Redskins Insider

We'll start with the good news because there's not much of it, and it shouldn't take too long: The Redskins scored points in the second quarter - a 48-yard field goal off the foot of Shaun Suisham (who's quietly having a good year). But they still trailed the Falcons 24-3 at the break.

The bad news is they've lost their starting running back and temporarily lost quarterback Jason Campbell. Campbell was sacked five times in the first half and on the fifth, he didn't get up. He suffered a chest contusion and left the game for the Redskins' final offensive play of the half. He was replaced by Todd Collins but is expected to return for the second half.

If Washington's horrid pass protection doesn't improve, you have to wonder how long he can last in there. The Falcons tied a team record for the most sacks in the first half of any game in franchise history.

Even with Campbell back in the lineup, the Redskins will start the second half missing three of their four Pro Bowlers from a year ago - Clinton Portis (who suffered a concussion in the first quarter and isn't expected to return), Chris Cooley (out for a few weeks still) and Chris Samuels (injured reserves).

And as they try to find new lows, the Redskins sparked a skirmish in the final two minutes of the first half on the Atlanta sidelines. Safety Laron Landry leveled quarterback Matt Ryan with a late hit out-of-bounds. Suddenly, cornerback DeAngelo Hall - who played with the Falcons from 2004-07 - appeared in the sidelines and shoving and shouting quickly ensued. Coach Jim Zorn had to charge onto the field to help calm his players.
Landry drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on the play; Albert Haynesworth was also flagged for a personal penalty, but the Falcons could only accept the Landry infraction. It was a low point in a half full of them.

The Redskins had just three first downs and 69 yards of total offense in the first half. The Redskins have now been outscored 103-36 in the first half this season.
Their lone scoring drive of the first half in Atlanta was highlighted by Campbell's 47-yard pass to fullback Mike Sellers on third-and-three from the Washington 25. The reception put the Redskins in field-goal range - on the Atlanta 28-yard line -- but they could get no closer. On the next three plays, Campbell was sacked twice, once on a cornerback blitz and the second time when Atlanta defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux fought through the line.

The Falcons added to their point total late in the second quarter when Michael Turner zipped around the left end and ran 30 yards into the end zone. At the half, Turner had already compiled 78 yards on 10 carries, an average of 7.8 per carry.

Campbell was 5-of-8 passing for 73 yards and an interception. Santana Moss led the team with two receptions - though he totaled 0 yards.

Campbell and Ladell Betts both had 14 yards rushing in the first half to lead Washington - Campbell on one carry and Betts on four.

Portis left the game with just four yards on four carries.

Ryan was 14-of-19 passing for 122 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Falcons.

Running back Clinton Portis suffered a concussion in the first quarter of the Redskins' game at Atlanta and will not return to the game, the team announced early in the second quarter.

Portis, the Redskins' leading rusher, broke through the left side of the line on a second-and-12 play from the Atlanta 36 yard line. Center Casey Rabach was called for holding on the play, and Portis fell hard to the turf as he was tackled by Atlanta defensive backs Chevis Jackson and Thomas DeCoud.

Portis lay face down on the turf and motionless for a bit. He then rolled over and was eventually helped up and off the field. He carried four times for four yards in the first quarter.

Ladell Betts will see most of the action the rest of the way, though third-stringer Rock Cartwright caught a pass late in the first quarter.

The Falcons got the ball to start the game, gained five yards without even running a play -- Albert Haynesworth jumped offsides -- and quickly moved downfield. After a 33-yard run by running back Michael Turner gave Atlanta a first down at the Washington 17, the Redskins' defense stiffened a bit, and forced a fourth-and-1 situation at the 8.

The Falcons appeared content to try to draw the Redskins offside, but ultimately call timeout and kick a field goal. But Haynesworth bit on the hard count of Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, and suddenly the Falcons had first and goal from the 4. Two plays later, Ryan found tight end Tony Gonzalez on a play-action pass, and the Falcons led 7-0 after a 74-yard drive.

