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Home , Adam Gettis, Aldrick Robinson, DeJon Gomes, Dez Bryant, Justin Forsett, Niles Paul

FORMER OLYMPIANS FIND NICHE COACHING HOYAS ROWERS, C1

EXPANDED COVERAGE: Garcon returns to speedy form, R2 Quarter-by-quarter breakdown; By the numbers; Lookahead to Week 13, R4 38 31

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012 G☆☆ AMEDAY washingtontimes.com/sports/football Holiday spectacular Griffi n feasts on with 4 TDs in homecoming

BY RICH CAMPBELL THE WASHINGTON TIMES

ARLINGTON, TEXAS | Kenny Chesney took the make- shift stage on the fi eld at Cowboys Stadium at halftime Thursday and returned some normalcy to this place. Guitars twanging country music is what you expect to hear deep in the heart of Texas. The sounds that preceded that certainly were not. This, after all, is enemy territory for the Washing- ton Redskins. It’s the home of their fi ercest rival. Their ’s name never would be chanted here. This quarterback, though, is special. And when his name echoed throughout the stadium, it was one of the best measures to date of Robert Gri" n III’s impact on this team. After Gri" n led a 28-point blitzkrieg in the second quarter of Washington’s 38-31 victory over the , chants of “R-G-3! R-G-3!” rose from the crowd of 90,166, which, it must be noted, contained signifi cant pockets of burgundy among the blue. “It feels good that they can chant your name,” Gri" n said, “because they feel like at that point the game was over.” His three passes during a 28-point explosion ignited the up- roar. They also propelled Washington back into the race for the NFC East title. The Redskins (5-6) are a game and a half behind the , who visit Dec. 3 for what is now a mega-Monday night showdown. “I just feel like our team Cowboys quarterback Tony has got something to play Romo was 37 of 62 for 441 for again,” guard Kory Li- yards and 3 TDs, but Dallas’ chtensteiger said. “We’re a rally ultimately fell short. team that’s starting to hit our stride at the right time. I think you can feel there’s a little electricity in here.” The Redskins escaped, but not before unsettling their fans’ Thanksgiving dinner. Their 25-point half- time lead seemed comfortable enough, especially because the defense did its part by forcing two of its three turnovers in the second quarter. But when does this franchise ever make it easy on itself? The Cowboys scored 15 points in a span of 96 seconds in the fourth quarter to turn a 35-13 defi cit into a thriller. Gri" n’s , the only blemish on a magnifi cent game, set up the second touchdown and made this more suspenseful than it had to be. Rookie Kai Forbath saved the day, though, with a 48-yard fi eld goal with 2:58 remaining. His 10th consecutive make to start his career made it a two- possession game, and the Redskins could breathe. Ultimately, though, it was Gri" n’s day. During his ASSOCIATED PRESS rookie season, he repeatedly has played his best in Robert Gri! n III (le" ) and Kory Lichtensteiger celebrate one of the Redskins’ four second-quarter . Gri! n was 20 of 28 for 311 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Alfred Morris (top) fueled the ground game, rushing 24 times for 113 yards and a TD. » see REDSKINS | R2 Rising from the ashes in two wins, fi ve days ARLINGTON, TEXAS two of their NFC East playmates, like that. The Redskins returned from matchup against the division-leading here have been pitfalls and punching out the their R and R, got Pierre Garcon and Giants (6-4), a club they had on the potholes and assorted other 31-6 and then, on Thanksgiving, holding his troublesome foot back in the lineup ropes the fi rst time around. (I’ll spare stumbling blocks this season o! the Dallas Cowboys 38-31. and started playing their best ball of you a recap.) Win the rematch, extend Tfor the Washington Redskins. Five days. That’s all it took to change the year … at a time when they had to their winning streak to three (for the But here they are, with fi ve games to the course of a season, one that looked play their best ball of the year. If they fi rst time in the Era) DAN go, and all of their goals are still within headed for the breakdown lane after wanted their year to extend into Janu- and the playo! s become even more real DALY reach. a home loss to lowly Carolina had left ary, that is. for the Redskins. They’ve seen to that, improbably, the Redskins at 3-6. But sometimes Bye Now they’re 5-6 and have 11 days to with fi ve days of inspired play against Week heals all wounds — or something steel themselves for a Monday-night » see DALY | R2

