many other needs he has on offense?

One can’t help but wonder what Helu could do behind a better offensive line. The blocking for him was wildly inconsistent against New England, but he still had 126 yards. He made defenders miss with his quick feet and speed, and he gained 51 yards after contact on 27 carries. CBS analyst Dan Dierdorf during the broadcast emphasized Helu’s impressive lateral quickness, and it’s worth mentioning again. There were times when he had to cut two or more yards behind the line of scrimmage because the blocking broke down in front of him, but Helu adjusted with his feet, kept his shoulders squared to the line of scrimmage and didn’t lose speed or power. 

His speed to the edge and around the corner resulted in several big runs. There were times when he had to bow his path around a tackle that had been pushed back, but he still made it work. Helu whiffed on a blitz pickup on the Redskins’ first play from scrimmage, but he was better after that. Overall, it was another promising game for the rookie. Regardless of how Shanahan and the organization evaluate the running back position entering the offseason, Helu has established himself as a contributor.

WR DONTÉ STALLWORTH: It’s a bit baffling that the Redskins released Stallworth last month considering the big plays he’s made for them since returning. On Sunday, he helped the Redskins match their season-high of 50 percent third-down efficiency (7-of-14) by converting three of them. A big part of being a reliable third-down option is running quality routes against defenses expecting the pass. Stallworth did that.

On his 51-yard catch on third-and-9 in the first quarter, he released inside CB Devin McCourty to get in position for the deep ball. Later in that drive, Stallworth converted third-and-7 using a whip route on which he put McCourty on his back by selling his route to the right flat and pivoting quickly back to the inside. On third-and-9 on the Redskins’ last drive, Stallworth ran a crisp ‘in’ cut, holding McCourty at the top of the break so he could separate to the inside. Those are little things that result in impactful plays.

WR JABAR GAFFNEY: Gaffney seems to have a knack for finding holes in zone coverage. There were plays on which he got wide open simply by taking what the soft New England coverage gave him. He also benefited from some of the play-action passes on which the linebackers lost depth by biting on the run fake.

On Gaffney’s touchdown catch, the Redskins took advantage of a blown coverage and a successful play-action fake. When S James Ihedigbo came up to stop the run, Gaffney ran away from CB Devin McCourty by selling the post and then breaking back out to the corner. The Redskins sent only three receivers out on that play against seven defenders in coverage, but they won because of play-action. That’s what a successful running game and quality play design will do for an offense.

GASSERS

LG MAURICE HURT: It’s pretty much a broken record at this point with Hurt. He’s in there out of necessity. The Redskins have to hope he gets leaner in the offseason, which should improve his strength and quickness in case he’s needed again in a backup role. He was inconsistent finishing his blocks. He can be slow getting off the first assignment in a combination block and late redirecting to a linebacker. On the first play of the game, an inside linebacker blitzed past him untouched when Hurt blocked down, and QB Rex Grossman took a hit. Hurt also was penalized twice for holding.

It wasn’t all bad, though. He cut down DL Kyle Love on the backside of RB Roy Helu’s 16-yard run around the right side in the first quarter. On Helu’s 26-yard run around the left end later in the quarter, he sustained his block against LB Dane Fletcher long enough for Helu to turn the corner two steps ahead of Fletcher.

LT WILLIE SMITH: Smith secured his place on this list by giving up the sack-fumble-touchdown on his third NFL play. For his regular-season debut, though, he wasn’t too bad.

Story Continues →

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The Washington Redskins have placed nose tackle Chris Baker on injured reserve with a quad injury only a week after promoting him from the practice squad, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed. The team also signed tight end Richard Quinn o the 53-man roster.

Baker spent the entire season on the practice squad before he was promoted Dec. 6. The next day he pulled up lame with a quad injury that initially wasn’t believed to be too serious. Coach Mike Shanahan joked at the time that the team had given Baker ‘’the kiss of death’’ but said he hoped to have the third-year pro back soon.

Quinn was a second-round pick of Denver’s in 2009 but recorded only one catch in two seasons. He was released this past August. Washington is thin at tight end with Fred Davis suspended, Chris Cooley on injured reserve and Mike Sellers nursing a hyperextended elbow.

The Washington Redskins have promoted nose tackle Chris Baker from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed.

A third-year player out of Hampton University, the 6-foot-2, 329-pound Baker had spent the entire season on the practice squad.

He previously appeared in a game for the Denver Broncos in 2009 and one game for the Miami Dolphins in 2010 but didn’t record a tackle in either contest.

The Redskins also have nose tackles Barry Cofield and rookie Chris Neild on the roster.

