Giants (7-6) vs. Washington Redskins (4-9)
Week 15
Sunday, 1 p.m.
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
TV: Fox
Radio: WFAN 660-AM

THIS WEEK’S GAME REVOLVES AROUND …
The Giants’ run defense

Plenty has been made about the Giants’ troubles against the pass — and rightfully so. Tony Romo torched the Giants to the point where he had the highest quarterback rating for a losing quarterback in the modern era. But he was aided by an effective run game that racked up 139 yards on the ground, 106 by backup Felix Jones. It was the ninth time in the past 11 games that the Giants allowed over 100 yards rushing after holding their first two opponents, including the Redskins, to less than 80. The Giants now rank 22nd in the NFL against the run, and will need to turn it around against a run-first Redskins offense led by Roy Helu that has rushed for 100-plus yards each of its previous three games. It’s a simple gameplan for the Giants: stop the run and force Rex Grossman to beat them again.

THE SAVVY FAN IS WATCHING …
How the Redskins account for Jason Pierre-Paul

Following his monster performance in last week’s win over the Dallas Cowboys, Jason Pierre-Paul may be the last person the Redskins want to see Sunday. The Redskins lost starting left tackle Trent Williams and tight end Fred Davis before last week for the remainder of the season after the NFL suspended the two for repeatedly failing the NFL’s drug policy. Washington also played without right tackle Jammal Brown, who didn’t practice all week and is likely out Sunday. Expect Washington to double-team Pierre-Paul or at least bring a second person to chip block him on most plays.

PAST MEETINGS
Giants lead all-time series 92-63-4

10. Dec. 30, 2006 at Washington: Giants 34, Redskins 28
9. Sept. 23, 2007 at Washington: Giants 24, Redskins 17
8. Dec. 16, 2007: Redskins 22, Giants 10
7. Sept. 4, 2008: Giants 16, Redskins 7
6. Nov. 30, 2008 at Washington: Giants 23, Redskins 7
5. Sept. 13, 2009: Giants 23, Redskins 17
4. Dec. 21, 2009 at Washington: Giants 45, Redskins 12
3. Dec. 5, 2010: Giants 31, Redskins 7
2. Jan. 2, 2011 at Washington: Giants 17, Redskins 14
1. Sept. 11, 2011 at Washington: Redskins 28, Giants 14

Remember when …

Lawrence Taylor ended Joe Theismann’s career and the Redskins franchise’s trajectory with a vicious hit in the teams’ second meeting of 1985? That season, the Giants and Redskins each finished with 10-6 records and split the season series, but the Giants advanced to the postseason on a tiebreaker. In the teams’ second meeting, in which the Redskins won 23-21, Taylor blindsided the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback for a sack and Theismann suffered a broken tibia and fibia in his right leg. In other words, his leg was shattered and, ultimately, his career was over.

WHAT THE REDSKINS DON’T WANT THE GIANTS TO KNOW

1. The Redskins struggle mightily in December
Since Joe Gibbs departed Washington after his second stint following the 2007 season — the last time the franchise advanced to the postseason — the Redskins have gone a combined 3-13 in December; only St. Louis has a worse record over the course of the four seasons. Not surprisingly, the club has failed to make the playoffs since 2007. This season they were out of the mix by Thanksgiving and began December with two losses. Such was the case in 2009 as well, but in 2008 and 2010 – Mike Shanahan’s first season at the helm — the Redskins played their way out of contention. For all the talk about the Giants’ second-half collapses, which is warranted, the Redskins have been worse down the stretch in recent years.

2. How the Redskins will attempt to slow down Eli Manning
The Patriots, the Redskins opponent last week, are very similar to the Giants at this juncture in the season. Both teams rely on the passing game led by an MVP-caliber quarterback — and Tom Brady had his way last week in the Redskins’ 34-27 loss. But Eli Manning and the Giants didn’t find success in the teams’ first meeting to open the season. In that game, Manning threw for 268 yards but completed only 56 percent of his passes, was sacked four times and threw a costly interception rookie Ryan Kerrigan returned for a touchdown. Led by Kerrigan and Pro Bowler Brian Orakpo rushing the pass on the outside, the Redskins rank 13th in the NFL against the pass and will look to test the Giants’ patchwork offensive line and be in Manning’s face all game.

3. How the Redskins will try to establish the run
In the teams’ first meeting to open the season on Sept. 11, the Redskins were able to come out on top despite not being able to establish an effective run game. Instead, the Redskins were fueled by a huge performance by Rex Grossman. But chances are Grossman will need some help on the ground to keep up with a Giants offense that has been firing on all cylinders. Though the Redskins rank only ahead of the Giants in rushing league-wide, they’ve had three straight 100-yard games on the ground.

POSITION BREAKDOWNS

Offensive line
Usually injuries are a recipe for disaster for an offensive line, but the Giants have played better since injuries have decimated the line.
Edge: Giants

Defensive line
Justin who? Osi who? Jason Pierre-Paul has been the Giants’ MVP and making fans forget about the other elite pass rusher on the line.
Edge: Giants

Linebackers
The Redskins rank 10th in the NFL in total defense and the linebacker unit, led by veteran London Fletcher and rookie Ryan Kerrigan, is the backbone.
Edge: Redskins

Secondary
After watching the Giants secondary fall apart last week and the confusion over why throughout the week, it’s fair to say the unit is in disarray.
Edge: Redskins

Special teams
Tom Coughlin was singing Lawrence Tynes’ praises this week for, of all things, the number of touchbacks he has kicked this season.
Edge: Giants

FOUR DOWNS WITH …
Running back D.J. Ware

1. Obviously, having Ahmad Bradshaw back helps the team out, but that means less playing time for you. How do you approach it?
I just know my role. I got a certain amount of plays I’ll probably get in each game. I’m the third-down back, so I come in on third down, and sometimes I have to help out in pass protection to help Eli [Manning] get the ball off. I just go out there and play. Whatever they ask me to do, I do. I don’t really look at it as being the third back. I just look at it as whenever I get in to play, take advantage of my situations and know what’s going on. You want to get some runs in, but that doesn’t always happen. I just got to be prepared.