! e O" cial Newspaper of 2012 – Online, On ! e Air, On Your Doorstep R2 | REDSKINS ☆☆ R FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012 EXPANDED REDSKINS COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON: WASHINGTONTIMES.COM/SPORTS/FOOTBALL

REDSKINS 38, COWBOYS 31 NOTEBOOK Garcon’s blazing Fletcher speed back again ailing, but

BY NATHAN FENNO eroded. his streak THE WASHINGTON TIMES A series of visits to doctors even- tually revealed not a bruised foot but ARLINGTON, TEXAS | In a six-second a plantar plate tear on the bottom of kept alive blur of fi ngertips and churning legs, his foot. Pierre Garcon returned. Doctors told Garcon he couldn’t in- BY NATHAN FENNO Gone was the frus- jure the foot more seriously by playing. THE WASHINGTON TIMES trated by an injured right foot that had It became a matter of pain tolerance. him considering season-ending surgery But Garcon felt like he couldn’t run full ARLINGTON, TEXAS | A bum knee three weeks ago. speed. He didn’t feel like himself. couldn’t prevent London Fletcher from Instead, Garcon showed the Dal- Fear entered for Garcon. He didn’t continuing his games-played streak las Cowboys on Thursday why the want to undergo surgery. Could play- Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys. Washington Redskins heaped $42.5 ing on the foot cause a dislocation? Or The veteran Washington Redskins’ million over fi ve years on him during would he overcompensate and some- middle linebacker sprained his left ankle the o! season. And in the midst of a how injure another part of his body? in Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia 59-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown Finally convinced the foot wouldn’t Eagles. The injury kept him from prac- that silenced 90,166 once-deafening get worse on the fi eld, Garcon played ticing Tuesday but he improved enough fans inside Cowboys Stadium, Garcon Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, to only be limited Wednesday. provided a glimpse of how his speed his fi rst game since Oct. 7. Garcon ASSOCIATED PRESS Still, Fletcher’s can transform an o! ense. caught three passes for 5 yards, more Washington wide receiver Pierre Garcon outruns Dallas’ Mike Jenkins as he heads streak of 234 regu- “He’s here for that,” fellow receiver decoy than deep threat. for the end zone on a 59-yard touchdown catch during the second quarter. lar-season games ap- Santana Moss said. “We’re happy to “He’s been missed in this o! ense peared in jeopardy have that kind of threat out there. That for a while,” running back Alfred Mor- until he was declared gives everybody more opportunities to ris said. wanted to go out there and gut it out streaked the remaining 45 yards into the active two hours be- go and be special.” On the fi eld for 21 of the Redskins’ 53 and I did that, really.” end zone where, after exiting, Cowboys fore Thursday’s game Since the preseason, Garcon, who snaps, Garcon’s foot didn’t feel close to Ten minutes into the second quarter, cornerback Mike Jenkins greeted him at Cowboys Stadium. Fletcher fi nished with fi ve catches for 93 yards normal. But there weren’t any setbacks. when the Redskins unloaded 28 points with a hearty shove into the blue pad- “London is the Thursday, hadn’t been right. The six- One question remained for Garcon: in a period for the fi rst time since 1999, ding surrounding the fi eld. ultimate pro,” linebacker Lorenzo Al- year veteran signed as a free agent How would his foot handle the artifi cial Garcon lined up on second-and-12. The snag-and- took six exander said. “It just shows you grit. If from the in March surface at Cowboys Stadium against the Quarterback Robert Griffin III’s seconds. he’s going to go out there at 37 and play to give the Redskins a badly needed No. NFL’s sixth-ranked pass defense? short pass snuck over a defender’s out- No limping or favoring the ailing hurt when he doesn’t have to it makes 1 receiver with sure hands who could Garcon started the game and, a few stretched arms. Cutting to his right in foot. Just the man the Redskins hoped you want to step up that much more and stretch defenses. minutes later, snagged a 6-yard pass. the middle of the fi eld, Garcon jumped they acquired, transforming an innocent play even harder. That’s what you need But a bruised right foot during the Then he turned a short toss into 7 yards. and spun the other way. He snagged the pass into a game-breaking play and out of your leaders.” preseason lingered. An 88-yard touch- If anything, the artifi cial surface, instead ball with his fi ngertips, arms extended providing the sort of explosiveness For much of the game, Fletcher down grab in the season-opener against of aggravating the injury, made him as far as his 6-foot frame allowed. His after the catch only matched on the looked like his old self. He delivered a the only distracted appear quicker. right foot landed. Then his left. The ball roster by Gri" n. pep talk to the team about 30 minutes from the problem. Garcon’s speed and “It all came down to how the turf never snuck out of his grip. Six seconds that screamed Garcon before kicko! . Then on the Cowboys’ explosiveness, the core of his game, felt,” Garcon said. “I wanted to play. I Garcon recovered his balance and is back and quieted a stadium. fi rst series, Fletcher delivered a big hit to wide receiver coming across the middle on a dropped ball then popped Austin again in the back “He’s a gamer,” cornerback DeAn- around the corner and past Carr. of the end zone to prevent a touchdown REDSKINS 38, COWBOYS 31 