The Redskins' first possession: 1-yard run from Clinton Portis, no gain for Portis, and a sack of Jason Campbell by Atlanta defensive end Kroy Biermann, who put a simple spin move on right tackle Mike Williams to easily get the sack.

The Redskins' inactives today are Hunter Smith, Kevin Barnes, Byron Westbrook, Eddie Williams, Chris Cooley, Chad Rinehart, Anthony Montgomery and Renaldo Wynn.

Since Daniel Snyder took over ownership of the Washington Redskins in 1999, Rick Maese writes today, the Redskins have cycled through 10 starting quarterbacks: Brad Johnson, Jeff George, Tony Banks, Patrick Ramsey, Danny Wuerffel, Shane Matthews, Tim Hasselbeck, Mark Brunell, Todd Collins and Jason Campbell.

And, while the offseason promises plenty of questions about the front office, the coaches and many players, the biggest question once again may be one the organization has never successfully answered: who will be the quarterback?

"It's not an easy thing to put that whole puzzle together," said former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, now an analyst for NBC. "If they decide Jason isn't their guy, then number one, who is? Who's available? Who can you get -- is it someone in the draft? A free agent? Someone in trade? Then second, when you get that guy, now what do you have to put in place around him? Personnel and offensive system to take advantage of what he does? That could mean a lot of people learning something they've never done before."

In that same period, the team has drafted seven quarterbacks, though Campbell and Ramsey were the only two selected in the first four rounds, the only two to start for Washington and the only two anointed as the team's quarterback of the future.

If Snyder's 10 years of ownership have demonstrated anything, it's that quarterback shopping is a perilous venture. The hits are few and far between, and a miss can set back a team for several years. If the Redskins give up on Campbell at the end of the season, they will try to avoid allowing the position to turn into the turnstile it was before Campbell took over the starting job in 2006.

For the second consecutive game, offensive consultant Sherman Lewis will call the passing plays today for the Redskins.

With the approval of owner Daniel Snyder, Vinny Cerrato, Washington's executive vice president of football operations, promoted Lewis to play-caller and stripped Coach Jim Zorn of those duties. No one in the organization said Lewis would only handle a portion of the play-calling, but that's what happened during his first game in the role -- a 27-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles -- as offensive coordinator Sherman Smith ran the running game and Zorn directed the two-minute drill.

On Friday, Zorn said he envisioned the process continuing with the three men all involved in play-calling against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome and for the remainder of the season.

Hired on Oct. 6, Lewis has not been in the organization long enough to become well-versed in Zorn's offensive terminology or familiar with the personnel. There was no way he was going to come out of retirement after more than four years and call plays effectively without a lot of help from Zorn and his staff.

After seven games, second-year wide receiver Malcolm Kelly has seven catches for 73 yards with no touchdowns. He was demoted to second string after Washington's fifth game and has no receptions in the last two games.

This wasn't the type of season Kelly envisioned after he worked hard in rehabilitation from microfracture knee surgery and impressed enough in training camp and the preseason to be named the starting flanker. But nothing is guaranteed to anyone, Kelly said, and he has remained upbeat and focused despite his personal situation and the team's horrid performance in a 2-5 start.

"I'm good," he said the other day. "Just working on my routes every day and the things they want me to do. Just trying to be positive and be ready. That's all I can do."

Despite Washington's poor production on punt returns and Coach Jim Zorn's comments earlier in the week about his intention to shake up the returner lineup, slot receiver Antwaan Randle El has retained his role as the primary returner for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, Zorn said. Randle El will receive more help from cornerback DeAngelo Hall and top receiver Santana Moss, though Zorn would not reveal how much. This can only mean one thing: it's time for another installment of "Special Teams Saturday with Lorenzo Alexander."

Okay, so what's the deal with the punt-return game?

"We've just all got to do a better job," Alexander said. "No matter who's back there, whether it's El, DeAngelo or Santana, we have to give them a chance to make some plays back there. That's just the bottom line."

For the Falcons' offense, the tight end is key, according to Doug Farrar of Football Outsiders in Gameday.