2. What’s different about being the third-down back?
More times than not you’re in shotgun, and you got to pick up the blitzes. If they don’t blitz, you got to be able to run good routes and be able to read coverage when you run the routes. That’s what I do, and I take that job as personal and as aggressive as I can be. It’s not difficult. It just takes repetition and hearing the calls Eli makes. And once he gets everything situated, you know your rules and you follow your rules.

3. Did you do a lot of blitz pickup in college?
Yeah, because I was an every-down back in college, so I did all that. So it’s about the same, just a little more competition.

4. Each of the past two games, you’ve scored on crucial two-point conversions. Are you the team’s two-point specialist? And were they the same play?
[Laughs] Nah, it wasn’t the same play. They were both a run out of the gun, but it wasn’t the same play. Just something we saw where we thought we could expose them in the run game so we changed from a pass to a run, and they were the right calls. It feels real good to know the coaches and the players have that confidence in me to put me in that situation, and they trust that I’m going to go out there and make something happen. It just feels great, and I thank them for it.

ONE MORE THING …

Sunday is the first of three consecutive games at MetLife Stadium to close the season for the Giants. They have one “road” game left against the Jets on Christmas Eve.

Jorge Castillo: jcastillo@starledger.com

Washington Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan expressed disappointment in cornerback and defensive captain DeAngelo Hall for costing the team with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Patriots and for quitting on a play that led to a long New England gain.

Hall, an eight-year veteran, racked up 20 yards in penalties on one third-quarter play, helping fuel a Patriots scoring drive that resulted in them taking a 27-20 lead.

Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker (83), right, drags Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall (23) into the end zone on the game-winning touchdown catch Sunday.(John McDonnell/The Washington Post)Hall initially was called for a five-yard defensive holding as he tried to cover Wes Welker, and unhappy with the penalty, Hall walked over to the flag, picked it up and chucked it back up the field at nobody in particular. Four referees immediately threw their flags at Hall. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty earned the Patriots another 15 yards.

The ball was placed on the Washington 46-yard line, and five plays later, Tom Brady completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski.

Shanahan said the penalty would have been disappointing regardless of who committed it, but was especially disappointing because Hall is one of the team captains and is expected to set a good example. The coach said infractions like that test his patience.

“Especially when guys are in a leadership role, we understand that you have to keep your cool, regardless of if you like a call or don’t like a call,” Shanahan said. “That’s your job to handle yourself in a professional manner, and more importantly, not put your team in a hole by having a 15-yard penalty. That’s one of the things that I talked about to our football team. You make too many of those mistakes and you’re not with us.”

In the first quarter, Gronkowski made a diving catch at midfield and ran another 10 yards as safeties DeJon Gomes and Reed Doughty tried to tackle him. Hall ran up but slowed down before he got to the players and watched as Gronkowski broke the tackles and ran past him for a 49-yard gain. One play later, Brady hit Gronkowski on an 11-yard touchdown pass.

Hall said that he thought Gronkowski was going out of bounds and thought the play was ending. But Shanahan said the cornerback was wrong in not playing until the whistle sounded.

“Yeah, that was disappointing,” the coach said. “One of the things DeAngelo usually does is finish. A lot of corners don’t like to tackle. He’s one of the more physical guys in the league, and I know he was embarrassed by it, as well as our whole football team. You’ve got to finish when somebody’s in bounds, because sometimes things like that do happen.”

Hall has been assessed face-mask, unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties this seasonl. After an early season loss to Dallas, he criticized defensive coordinator Jim Haslett’s decision to call an all-out blitz rather than give Hall help with safety coverage to prevent a big play. Hall gave up a catch to Dez Bryant that set up the Cowboys’ winning play.

In light of fellow captain Trent Williams’s suspension for failed drug tests, Shanahan was asked how he handles captains who set poor examples.

“Yeah, if I thought a person wasn’t a leader for one example or another, I wouldn’t revoke it. The players vote on the captain,” Shanahan said. “But I think people would lose confidence in the captain if he kept making bad choices and bad decisions. A captain is a player that you want to lead your football team and play at a very high level. That’s why he’s selected as a captain. Now, saying that, everybody makes mistakes. That’s part of the process. You’ve got to keep your cool, you’ve got to keep your poise. Just because somebody throws a flag doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. It means you have to keep your poise and you can’t cost your team a 15-yard penalty. You’ve got to put your team first. … That’s the game, putting your team No. 1, you No. 2.”

Washington Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan said he agreed with a critical offensive pass interference call against Santana Moss Sunday that wiped out a game-tying touchdown. But he said he remains convinced that officials were wrong on a call against London Fletcher, who was flagged for unnecessary roughness on a tackle of Tom Brady.

Shanahan said he was “pleasantly surprised” with how well O.J. Atogwe played on eight snaps as a backup safety Sunday. The coach said he had observed a less effective Atogwe in practice, but that the safety played well and earned more opportunities based on his play in the game.

Shanahan said he was disappointed with cornerback DeAngelo Hall both for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and for giving up on the play in which Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski ripped off a big gain after breaking tackles by Reed Doughty and DeJon Gomes.

Shanahan said Willie Smith did well at left tackle, but will continue to compete with Sean Locklear in practice for the starting duties this week.

Shanahan said tackle Jammal Brown’s strained right groin remains sore and the team doesn’t know how long he will be sidelined. Tyler Polumbus will play at right tackle if Brown cannot.

Fullback Mike Sellers’ right elbow also is sore, but was only hyper-extended, without additional damage. No word yet on how long he will be sidelined.

Shanahan said he was proud of how the offense moved the ball despite being without three starters.

Shanahan was asked if Rex Grossman has played well enough for the Redskins to re-sign him and the coach said only that all of the players are being evaluated. “This time of year, especially being out of the playoffs, everyone’s playing for jobs, coaching for jobs,” Shanahan said.

Shanahan said it’s still “not perfectly clear” whether Fred Davis and Trent Williams can spend the final weeks of the season at the facility despite their suspensions.

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Tom Brady yelled at a coach because of an interception. The Washington Redskins hollered at the refs.

It’s fair to say Brady did it because he and the New England Patriots have such high expectations.

It’s safe to say the Redskins did it because they’re sick of losing.

The Patriots won their fifth straight Sunday, improving to 10-3 with a 34-27 win over the Redskins. The formula was familiar: Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker were good enough to compensate for a defense that keeps giving up gobs of yards.