REDSKINS gelo Hall said. “We all knew that.” Moss’ touchdown outdid the others. catch. Washington 0 28 0 10—38 From page R1 Gri" n turned the Redskins’ sloppy From the 6-yard line, Gri" n took the But late in the fourth quarter, Fletcher fi rst quarter into a footnote. He hit snap, sprinted to his right and perfectly left and didn’t return after reinjuring the Dallas 3 0 10 18—31 the biggest moments. On Thursday he , Pierre Garcon and placed a throw on Moss’ outside hip. ankle. After the game, he maneuvered First Quarter outdid himself with a game for the ages. Santana Moss on touchdown passes for Gri" n hit a wide open the ankle into a large plastic walking Dal — FG Bailey 30, 9:17. “He has the clutch quality you’re 68, 59 and 6 yards, respectively. early in the fourth quarter for his fourth boot before speaking with the media. always looking for from your quar- Rookie running back Alfred Morris touchdown. Washington, it turned out, “It was very hard,” Fletcher said of Second Quarter terback,” Lichtensteiger said. “He’s a also had a 1-yard touchdown run in needed those points. leaving the game. “I worked so hard Was — A.Robinson 68 pass from guy that’s not afraid of a big situation the quarter. Cowboys quarterback and to not be in a position to fi nish the Gri! n III (Forbath kick), 13:47. and not afraid to put the team on his The Redskins hadn’t scored 28 threw for 441 yards on 62 attempts. game …” Was — Morris 1 run (Forbath kick), 7:00. shoulders.” points in a quarter since Oct. 1999, the Eighty-five came on a touchdown Fletcher’s streak almost ended last Was — Garcon 59 pass from Gri! n III (Forbath kick), 2:14. In front of a national television last season they won the division. catch-and-run by Dez Bryant, yet an- month against the Was — Moss 6 pass from Gri! n III audience for his fi rst time as a profes- “It was awesome,” Gri" n said. “I other big play against the Redskins. because of recurring balance problems (Forbath kick), :05. sional, on the NFL’s heralded Thanks- told those guys if they ball out like they Gri" n had the answer, though. He and a hamstring injury, but he started ! ird Quarter giving Day stage, Gri" n completed 20 have been, we can’t be stopped. completed 3 of 4 passes for 39 yards and made six tackles. of 28 passes for 311 yards, four touch- It was incredible, really. For that 15 on the fi eld-goal drive. That included Dal — FG Bailey 33, 11:48. downs and the interception. minutes, the Redskins looked nothing a 4-yard dart to Moss on third-and-1. Dal — Bryant 85 pass from Romo Garcon gets start (Bailey kick), 1:24. Never mind the fact Gri" n grew like the group that recently dropped And when Hall recovered an onside up three hours south of here. Never three straight games and moved to the kick with 12 seconds remaining, it al- Playing on Cowboys Stadium’s ar- Fourth Quarter mind President George W. Bush and brink of a disastrous season. lowed Gri" n to kneel down. tifi cial turf left wide receiver Pierre Was — Paul 29 pass from Gri! n III his former coach at Baylor, Art Briles, On the fi rst touchdown, Robinson He has thrown eight touchdowns Garcon’s status in doubt this week as (Forbath kick), 12:48. were among those who came out to outran two defenders by at least 10 in two victories in fi ve days. And sud- he heals from a plantar plate tear in his Dal — F.Jones 10 pass from Romo (Romo run), 9:54. watch him work his magic. All he yards and ran underneath Gri" n’s denly the Redskins’ playo! pulse isn’t right foot. Garcon was active, though, Dal — Bryant 11 pass from Romo did was engineer the Redskins’ fi rst high-arcing throw. so faint. a week after catching three passes for 5 (Bailey kick), 8:18. victory over Dallas on Thanksgiving Gri" n later threw the ball behind “It’s big for the mindset of every- yards in his fi rst game since Oct. 7. Was — FG Forbath 48, 2:58. and become the fi rst quarterback in Garcon on a crossing route, but Gar- body that, hey, you might have thought Garcon started the game and needed Dal — FG Bailey 51, :18. the Redskins’ 80-year history to throw con reached back, caught it, and then we could do it,” Gri" n said. “Now we one 6-yard catch in the fi rst quarter to A — 90,166. four touchdowns in consecutive games. accelerated on his sprained right foot know we can do it. It’s in our hands.” surpass his game-long total against the Was Dal Eagles. First downs 22 22 The seven Redskins inactives weren’t Total Net Yards 437 458 surprising: quarterback Rex Grossman, Rushes-yards 30-142 11-35 on defense allowed the Cowboys to moment or two when Bryant broke receiver Dezmon Briscoe, cornerback Passing 295 423 Punt Returns 2-13 3-17 DALY drive for a chip-shot fi eld goal in their loose for an 85-yard touchdown late Richard Crawford, cornerback Jerome Kicko! Returns 3-83 4-76 From page R1 opening series. in the third quarter; that made it 28-13. Murphy, guard Adam Gettis, lineman Ret. 2-37 1-27 Two plays into the second quarter, But Gri" n wasted little time return- and defensive end Doug Comp-Att-Int 20-28-1 37-62-2 Sacked-Yards Lost 4-16 2-18 At that point, they’ll be the hot though, Gri" n took matters into ing the favor, leading a long drive on Worthington. Punts 5-45.2 3-56.7 team with the hot quarterback, and his own hands. On fi rst-and-15, o! a the next possession that ended with The Cowboys missed two key play- Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1 who wouldn’t want to be in that posi- shotgun snap, he arched a 68-yard a 29-yard TD pass to Niles Paul, the ers Thursday, as nose tackle Jay Ratli! Penalties-Yards 5-41 7-45 tion? I’m referring, of course, to Rob- rainbow of touchdown pass to wide- latter’s fi rst NFL score. (groin) and running back DeMarco Time of Possession 31:42 28:18 ert Gri" n III, who posted a perfect open Aldrick Robinson to make it 7-3. Which is another mark of a special Murray (foot) were inactive. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS passer rating (158.3) against the Eagles Then Dallas began turning the ball player: He does what’s necessary, RUSHING — Washington, Morris 24- and, in his Texas homecoming, lit up over — and more Redskins TDs fol- what his club needs him to do. RG3’s Fixing a hole 113, Gri! n III 6-29. Dallas, F.Jones 6-14, the Cowboys for 311 yards and four lowed. A Dez Bryant fumble led to a club needed him to stop the bleeding Dunbar 1-8, Romo 3-7, Bryant 1-6. touchdowns through the air. 1-yard score by Alfred Morris. A Tony at that point, so he stopped the bleed- The retractable roof on the $1.3 bil- PASSING — Washington, Gri! n III 20- In so doing, he summoned Romo interception with 30 seconds ing. (And this is a 22-year-old quarter- lion stadium opened before the game. 28-1-311. Dallas, Romo 37-62-2-441. memories of another Heisman left in the half paved the way for a back, I’ll just remind you. Sorry, but By early in the second quarter, that let RECEIVING — Washington, Garcon Trophy winner from hereabouts, Earl 6-yard TD fl ip to Santana Moss. In be- words are beginning to fail.) in drizzle from a darkening sky. 5-93, Morgan 5-48, Moss 4-42, Campbell. Thirty-three years ago, in tween, RG3 threw for another score, a Dallas rallied for two more touch- The decision to open the roof is Paulsen 2-11, A.Robinson 1-68, Paul 1-29, Hankerson 1-12, Banks 1-8. Dallas, his fi rst pro game in Dallas, Campbell, 59-yarder to Garcon that, admittedly, downs, though — the second after a made by the Cowboys 90 minutes be- Witten 9-74, Bryant 8-145, Beasley the Texas Longhorn-turned-Houston was more Garcon than RG3. rare Gri" n mistake (read: intercep- fore kicko! . If the roof is closed to the 7-68, Harris 4-71, F.Jones 3-47, Dunbar Oiler, helped spoil Thanksgiving for (Just a terrifi c grab of a pass that tion) — to narrow the gap to 35-28. start the game, it can’t be opened. But if 3-21, Vickers 2-11, Holmes 1-4. the Cowboys by rushing for 195 yards, was behind him — and an equally ter- No matter. The kid QB merely took o" cials decide to close the roof in-game MISSED FIELD GOALS — None. including TDs of 61 and 27. Gri" n, rifi c run afterward, particularly given the Redskins down the fi eld again, far due to weather, it can’t be reopened, pride of Baylor and Copperas Cove, his injury.) enough for Kai “10 for 10” Forbath to either. was every bit as spectacular Thurs- Add it all up and you get Redskins boot the clinching 48-yard fi eld goal. The roof, incidentally, remained day; by halftime, he had the dispirited 28, Cowboys 3 — 28 Washington “I feel the sense that something is open and as time slipped away in the crowd chanting his name and booing points in a single quarter. The only building,” Gri" n said. “When you’re second quarter, sun streaked through the home club. bigger quarter in Redskins history is 3-6, your character of your team is the roof. Some players, the special ones, do the 35-point haymaker Doug Williams tested. I experienced playing on some these kinds of things when the TV laid on Denver in XXII. teams that had tough years, but it’s Extra points lights are brightest. And as regular- That, too, came in the second quarter. how they respond after those losses. season games go, there aren’t many As Gri" n put it, “We were So you’re sitting there at 3-6, if you ⦁ Days after su! ering a second-de- bigger stages than Thanksgiving at showing not just ourselves and the don’t beat the Eagles, now you’re 3-7 gree strain of his rotator cu! against the Cowboys Stadium. But as he keeps Cowboys but everybody what we’re and that can kill your season or just Eagles, Josh Wilson started Thursday. showing, RG3 is completely comfort- capable of.” the morale of your team. We won that ⦁ Running back Alfred Morris able in such surroundings. Indeed, To which Kory Lichtensteiger game …” scored in the second quarter, his fi rst he seems to live for such moments. added: “That’s something we’ve got So ended fi ve days in the life of touchdown since Week 6. The greater the scrutiny, the better he to keep working on — not having the 2012 Redskins, fi ve of the best ⦁ The game kicked o! at 4:41 p.m. plays. these big chunks of the game where days they’ve had in a long time. A Eastern time. Originally, kicko! was And he needed to against Dallas, we’re struggling. Fortunately, we’ve 3-6 season has become a 5-6 season, scheduled for 4:15 p.m., then adjusted to because his teammates didn’t exactly got Pierre back, and Aldrick is playing and despair has been replaced by 4:35 p.m. earlier this week, then delayed ASSOCIATED PRESS come out and set the tone in the fi rst great. It’s pretty cool.” possibility. Shanahan’s team still has again because the Texans-Lions game Dallas started its furious comeback quarter. They started sluggishly on The second half, at the outset, had much work ahead of it, but the door went to overtime. with an 85-yard Dez Bryant TD. o! ense — dropped a pass, didn’t pro- all the makings of a clock-killing drill. has been opened — and more than ⦁ DeJon Gomes started at safety in tect the quarterback very well — and The Cowboys quickened pulses for a just a crack. place of . FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012 ☆ R R SPORTS | R3

