THE SKINS: Sunday afternoon, roughly 50,000 fans were at FedEx Field for Washington's game versus the St. Louis Rams. Attendance, plus slumping Skins jersey sales and fire sales on RGIII jerseys, indicate the predicted trend for the D.C. based franchise’s season are true. Or are they?
The Skins defeated the St. Louis Rams, 24-10. The same Rams known for resurrecting “smash mouth football.” Washington counter-punched. It's a game some are calling D.C.'s best since 1991, the last year The Hogs played.
For the second consecutive week, Washington took an early lead at home; a 10-0 advantage after one quarter, their biggest lead after 15 minutes in three years. And it would get better!
The Redskins took a 17-0 lead into halftime after out-gaining the Rams 239-72 and controlling the ball for 19 minutes. It was the first time Washington shut out an opponent in the first half since Oct. 2011. “You’ve got to give a lot of credit to the Washington Redskins,” Fox color commentator David Diehl said, NOT something one hears very often.
The 17-point lead was built on the backs of Rookie RB Matt Jones, a bruising third round pick from Florida, and Alfred Morris, who combined for 132 yards on 17 carries in the first half (and ought to have a nickname by next week.) On Washington’s second drive of the game, Jones ran for a 39-yard touchdown one play after a 35-yard rush by Morris. Jones had 19 carries to Morris’ 15 and finished with 123 yards. Credit the same offensive line who were seriously questioned in the preseason after allowing Robert "Bob" Griffin III to be sacked 6 times in 8 snaps. A remarkable turnaround by the group. Credit Coach Bill Callahan, who has done a great job with the unit.
QB Kirk Cousins completed 23 of 27 passes for 203 yards and a 4-yard touchdown to Pierre Garcon late in the second quarter. He didn’t make any spectacular plays, was sacked twice, but never hurried, had no interceptions and did more than enough to win. Boring is better.
Next up. division rival the NY Giants on Thursday Night Football, televised nationally.
THE HOYAS: Georgetown’s Freshman class is deeper than people realize. The Hoyas expected Jessie Govan to be an impact big man during his first year of college basketball, but the potential roles of both Marcus Derrickson and Kaleb Johnson could be far greater than people envisioned. The 6-foot-7 Derrickson led Georgetown in scoring during the Hoyas' foreign tour in Italy last month and is an excellent rebounder who can extend the defense as a stretch power forward. Johnson meanwhile has good length at 6-6 and has already established himself as this team's best all-around defender. The lefty plays within himself on offense and knows how to probe the defense as he reads and reacts based on what the opposition is giving him. All three of these players are going to be in John Thompson III's rotation this year with Govan and Derrickson looking like eventual starters.
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