What was unusual was seeing Brady throw a fourth-quarter, red-zone interception that kept the other team alive. With 6:30 remaining and a chance to put the game away, Brady tried to find Tiquan Underwood at the back of the end zone and was picked off by Josh Wilson.

The Redskins then began a march downfield that could have sent Sunday’s game to overtime — even as Brady sat on the bench and exchanged heated words with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.

“We’re both pretty emotional guys, so that’s what I deserve,” Brady said. “You make bad plays, you’re supposed to get yelled at by your coaches. It’s certainly not the first time and probably won’t be the last. You can’t do it in that situation, and it was just a stupid play by me.”

It was Brady’s first interception since Nov. 6, and most of what he did was far from stupid. He completed 22 of 37 passes for 357 yards with three touchdowns, upping his career TD pass total to 294 to move ahead of Warren Moon (291) into sole possession of sixth place all-time. Brady also surpassed the 4,000-yard mark for the fourth time in his career.

He also helped carve a place in the record books for Rob Gronkowski, who caught six passes for a career-high 160 yards and set the NFL single-season mark for touchdown receptions by a tight end. His 14th was an 11-yard grab that moved him ahead of Antonio Gates (2004) and Vernon Davis (2009), and No. 15 was a 24-yard scoring strike in the second half.

But the Patriots didn’t have the game won until they caught a couple of breaks at the end of Washington’s final possession. The Redskins drove from their own 20 to New England‘s 5, but Santana Moss‘ catch at the goal line was negated by a pass interference call on the receiver, and then Moss tipped a pass into the hands of linebacker Jerod Mayo to save the day for a New England defense that ranks last in the league in yards allowed — and one that can’t keep cutting it this close come playoff time.

“You kind of don’t want to give up those yards in the first place,” Patriots safety James Ihedigbo said. “But at the same time, we’re going to bow our necks once we get down there, and say, ‘Hey, they’re not getting in the end zone.’”

The call against Moss rankled the Redskins (4-9), who amassed a season-high 463 yards but lost for the eighth time in nine games. There was also a personal foul call in the second quarter on linebacker London Fletcher that appeared particularly egregious. The referee announced that Fletcher hit a late-sliding Brady with a forearm to the head, but Fletcher’s arm clearly hit the quarterback in the torso.

Coach Mike Shanahan said he thought the call against Fletcher was “horrible.”

“We don’t get no calls around here, man,” Moss said. “You guys have been covering us for a long time. Y’all see what goes on out there. We blow our breath on one of the doggone guys over there and it’s a penalty. Our quarterback gets killed — and you just almost hit somebody that’s a quarterback and we get flagged. So a lot of stuff goes on. But I guess we’ve got to play against a team and the ref.”

Already playing without tight end Fred Davis and left tackle Trent Williams — both suspended for the rest of the season last week for violating the NFL’s drugs policy — the Redskins lost another offensive starter during pregame warm-ups when right tackle Jammal Brown injured his right groin.

Still, they unexpectedly gave the Patriots quite a game.

Rex Grossman completed 19 of 32 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns, but he also lost a fumble in the end zone that New England recovered for a touchdown. Kick returner Brandon Banks came on for an offensive play and threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Moss as part of a double-reverse flea-flicker. Roy Helu (126) became the first Redskins rookie to rush for 100 yards in three consecutive games.

“I don’t know what a moral victory is,” Fletcher said. “Do those count? Either you won or you lost. At the end of the day, we’re 4-9.”

Notes: Brady on the quest for perfection: “There’s nothing perfect in football — unless you are the Packers,” he said. “But other than that …” … The Redskins were the only current NFL franchise New England had never beaten on the road. … Patriots WR Welker became one of three players in NFL history with four 100-catch seasons, joining Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison. … Redskins FB Mike Sellers hyperextended his right elbow. … The end zones were marked “Army” and “Navy,” leftovers from the game the stadium hosted a day earlier.

___

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

By HOWARD FENDRICH
LANDOVER, Md. — Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan thought a penalty called on linebacker London Fletcher for a hit on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was “horrible.”

Questioning another flag that went against the Redskins, receiver Santana Moss took it a step further, declaring: “I guess we’ve got to play against a team and the ref.”

Last-place Washington is having enough problems dealing with its opponents this season: A 34-27 defeat against the Patriots on Sunday was the Redskins’ eighth loss in their past nine games.

With a little more than a minute left in the fourth quarter, and Washington (4-9) driving toward a potentially tying touchdown-and-extra-point — or, perhaps, a go-ahead 2-point conversion, as Shanahan hinted he might have tried — Moss caught what appeared to be a 5-yard TD pass from Rex Grossman.

Except for this: There was a yellow flag on the turf.

When Moss saw it, he explained later, he was sure it was for a call against Julian Edelman, the returner and wideout who’s being used now on defense by the Patriots (10-3).

But the call was pass interference against Moss, who lined up in the slot and pushed off against Edelman before making a cut to the outside. The ruling made it second-and-goal from the 15, and two plays later, Grossman’s pass went off Moss’ hands and was intercepted by Jerod Mayo, sealing the outcome.

“We don’t get no calls around here, man. You guys have been covering us for a long time. Y’all see what goes on out there. We blow our breath on one of the doggone guys over there, and it’s a penalty,” Moss said. “Our quarterback gets killed — and you just almost hit somebody that’s a quarterback, and we get flagged.”

There’s little doubt that was a reference to the play late in the second quarter when the official announced that Fletcher hit a late-sliding Brady with a forearm to the head — and replays showed the linebacker’s arm clearly connected with the quarterback’s torso.

“At least in my opinion, I thought it was horrible,” Shanahan said. “That’s what I saw on the replay.”

Fletcher saw video of the play on the stadium scoreboard and protested the call at length.

“He waited ’til the last minute to slide. He’s considered a runner at that point in time. The referee thought I hit him in the head. Didn’t hit him in the head,” Fletcher said.

“You try to explain your situation (to the officials),” he added, “but they don’t really listen to you that much.”

There were plenty of other things that didn’t go the Redskins’ way.

They turned the ball over for the 27th consecutive game, the longest current streak in the NFL. In addition to Grossman’s late interception, the QB had a sack-fumble that Vince Wilfork recovered for a touchdown less than three minutes after the opening kickoff.

Perhaps that was hardly surprising, given that Washington was starting its sixth different offensive line combination in the past nine weeks.