Top performers Lions QB Matthew Sta! ord: 441 yards, 2TDs Texans WR Andre Johnson: 188 yards, 0 TDs NFL WEEK 12 Texans RB : 102 yards, 2 TDs

GAME OF THE WEEK Houston buoyed by Schwartz ga! e BY LARRY LAGE “I knew the rule — ASSOCIATED PRESS you can’t challenge on DETROIT | Jim Schwartz threw a chal- a turnover or a scoring lenge fl ag when he didn’t need to, and play — but I was so mad the made him regret it. Shayne Graham’s 32-yard fi eld goal that I overreacted.” with 2:21 left in overtime lifted Houston — Jim Schwartz to a 34-31 win over the on Thursday after their coach broke an NFL rule by attempting to challenge a saying to assistants and players on the scoring play. sideline as he tapped his chest. “It’s “Obviously, that’s a big break in on me.” the game for us,” Houston coach Gary Ye s , i t w a s . Kubiak said. “But I think you make your Forsett even acknowledged he breaks when you work your tail o! .” shouldn’t have been allowed to score. Detroit kicker Jason Hanson had a “I know now that I was down, but I chance to take Schwartz o! the hook, didn’t think I was during the play,” he but his 47-yard fi eld goal attempt on the said. “I didn’t think my knee hit, and fi fth possession of the extra period hit there was no whistle, so I kept going. the right upright. “I wasn’t giving the touchdown Lions defensive end Kyle Vanden back.” Bosch did, too, on the previous posses- That score pulled Houston to 24-21. sion when he couldn’t intercept a pass “I knew the rule — you can’t chal- Matt Schaub threw directly at him deep lenge on a turnover or a scoring play — in Houston territory. but I was so mad that I overreacted,” said Detroit might’ve won in regulation if Schwartz, whose temper got the best its coach didn’t make a costly mistake. of him during a postgame handshake Schwartz threw a challenge fl ag last year with San Francisco coach Jim when Houston’s Justin Forsett scored on Harbaugh. an 81-yard touchdown run in the third I had the fl ag in my hand before he quarter after two Lions tackled him. even scored because he was obviously “Give him credit for continuing to down.” play football,” Kubiak said. “We talk Kubiak had no sympathy. about that all the time. You don’t stop, “A rule’s a rule,” Kubiak said. “I know you play.” one thing: You’ve got to keep your fl ag Replays showed Forsett’s left knee tucked in your pocket.” and elbow hit the turf near midfi eld, and Arian Foster ran for 102 yards and the automatic review that accompanies two scores, including a 1-yard run with all scoring plays probably would have 1:55 left in the fourth quarter to cap taken the TD o! the board. But NFL a 15-play, 97-yard drive that tied the rules say that throwing the challenge game at 31. fl ag on a scoring play negates the review Matthew Sta! ord was 31 of 61 for 441 ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPHS — and is an unsportsmanlike conduct yards with two TDs — with tiebreak- Houston kicker Shayne Graham (top, 17) is mobbed by teammates a! er kicking the winning fi eld goal in overtime. Detroit penalty to boot. ing scores to and Mike receiver Calvin Johnson (above), who had eight catches for 140 yards and a touchdown dejectedly leaves the fi eld. “It’s on me,” Schwartz could be seen Thomas in the second quarter. Line blurs on legal, illegal hits