Jets (6-5) at Washington Redskins (4-7)
Week 13
Today, 1 p.m.
FedEx Field, Landover, Md.
TV: Channel 2
Radio: ESPN 1050-AM

THIS WEEK’S GAME REVOLVES AROUND …
Quarterback Mark Sanchez

Respect for the young Sanchez has been hard to find lately outside of the Jets facility. Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall called him “middle-of-the-pack.” ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck suggested Sanchez doesn’t put in the time he should. Jets fans boo him during pre-game introductions (and throughout the game as well). It has been well documented that Sanchez’s teammates have come to his defense, making sure there’s nothing wrong. Still, he has appeared visibly shaken. Heck, even Sanchez’s parents checked in. But there is one thing that can make this go away: a no-doubt shredding of the Redskins this afternoon.

So many of Sanchez’s performances come with a caveat — whether it’s a pick-six or a simple misread, the quarterback has never been thought of as a complete, confident passer in the pocket. However, this is the benefit of playing in a league where opinions change substantially from week to week. Whether or not all the interceptions and incompletions are his fault can be a moot point if he goes out today and completes 65 percent of his passes, throws a pair of touchdowns and keeps the ball out of the other team’s hands.

THE SAVVY FAN IS WATCHING …
LaDainian Tomlinson’s playing time

Now that we know Shonn Greene’s rib injury likely will linger the rest of the season, it will be interesting to see how many more carries Tomlinson gets today. The veteran running back said he has never felt this fresh down the stretch before.

PAST MEETINGS

1. Nov. 4, 2007 Redskins 23, Jets 20
2. Sept. 4, 2003 at Washington. Redskins 16, Jets 13
3. Sept. 26, 1999 Redskins 27, Jets 20
4. Sept. 29, 1996 at Washington. Redskins 31, Jets 16
5. Dec. 11, 1993 at Washington. Jets 3, Redskins 0
6. Oct. 25, 1987 at Washington. Redskins 17, Jets 16
7. Sept. 24, 1978 at Washington. Redskins 23, Jets 3
8. Dec. 5, 1976 Redskins 37, Jets 16
9. Nov. 5, 1972 Redskins 35, Jets 17

Remember when …
The Jets secured their only franchise victory over the Redskins, back in 1993? The Redskins’ QB corps was in a bit of shambles as Rich Gannon took a majority of the snaps and Mark Rypien also had eight attempts. The Jets were paced by a workmanlike performance by running back Johnny Johnson, who went for 155 yards on 32 carries. The game was decided by first-quarter field goal by Cary Blanchard.

WHAT THE REDSKINS DON’T WANT THE JETS TO KNOW

1. They’re coming after Mark Sanchez
Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan anchor a nasty Redskins defense that is tied for third in the NFL in sacks (33). Aside from the Houston Texans, they are the only team in the NFL that has four players with at least 4 1/2 sacks, a stat that illustrates the damage a Jim Haslett defense can cause. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said the Jets will be challenged to vary their fronts in order to keep the Redskins off base, though the problems caused by Washington’s 3-4 front still loom. “They’re outside, they can get as wide as they want and do things like that,” he said.

2. They finally have a running back who gives them confidence
Roy Helu posted a career-high 108 yards and a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks last week and is looking to be the first Redskins rookie running back to post back-to-back 100-yard games since Reggie Brooks in 1993. Head coach Mike Shanahan said he was waiting for Helu to catch up with his pass protections before he gave him more opportunities. Now that he understands the offense better, the speedy back out of Nebraska will get a chance to test the Jets’ flimsy perimeter run defense. “I think he can handle a bigger load now, just like he did against the Seahawks. Hopefully, he takes advantage of the opportunity,” Shanahan said. “He has a big upside. He has great speed. Any time you deal with a back with a 4.4 (40-yard dash time), you know he has the speed to make the big plays.”

3. Like the Jets, they are trying to establish an identity
Heading into the week, Mike Shanahan was experiencing some of the same problems Rex Ryan faced this season. Sometimes Washington is a passing team, sometimes it is paced by the run. But a true identity has been hard to pin down for the Redskins, who have flipped quarterbacks, shuffled through a few different running backs and watched as the wheels fell off amid a six-game losing streak that ended last Sunday. “It’s hard for me to figure out (the Jets) when I can’t figure out myself,” Shanahan said. “We’re doing a little bit of that week-by-week. Sometimes the running game is a little bit better than other weeks and sometimes the passing game is a little bit better. You want to get both going.”