That’s because they added to their long list of injuries, with starting right tackle Jammal Brown out after hurting his right groin during pregame warmups.

As it is, this was Washington’s first game since the season-ending suspensions of left tackle Trent Williams and tight end Fred Davis for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

In the end, Washington’s defense couldn’t match up with the Patriots’ high-octane offense. Rob Gronkowski broke the season record for touchdown catches by a tight end by grabbing two to raise his total to 15, and Brady completed 22 of 37 passes for 357 yards with three TDs.

The biggest blip for Brady came when Josh Wilson picked him off in the fourth quarter, prompting a sideline shouting match between the Patriots QB and his offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.

Otherwise, Washington’s highlights on this day probably were the performance of running back Roy Helu — whose 126 yards on 27 carries made him the first Redskins rookie to run for at least 100 in three consecutive games — and kick returner Brandon Banks’ 49-yard TD toss to Moss off a reverse.

“Santana made me look good, because I don’t think it was the best throw,” said Banks, who hadn’t been on the field for an offensive play all season. “It happened and it worked. Maybe we should do it again.”

New England’s last-in-the-league defense also allowed a 51-yard pass from Grossman to Donte’ Stallworth, Washington’s longest play on offense during this trying season.

When Moss’ comments about the officiating were relayed to Stallworth, he smiled and declined to get into it.

“Well, my pockets are already empty,” Stallworth said, “so I’ll stay away from comments about the refs.”

Notes: FB Mike Sellers hyperextended his right elbow on kickoff coverage in the first quarter. … Grossman was 19 of 32 for 252 yards and two TD passes. … Shanahan was asked whether his offense was in its best rhythm of the season. His response: “I don’t think there’s a question about it.”

ANALYSIS/OPINION

If the Washington Redskins played every game with the emotion they displayed Sunday against the New England Patriots, their season might have turned out differently. Not differently enough to put them in the playoffs, perhaps, but differently enough to cut down on the cries of despair from their fans as one defeat was piled atop another.

Jabar Gaffney was so excited to catch a touchdown pass against his former club that he did the FedEx Leap into the stands behind the end zone. Granted, he got a little too much lift and landed in the seats instead of on the ledge, but these things can happen when you’re going toe to toe with one of the NFL’s elite.

As the day went on, other Redskins released their Inner Child — showed, as Rex Grossman put it, that “it’s fun to go out there and play football.” Whether it was hurling themselves into the crowd after scores, twirling the ball on the ground after first downs or otherwise celebrating big plays, the Redskins didn’t hold anything back.

“We were pumped up,” Gaffney said. “Had a good team coming in here, a chance to show we could play with the best.”

For 60 minutes, the last-place Redskins did play with the best, too. Indeed, with 1:09 left, they thought they had tied New England 34-34 on a 5-yard TD throw from Grossman to Santana Moss. Alas, Moss was called for pushing off, and Grossman’s next pass went off Moss‘ hands and into those of Jerod Mayo, the Patriots‘ Pro Bowl linebacker. Thus did one of the most entertaining Sundays in many moons at FedEx Field end in a 34-27 loss.

But back to our original “if.” Where has this fight, this feistiness been all season? The Redskins, after all, had no business being in this game in the fourth quarter. They were already without Fred Davis and Trent Williams because of suspensions and assorted others (e.g. LaRon Landry) because of injuries; then Jammal Brown, one of their few semihealthy offensive linemen, further complicated matters when he tweaked his groin in warm-ups and couldn’t play.

It figured to be a long day, especially after New England took a quick 7-0 lead on a defensive touchdown (set up by old friend Andre Carter’s sack/forced fumble). There just didn’t seem to be any way the offense-challenged Redskins could keep up with the high-scoring Pats, who put up 30 points against just about everybody.

But no one likes to be embarrassed, and surely that was in the back of the Redskins‘ minds as they geared up for New England. The Patriots, during their near-perfect 2007 season, had whomped them 52-7, and they were quite capable of whomping them just as badly this season. Tom Brady, last I checked, is still Tom Brady, Wes Welker is still Wes Welker … and Rob Gronkowski is like no tight end you’ve ever seen.

So the Redskins brought their A game — or what’s left of their A game, after all these casualties — and, miraculously, matched New England score for score. The biggest shock was seeing Grossman and Co. gain chunks of yardage, something they haven’t done all year. In their second series, Grossman lobbed a 51-yard bomb to Donte Stallworth to set up a Graham Gano field goal. Not long afterward, Brandon Banks connected with Moss on an end-around pass for a 49-yard TD that put the home team ahead 17-14.

A trick play. Imagine that. It was the first pass, in fact, since Mike Shanahan took over as coach that wasn’t thrown by a quarterback. Yup, the Redskins came at the Patriots with everything they had, spiritually and strategically. And lo and behold, it enabled them to hang with a club that’s in the running for the first seed in the AFC.

It helped, of course, that they caught Brady on one of those rare afternoons when he actually looks mortal — at times. Brady’s numbers were still terrific (22 of 37 for 357 yards and three touchdowns), but he was off target more than usual and was intercepted in the end zone by Josh Wilson in the late going when he had a chance to put the game away. (Though, in his defense, the pass was well within the reach of receiver Tiquan Underwood, who was outbattled for the ball).

Then there’s the New England secondary — nothing special to begin with — which, because of injuries, has been forced to use wideouts (Matthew Slater and Julian Edelman) to cover opposing receivers. Gaffney, Stallworth and Moss were running free all day, as Washington (293) just missed becoming the ninth team this season to throw for 300 yards against the Patriots.

Incredibly, it was there for the taking for the Redskins. Shanahan said he was even considering going for the two-point conversion — and the win — if Moss‘ touchdown hadn’t been called back. The coach and his players were leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory.

Hallelujah. But why couldn’t the first 12 games have been like that? Why did it take utter desperation — and a visit from Bill Belichick’s wrecking crew — for the Redskins to play the way they should have been playing all along?

© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

The
New England Patriots
squandered the majority of a seemingly comfortable lead last weekend, leaving an uneasy feeling even after their fourth straight
victory.

They left no such doubts the last time they faced the
Washington Redskins
.

The nation’s capital, however, remains the only NFL city where the Patriots have never won, a distinction that will disappear
Sunday unless the Redskins can pull off the upset and avenge a historic rout four years ago.

New England (9-3) charged to a 28-point lead against winless Indianapolis last Sunday, but was outgained 266-11 and outscored
21-0 in the final quarter, securing a 31-24 victory only after pouncing on an onside kick in the final minute.

Although the Patriots are tied for the AFC’s best record, the near-meltdown reinforced concerns about a patchwork defense
that ranks last in the NFL both overall (412.1 yards allowed per game) and against the pass (310.0).

New England’s starting safeties against the Colts were
Nate Jones
, who was making his Patriots debut, and
Matthew Slater
– typically a wide receiver.

“It’s disappointing. Go back to the drawing board and try to improve,” linebacker
Jerod Mayo
said. “We just have to learn how to put two halves together next week.”

The Patriots certainly did that against Washington during their perfect regular season in 2007, opening the game with 52 straight
points before a late Redskins touchdown made it a 52-7 final.

That remains Washington’s most lopsided loss since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

Losing has become all too familiar for the Redskins in recent seasons. The Patriots have won eight division titles – they
would clinch another Sunday with a win and a
New York Jets
loss to Kansas City – since Washington last won the NFC East in 1999.

The Redskins (4-8) lost 34-19 to the Jets last weekend, falling to 0-4 in their last four home games, 0-3 against AFC foes
this season and 1-7 since their promising 3-1 start.

They got even more troubling news after the game, learning that tight end
Fred Davis
and left tackle
Trent Williams
would be suspended for four games – the rest of the regular season – by the NFL for repeated violations of the league’s substance
abuse policy.

“Am I disappointed in them? Big time, yeah,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “Because they affect not only themselves but this organization
and their teammates. That’s a bad decision, and they know they put us in a heck of a position.”

The Redskins selected Williams with the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2010, and Davis leads the team with 59 receptions and
796 receiving yards.

The Patriots have also used their tight ends as major weapons in the passing game – particularly
Rob Gronkowski
, who scored three more touchdowns last week. One went down as a rushing score because it was ruled a lateral by
Tom Brady
, leaving Gronkowski with 13 receiving TDs – tied with
Vernon Davis
(2009) and
Antonio Gates
(2004) for the single-season NFL record for tight ends.

“He is a tough kid and he knows how to run the routes,” Colts defensive back
Jerraud Powers
said of Gronkowski. “It also helps when you have one of the greatest quarterbacks.”

Brady may face a bit of a challenge against a Washington defense that has not allowed a 300-yard passer all season. The reigning
NFL MVP has averaged 303.3 passing yards during New England’s four-game winning streak, throwing 10 touchdowns and no interceptions
in that stretch.

Brady, though, struggled against Shanahan’s teams when the coach was in Denver. Including a postseason loss, he went 1-5 against
Shanahan’s Broncos, completing just 56.5 percent of his passes and posting a 78.1 passer rating.

Teammate
Andre Carter
played for Shanahan last season, his fifth year with the Redskins, but the defensive end didn’t fit in the 3-4 scheme. With
the Patriots moving largely to a 4-3 this year, the veteran has clicked, leading the team with nine sacks.

“He’s a very professional guy that’s smart, a well-conditioned athlete,” coach Bill Belichick said. “He really works hard
at football and things are really falling into place for him here.”

Two former Patriots –
Jabar Gaffney
and Donte’ Stallworth – are now wide receivers for the Redskins, but one player is notable in his absence from both rosters.
Each club has parted ways with
Albert Haynesworth
this year, with Washington trading the controversial defensive tackle to the Patriots, who waived him last month.

The Patriots, who’ve won at every other NFL franchise’s home venue, are favorites to defeat the Redskins on the road for the
first time. New England has only played two previous regular-season games at Washington, most recently losing 20-17 in 2003
– a game in which Brady threw three interceptions.

Redskins safety
LaRon Landry
will miss his second straight game Sunday because of a groin injury.

The Washington Redskins on Sunday meet the New England Patriots for the ninth time in the history of the franchises. Washington owns a 6-2 record against New England, but the last time the teams faced off, the Patriots handed the Redskins a 52-7 thrashing in Foxborough.

Under normal circumstances, the Redskins would have a tough time keeping up with the Patriots. New England this season has scored 41 touchdowns. Washington, meanwhile, has mustered only 19 all year. And now the going gets tougher for the Redskins, who are without top playmaker Fred Davis and left tackle Trent Williams.

“I wouldn’t say it’s more pressure, but it’s definitely going to be tough to go out there and get a win,” cornerback DeAngelo Hall says. “But the guys in this locker room, we’re not going to quit. We’re going to go out there and fight to get a win.”

Here are some key matchups for this game:

WSH cornerbacks vs. NE wide receiver Wes Welker

Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and Hall all call Welker the best route-runner in the NFL. That’s a big reason why Welker leads the league both in catches (93) and receiving yards (1,253) and has eight touchdowns despite being only 5-foot-9. He lines up in the slot much of the time, so while Hall may find himself matched up with Welker some, a lot of the responsibility of covering him likely will fall on Kevin Barnes. The Redskins occasionally have put fellow corner Josh Wilson on the opponent’s slot receiver, however, and put Barnes on the outside. It will take a collective effort to limit Welker.

WSH tackles Sean Locklear/Willie Smith vs. NE defensive end Andre Carter

The Redskins haven’t yet announced Trent Williams’ replacement, but it will be either eight-year veteran Sean Locklear, who started two games this season at that spot with Williams injured, or Smith — an undrafted rookie, who boasts good athleticism and size. Carter, who spent the last five seasons with the Redskins, has revived his career after signing with New England this offseason and boasts nine sacks. He had a four-sack game against the Jets this season. Carter has long arms, great strength and explosion off the edge. Locklear or Smith must try to fend him off to give Rex Grossman time to throw.

WSH safeties Oshiomogho Atogwe, Reed Doughty vs. NE tight end Rob Gronkowski

The Redskins could be without strong safety LaRon Landry for a second straight game (groin strain), so they’ll rely heavily on Atogwe, Doughty and rookie DeJon Gomes, to try to limit Gronkowski, who leads the NFL with 13 touchdown catches. The 6-foot-6, 256-pound tight end also ranks seventh in the league with 65 catches and ninth in the NFL with 928 receiving yards. Washington’s linebackers aren’t strong in coverage, so the safeties will have to help over the top. The Redskins don’t have anyone in their secondary that has even close to the type of size that Gronkowski boasts, so Shanahan said the defensive backs will have to use their athleticism and leaping ability to try to combat Brady’s favorite red zone target.