POSITION BREAKDOWNS

Quarterback
Mark Sanchez coming off a career-high four touchdowns is hard to argue with, especially this late in the season.
Edge: Jets

Running back
Despite the emergence of Roy Helu, Shonn Greene is quietly on a strong stretch.
Edge: Jets

Wide receiver
Even with Santana Moss back in the Redskins fold, you have to favor the way Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes are producing.
Edge: Jets

Offensive line
The Redskins surrender more sacks and produce less on the ground.
Edge: Jets

Defensive line
Adam Carriker and Barry Cofield have proved very solid pass-rushing linemen.
Edge: Redskins

Linebackers
Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan may be the most exciting tandem age 25 or under in the NFL.
Edge: Redskins

Secondary
Will the Jets leave Darrelle Revis all alone in cover-zero? It probably doesn’t matter.
Edge: Jets

Special teams
Despite the fumbles, the Jets still have the most explosive kick-return unit in the NFL.
Edge: Jets

FOUR DOWNS WITH …
Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine

1. Mike Shanahan said he’s worried Darrelle Revis might be extra motivated because the Bills picked on him so much last week. You think that’s about right?
That’s usually what happens in practice. If you catch a ball on him in practice, I wouldn’t want to be the receiver that lines up across from him next. But he’s a competitor, and he’s a classic guy that I think is just so mentally tough that he’ll put this past week behind him. And again, we’re talking about it like it was somehow a bad week. By his ridiculously high standards I guess you could make the argument that it was, but Darrelle Revis is the least of our worries this week.

2. Do you think closing games down is a problem for this defense?
It’s something that we address in the room, and we talked about it a week ago when I stood here about the Denver game, where every once in a while you’re going to have a bad drive. You can’t make it your business to get in that awful habit of it being the last one. We need to take the field ready to go, and saying we’ve gotten multiple three-and-outs in this game, there’s no reason why this drive can’t be one of those. The Buffalo thing was a little bit different. We did keep them out of the end zone. I didn’t want to be too aggressive in that last series. They did get some shots at the end zone. I don’t really put that in the same category as the Denver one. And the first Buffalo one, we were up a ton there. I wouldn’t add that. To me, the Denver one is the one that would stick out.

3. You said that there’s sometimes a good Antonio Cromartie and sometimes a bad one. What do you make of his ups and downs?
Again, it’s hard to play opposite Darrelle, because he’s going to get a lot of work. But to me, I think that’s the thing that we’re constantly on, not just with Cro, but with all of our guys, is consistency. Now, it’s harder for him, because he’s put in a position where his mistakes are maybe more glaring than if Sione (Pouha) makes a mistake or David Harris or Bart (Scott) or even Kyle Wilson inside at times. So I think when he makes a mistake, everybody knows it, and that’s the hard part of playing corner in this league.

4. We’ve seen a lot of Aaron Maybin, is there more to come?
He’s learning more of (the defense). (Defensive assistant) Mike Smith, as I’ve mentioned before, works very closely with him, with the outside linebackers. He’s been able to take on more and more of the package. So we’re looking to increase his rep count. But we just didn’t want to go from 0 to 60 too fast with him and then all of a sudden you get to the point where he is out there too much. What he brings is just such energy, passion, a great motor.

ONE MORE THING ……

Redskins linebacker London Fletcher will start his 175th consecutive game today, further extending his league-leading streak among active linebackers. Jarrett Johnson of the Baltimore Ravens, one of Rex Ryan’s favorites, is second with 75 to date.

Conor Orr: corr@starledger.com

The Jets’ Matt Slauson watched Barry Cofield’s game against the Cowboys back in Week 11, taking note of the way the Washington Redskins defensive tackle systematically “destroyed” Dallas’ center.

Slauson saw Adam Carriker there, too. Another player who didn’t bring back fond memories.

“That guy haunted my dreams for three years,” Slauson said of his former Nebraska teammate, whom he faced in practice every day. “Carriker? You line him up at a 4-3 defensive end spot and me at the tackle, it was scary. He was a freak there.”

D’Brickashaw Ferguson saw his target on Washington’s defensive line — rush linebacker Brian Orakpo — on television commercials in which Orakpo plays Scrabble against the GEICO caveman. Orakpo substitutes his last name for the word “sack.”

“I’ve seen the GEICO commercials,” Ferguson said. “I’m very aware of Orakpo and I think he’s doing a good job as an actor, he’s got a future there. But, like I said, I respect his game.”

The daunting Washington front, it seems, has been nothing short of omnipresent for the Jets’ offensive line recently.

Despite a 4-7 record, the Redskins stand out with the league’s third-best sack total. Four players have at least 4 1/2 sacks and two — Ryan Kerrigan and Orakpo — are in the top 25. Rex Ryan called it the biggest challenge for his offensive line since a disastrous Week 4 performance against the Baltimore Ravens.

Hanging in the balance, Ryan believes, is the collective confidence of his once sure-handed offensive line. This year, amid injuries and spurts of inconsistency, the offensive line has surrendered 26 sacks (tied for 14th). But shutting down the Redskins’ defensive front Sunday at FedEx Field, Ryan says, is imperative.