WSH running back Roy Helu vs. NE middle linebacker Brandon Spikes

The Redskins will need another well-rounded effort from their rookie running back, who averages 4.7 yards a carry (15th in the NFL) and leads all rookie running backs with 42 receptions (third overall among NFL rookies). Washington’s offense runs best when the Redskins can put together a balanced attack that features runs from Helu and play-action passes. The Redskins in the last two weeks have started games with strong execution and game-opening touchdown drives. They couldn’t sustain that effectiveness against the Jets, however. But if Spikes and his fellow defenders can take away the run and put Washington in an early hole, it could be a long day.

WSH wide receiver Santana Moss vs. NE cornerback Kyle Arrington

Santana Moss hasn’t had the impact that he has had in years past for the Redskins. Part of that has to do with the four-week injury absence, and part of it has to do with the fact that teams are able to concentrate on shutting him down because the Redskins have few threats outside of Moss. Moss (averaging a career-low 10.9 yards per catch) needs to have a big game for the Redskins to help boost their struggling offense, which now is missing Davis (59 catches, 796 yards, three touchdowns). Arrington leads the NFL with seven interceptions and will likely match up with Moss often. Jabar Gaffney (46 catches, 665 yards, three touchdowns) also needs to have an effective game for the Redskins as he faces his former team, the Patriots.

More Redskins news:

Five storylines to follow

Patriots defensive player to watch

Patriots offensive player to watch

The Washington Redskins on Sunday meet the New England Patriots for the ninth time in the history of the franchises. Washington owns a 6-2 record against New England, but the last time the teams faced off, the Patriots handed the Redskins a 52-7 thrashing in Foxborough.

Under normal circumstances, the Redskins would have a tough time keeping up with the Patriots. New England this season has scored 41 touchdowns. Washington, meanwhile, has mustered only 19 all year. And now the going gets tougher for the Redskins, who are without top playmaker Fred Davis and left tackle Trent Williams.

“I wouldn’t say it’s more pressure, but it’s definitely going to be tough to go out there and get a win,” cornerback DeAngelo Hall says. “But the guys in this locker room, we’re not going to quit. We’re going to go out there and fight to get a win.”

Here are some key matchups for this game:

WSH cornerbacks vs. NE wide receiver Wes Welker

Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and Hall all call Welker the best route-runner in the NFL. That’s a big reason why Welker leads the league both in catches (93) and receiving yards (1,253) and has eight touchdowns despite being only 5-foot-9. He lines up in the slot much of the time, so while Hall may find himself matched up with Welker some, a lot of the responsibility of covering him likely will fall on Kevin Barnes. The Redskins occasionally have put fellow corner Josh Wilson on the opponent’s slot receiver, however, and put Barnes on the outside. It will take a collective effort to limit Welker.

WSH tackles Sean Locklear/Willie Smith vs. NE defensive end Andre Carter

The Redskins haven’t yet announced Trent Williams’ replacement, but it will be either eight-year veteran Sean Locklear, who started two games this season at that spot with Williams injured, or Smith — an undrafted rookie, who boasts good athleticism and size. Carter, who spent the last five seasons with the Redskins, has revived his career after signing with New England this offseason and boasts nine sacks. He had a four-sack game against the Jets this season. Carter has long arms, great strength and explosion off the edge. Locklear or Smith must try to fend him off to give Rex Grossman time to throw.

WSH safeties Oshiomogho Atogwe, Reed Doughty vs. NE tight end Rob Gronkowski

The Redskins could be without strong safety LaRon Landry for a second straight game (groin strain), so they’ll rely heavily on Atogwe, Doughty and rookie DeJon Gomes, to try to limit Gronkowski, who leads the NFL with 13 touchdown catches. The 6-foot-6, 256-pound tight end also ranks seventh in the league with 65 catches and ninth in the NFL with 928 receiving yards. Washington’s linebackers aren’t strong in coverage, so the safeties will have to help over the top. The Redskins don’t have anyone in their secondary that has even close to the type of size that Gronkowski boasts, so Shanahan said the defensive backs will have to use their athleticism and leaping ability to try to combat Brady’s favorite red zone target.

WSH running back Roy Helu vs. NE middle linebacker Brandon Spikes

The Redskins will need another well-rounded effort from their rookie running back, who averages 4.7 yards a carry (15th in the NFL) and leads all rookie running backs with 42 receptions (third overall among NFL rookies). Washington’s offense runs best when the Redskins can put together a balanced attack that features runs from Helu and play-action passes. The Redskins in the last two weeks have started games with strong execution and game-opening touchdown drives. They couldn’t sustain that effectiveness against the Jets, however. But if Spikes and his fellow defenders can take away the run and put Washington in an early hole, it could be a long day.

WSH wide receiver Santana Moss vs. NE cornerback Kyle Arrington

Santana Moss hasn’t had the impact that he has had in years past for the Redskins. Part of that has to do with the four-week injury absence, and part of it has to do with the fact that teams are able to concentrate on shutting him down because the Redskins have few threats outside of Moss. Moss (averaging a career-low 10.9 yards per catch) needs to have a big game for the Redskins to help boost their struggling offense, which now is missing Davis (59 catches, 796 yards, three touchdowns). Arrington leads the NFL with seven interceptions and will likely match up with Moss often. Jabar Gaffney (46 catches, 665 yards, three touchdowns) also needs to have an effective game for the Redskins as he faces his former team, the Patriots.

More Redskins news:

Five storylines to follow

Patriots defensive player to watch

Patriots offensive player to watch

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

A review of the best and worst performances by the Washington Redskins‘ offense and some observations after rewatching the TV broadcast of their 34-19 loss to the New York Jets.

GAME BALLS

TE FRED DAVIS: How ironic that Davis and LT Trent Williams finish their suspension-shortened seasons on this list. Sunday’s game was a reminder of how invaluable they are to the Redskins‘ offense, and their absence over the final four games will provide more painful evidence.

The Redskins planned to target Davis because that was their best matchup. In contrast, their receivers didn’t match up very well against Jets CBs Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. WR Jabar Gaffney, for example, did not catch a pass.

If this was Davis‘ last game as a Redskin, he went out strong by contributing to the passing game and the running game. The athleticism that makes him a dynamic pass-catcher truly stood out. His best play was a 12-yard reception on third-and-6 with the game tied, 13-13, early in the fourth quarter. New York blitzed seven defenders, leaving Davis isolated on the left against S Brodney Pool. QB Rex Grossman‘s throw was high — perhaps intentionally because Davis has two inches on Pool — and Davis jumped and caught it. His arms are strong enough to catch passes away from his body even with defenders draped on him.

On Davis‘ 30-yard reception in the second-quarter, he separated from CB Donald Strickland with a crisp ‘in’ cut and broke Strickland’s tackle to gain an additional 21 yards. He benefited from a blown coverage on his 42-yarder on the first series. Cromartie and S Eric Smith both ran with WR Santana Moss deep down the left seam, leaving the sideline wide open for Grossman to find Davis.

Davis was OK — and somewhat consistent, actually — on the edge in the running game. He sometimes struggles with big, powerful ends but he held his ground against the Jets‘ smaller outside linebackers. He ran into the secondary to block S Jim Leonhard on RB Roy Helu‘s 15-yard run on the Redskins‘ first play from scrimmage.

LT TRENT WILLIAMS:Williams‘ speed and athleticism helped RB Roy Helu rush for 100 yards for the second straight week. He moved as well as he has in several weeks, which was to be expected as time distanced him from his left knee sprain.

Williams blocked two defenders to help clear Helu’s path to the end zone on a 2-yard touchdown on the opening drive. He helped TE Logan Paulsen push DE Muhammad Wilkerson out to the left, then quickly redirected to the second level to blow up ILB David Harris. On Helu’s 8-yard run around the left edge in the third quarter, Williams blocked DL Kenrick Ellis before sprinting out into space and blocking Harris to the ground. That’s the athleticism that made him the fourth-overall pick last year.

Williams was sound in pass protection, too. When OLB Jamaal Westerman beat him with an inside move on first-and-10 on the second play of the fourth quarter, Williams recovered to block Westerman into the ground, giving QB Rex Grossman time to check down to Helu in the left flat for 12 yards. The Redskins are going to miss him even more than Davis.

RB ROY HELU:Helu’s second-half fumble and his pass protection breakdown almost cost him a spot on this list, but those gaffes don’t negate the fact he’s a driving force on the offense right now.

The Jets‘ defense was the latest group to have trouble getting him to the ground. He rushed for 66 yards after contact on 22 rushes and had 13 yards after contact on four receptions. He maintains low pad level, he’s fast enough to elude defenders and he doesn’t hesitate to initiate the contact himself.

Helu gained 11 after running through OLB Calvin Pace’s arm tackle on a rush on the opening drive. He gained eight yards around the left edge on a third-quarter carrying after running through Pace’s arm tackle. Helu also is fast and shifty enough to make something out of nothing. He eluded several defenders to gain 8 yards on a screen on the opening drive. He spun back toward the inside behind the line of scrimmage, squared his shoulders and sharply cut upfield.

Helu’s fumble in the third quarter didn’t cost the Redskins points because New York missed a 40-yard field goal. He missed a blitz pick-up against S Donald Strickland in the second quarter, which led to an intentional grounding penalty. Strickland gave Helu a stutter step in the backfield, and Helu lunged a bit and reached, which allowed Strickland to get by to the inside.

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Washington Redskins left tackle Trent Williams and tight end Fred Davis were formally suspended without pay for four games by the NFL Tuesday after failing multiple drug tests, according to a statement issued by the league Tuesday afternoon.The suspensions begin immediately

Williams reluctantly accepted the penalty earlier Tuesday, according to a person familiar with his situation. Davis’s response was less clear; he had been exploring other options over the suspension, which was hammered out in a deal between the NFL and the NFL Players Association.

Williams and Davis were among 11 NFL players who failed drug tests at the start of training camp, immediately after the NFL lockout was lifted. But as part of the settlement between the NFL and the players union, those players received no punishment under a 30-day grace period granted players. During the four-month league shutdown, players were neither tested nor counseled about drug use.

Davis and Williams both failed an additional test during the season for recreational drugs, believed to be marijuana, according to people familiar with their cases. Under the settlement between the NFL and the union, the third positive test is being treated as a second offense, which carries a four-game suspension.

Both players allegedly failed tests for marijuana use some time earlier in their careers.

Davis, whose contract expires at the end of this season, was working with an attorney before the NFL issued its statement to determine whether he could challenge the penalty. He seemed to have little recourse. Because the suspension is part of a settlement between the league and the union, he would have to challenge both in court.

Davis’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has not responded to requests for comment.

Williams, according to one person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, accepted the suspension after he and his representatives concluded they had no other choice except to fight both the NFL and the union. The Williams camp, the person said, was disappointed with the deal struck by the union, believing the final outcome should have been more lenient because of the circumstances of the lockout.

The Redskins confirmed the suspensions Tuesday afternoon, after the NFL issued its statement. Under league policy, neither player will be allowed to visit the team’s Redskins Park facility or take part in any team-related activities until the suspension is lifted immediately following the regular season. They also will be removed from the team’s 53-man roster.

Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan declined Monday to discuss the matter until he was notified by the league. Williams and Davis were at Redskins park Monday and participated normally in team activities, he said.

“No. 1, there’s a strict, confidential protocol between the NFL and the players association, and I have not talked or spoke with the NFL thus far,” Shanahan said Monday. “Until I do, there’s not really anything I can say at this point. … I don’t want to go through those scenarios – hypothetical situations – until I know for sure what the NFL and the players association has agreed to.”

Staff writers Rick Maese and Barry Svrluga contributed to this report.

More Redskins news:

Redskins await word on Davis, Williams suspensions

More shuffling ahead along the offensive line

The Washington Redskins have signed offensive tackle Cole Pemberton to their practice squad, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

The 6-foot-7, 308-pound Pemberton played college ball at Colorado State but went undrafted in 2010. He signed with the Houston Texans in January of 2011, but didn’t appear in a game for the Texans this season.

The Redskins are looking for help along the offensive line with left tackle Trent Williams expected to miss the remainder of the season while serving a suspension for failing multiple drug tests.