“I think it’ll be huge, because that group right there is third in the league in sacks,” Ryan said. “So, I think if we can play well against them, that will bode well for us down the road.”

After the team’s loss to the Denver Broncos, with almost 10 business days before their next opponent, Ryan listed pass protection as a top priority, something he revisited schematically throughout the week.

The result, Slauson said, was an increased usage of blocking backs and tight ends as a second layer of protection between the defensive line and quarterback Mark Sanchez.

While Ferguson said it’s more game-plan specific, guard Brandon Moore said the tight ends and backs may “be keeping eyes out a little more,” quicker to offer a chip block — something he said the team has been doing well of late.

“That’s kind of helped a lot just in case something happened or someone got beat,” Slauson said. “Those guys could lend a hand.”

In preparation for this week, tight end Matt Mulligan said he watched the last four Redskins games start to finish and planned to watch at least two more last night, and he wasn’t alone.

On the practice field Friday, scout team players wore Kerrigan and Orakpo’s numbers, shifting into a bevy of different rush-first fronts and going all-out after the quarterback while Metallica blasted on the loudspeakers to simulate crowd noise.

As if they hadn’t seen their targets enough, on film, from memory and on TV commercials, it was yet another reminder of what they’re up against.

“It’s the strength of their team,” Moore said. “Across the board, they all stand out on film.”

Conor Orr: corr@starledger.com

Now he’s coming off a 162-yard day — 108 rushing, 54 receiving — and a leap-the-defender touchdown in a 23-17 win over the Seattle Seahawks that broke a six-game losing streak.

Coach Mike Shanahan is dealing with uncertainty at many positions as he heads into December with a team that is 4-7, but the running back position looks settled — for now.

“He’s our starter, for sure,” Shanahan said Monday.

Helu was part of a day of Redskins resilience. Anthony Armstrong finally caught another pass — his first in five weeks — and it was a big one, a 50-yard touchdown grab that gave Washington the lead in the fourth quarter. It was the team’s longest completion of the season, and it more than doubled Armstrong’s yardage total for 2011.

DeAngelo Hall, who a week ago said he ought to be cut because of the way he was playing, made the game-clinching interception in the final minute. Rex Grossman completed 74.3 percent of his passes for 314 yards, both season-highs. A defense that allowed 27 points against the Dallas Cowboys a week earlier clamped down, proving the Redskins still have some pride despite the longest losing stretch in Shanahan’s head coaching career.

“It’s tough,” Shanahan said. “That’s what you’re in this game to do, is to win. But at the same time, when you’re around a football team that’s giving you everything they’ve got, you feel good. I’ve been around some teams that have been on losing streaks and you didn’t feel like you got the type of effort that you’re hoping for.

“That’s why I feel good about the character of this football team, and it was nice to find a way to win because they deserved to win. Our players have been working extremely hard, and hopefully we can keep it going.”

To keep it going, Shanahan needs the solid running game that was a hallmark of his Denver Broncos teams. He got it Sunday, when Helu gave the Redskins only their second 100-yard rushing performance of the season.

The fourth-round draft pick from Nebraska found yards when there appeared to be none, and his acrobatic 28-yard touchdown run ignited the fourth-quarter rally. Shanahan called the play “the difference in the game.”

“You can see he got some tough yards,” Shanahan said. “He broke some tackles. He made some people miss. You could some elusiveness, power, some speed. That’s what you look for in a running back. He played with a lot of confidence. He knew he was going to be the guy. We told him he was going to have the workload, and he really took advantage of his opportunity.”

Tim Hightower emerged from training camp as the starting tailback, but he was lost for the season with a knee injury five weeks ago. Ryan Torain had a 135-yard game in relief against the St. Louis Rams but failed to tally more than 22 yards in any of his four starts.

Helu set a Redskins franchise record with 14 catches against the 49ers in his first start, but Shanahan kept going back to Torain because Helu was still developing, especially as a blocker in pass protection.

On Sunday, it was Helu all the way — with more to come as the Redskins prepare to host the New York Jets.

“We’re going to go with the guy with the hot hand,” Shanahan said.

Notes: Shanahan said breakdowns in blocking technique were to blame when the Seahawks blocked a field goal in the second quarter and an extra point in the fourth quarter. The Redskins have had four field goals blocked this season, and injuries have prompted a shuffling of the personnel up front. “Unless you have some guys on the team that I don’t know of — there’s not a whole lot of options,” Shanahan said. Shanahan said Graham Gano was not to blame on either play and will remain the team’s kicker. … FB Darrel Young, who suffered a concussion on Sunday, will undergo tests over the next couple of days to determine when he can return. … DE Stephen Bowen tore the PCL in his left knee and is sore but will not require surgery. “Hopefully he’ll be able to play this weekend,” Shanahan said.

___

Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

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