The Redskins are expected to start either eight-year veteran Sean Locklear or rookie Willie Smith at left tackle in place of Williams this Sunday.

The only other tackles on the roster are starting right tackle Jammal Brown, and Tyler Polumbus, who signed with the team last month and appeared in one game, starting at left guard.

Pemberton is the second player with Houston and Colorado State roots that has signed with the Redskins in the last 30 days.

The team on Nov. 7 signed wide receiver David Anderson, who also played at Colorado State and for Houston, where offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan held the same position from 2008 to 2009 before coming to Washington last season.

More Redskins football:

Shuffling continues along the offensive line

Redskins’ biggest moments of 2011?

London Fletcher leads NFL in tackles

Turnover woes continue

ASHBURN, Va. (AP)—It was apparently too much to ask. The Washington
Redskins just can’t seem to get through a season without a major off-the-field
distraction.

Players and coaches waited Monday for the NFL to formally announce that two
of Washington’s top offensive players—tight end Fred Davis(notes) and left tackle
Trent Williams(notes)—will be suspended for the rest of the season for violating the
league’s substance abuse policy, a blow to coach Mike Shanahan’s hopes to build
a team with a reputation for high-character players.

“It’s just something else that’s kind of added to the Redskins drama,”
linebacker Lorenzo Alexander(notes) said.

Shanahan said he expected to hear something from the league office “within
the next 24 hours” about Davis and Williams. He otherwise danced around many
questions about the topic, citing NFL confidentially rules.

Davis and Williams are expected to be suspended for the Redskins’ remaining
four games, two people with familiar with the decision told The Associated Press
on Sunday. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because no official
announcement had been made.

One of the people told the AP that Davis and Williams were among 11 who
failed drug tests during a lockout-related grace period negotiated between the
NFL and the players’ union. The other nine players’ cases were dismissed because
they were first-time offenders; Davis and Williams each has tested positive more
than once, the person told the AP.

“It is disappointing,” Alexander said, “because everybody’s aware of the
rules and how the NFL carries out the drug policy.”

Shanahan said Davis and Williams reported as usual to the training facility
Monday and were watching film, presumably of Sunday’s 34-19 loss to the New York
Jets. Neither player appeared in the locker room during the period it was open
to reporters.

Near their corner lockers was a reminder of how hard it is for a player to
ignore the league’s drug policy. A notice written on bright green paper attached
to long snapper Nick Sundberg’s(notes) locker read: “You have been randomly selected
by the NFL drug testing program’s medical adviser to complete a urine doping
test today.” The word “today” was underlined.

“It’ll be tough. It’s two guys that we count on a lot in the offense,”
receiver Jabar Gaffney(notes) said. “It would be hard to replace those guys, but we
have to.”

The suspensions would have major ramifications for each player as well as
the team. Davis was becoming the offense’s most reliable playmaker with 59
catches for 796 yards—both team-highs. The 2008 second-round draft pick is due
to become a free agent at the end of the season. This mistake will undoubtedly
cost him millions because another positive test could cause him to be suspended
for one year, a chance many teams—including the Redskins—might not want to
take.

Tight end was Washington’s strongest position entering the season, but Chris
Cooley(notes) is done for the year with a left knee injury. Logan Paulsen(notes) has worked
his way up from third string by default and will likely start the upcoming game
against the New England Patriots.

Williams is an especially troubling case for Shanahan because the No. 4
overall pick in 2010 was the first player drafted by the coach in Washington.
Williams is very mobile for an offensive lineman, but he’s had growing pains
adjusting to the NFL game and has yet to come close to the multi-Pro Bowl level
one expects from a player chosen with such a lofty pick.

“They’re both great guys,” Alexander said. “Obviously this is going to
create a different perception of them off the field. But I know these guys
intimately, being in here every day with them. Both guys I love dearly, great
teammates, and they go out there bust their butt every time they’re on the
field.”

The Redskins (4-8) have lost seven of eight, but at least up to now they had
appeared relatively well-behaved. Players were happy to report early in the
season that they were becoming a boring team, a sharp contrast to the Donovan
McNabb(notes) and Albert Haynesworth(notes) distractions of 2010 and the many other sagas of
recent years. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall’s(notes) occasional outbursts and a highly
criticized defamation suit filed by owner Dan Snyder were among the few bits of
extra static in 2011.

While Shanahan wouldn’t discuss the details concerning Davis or Williams,
the coach reiterated his focus on finding and keeping high-character talent.

“We know to put your best football team together you need talented
players,” Shanahan said. “You also need players with high character. You can
get to the playoffs with a lot of talented players, but to get to the Super
Bowl, to be the top organization, you’ve got to have character.

“We’ll make mistakes along the way, and it doesn’t mean that we’re going to
just drop somebody because they make a mistake. But we’re going to make sure
they’re made of the right stuff.”

AP Pro Football Writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report.

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

Read More: Fred Davis (TE – WAS), Trent Williams (OT – WAS), Washington Redskins

Two Washington Redskins, Fred Davis and Trent Williams, will be suspended for four games for failing a drug test, according to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Jim Trotter. The players will play for Washington in NFL Week 13 vs. the Jets, and the suspensions will begin next week because the league had not provided written notification of the discipline.

Davis and Williams were aware of the punishment, according to Trotter.

More details from Trotter’s full report on SI.com:

Davis and Williams were informed earlier in the week that they would be suspended for the year because their positive test for marijuana occurred during the season and was at least their third offense under the policy. However, the discipline was reduced as part of a negotiated settlement involving the 11 players who failed drug tests in the two- to four-week grace period that followed the end of the lockout.

Per the settlement, there would be no discipline for those who tested positive during the grace period. Davis and Williams were in the group, but their suspensions stem from positive tests during the season, not the grace period.

The Washington Post‘s Rick Maese added some local perspective via Twitter:

We asked Davis and Williams about these tests two weeks ago. Neither had been contacted by league but both seemed to be aware of results. Redskins team spokesman said the team has no knowledge of pending suspensions for Davis or Williams.

On Sunday, Davis had a 42-yard catch in the first quarter that set up a Redskins touchdown.

For updates and info on these two teams, visit the Jets vs. Redskins 2011 StoryStream. Get more fan perspective at our Jets blog Gang Green Nation and Redskins blog Hogs Haven.