n attempting to pre- dict Russia’s role in World War II, Win- Iston Churchill called it “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” I could say the same thing about fi nding a solution to the NFL’s safety problem. But not Ray Anderson, DERON the league’s executive vice SNYDER president of football opera- tions. Anderson seems to disagree with the degree of di" culty in reform. He suggests that players can change the nature of the game as easily as they change their clothes on game day. Anderson appeared Tuesday on ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike Show” — before safety Ed Reed successfully appealed a one-game suspension for illegal hits — and argued that defensive players simply have to adjust their approach. “The burden is on the defender to alter his target in situations like that, where a [receiver] is defenseless,” Anderson said. “Here’s the bottom line for us — hits to the head and neck area are potentially life-altering, as well as career-altering. We believe that, and we have enough to show us that. Illegal hits to the head and neck area are our biggest concern, and we are absolutely intent on getting those out of the game.” It’s a noble and worthwhile goal, spurred by more information on concussions and more litigation on concussions. Regardless of the ASSOCIATED PRESS motivation, no one should be opposed to mak- Baltimore free safety Ed Reed was suspended one game by the NFL for illegal hits, but his punishment was changed to a $50,000 fi ne. ing the game safer. All you need is one look at the debilitating e! ects su! ered by scores of former players. Just like that, in the instant a defender Thanksgiving meals. “It is tackle football. It is a Leftwich was running out of bounds. So Pol- Anderson accurately assesses the danger calculates speeds and angles to determine the contact sport and a brutal one, a violent one at lard eased up, fearing a fl ag, a fi ne or both. of blows to the head and neck area. He also proper target area, a hit can go from legal to that, the No. 1 violent sport, sad to say. Leftwich cut up fi eld and scored a touchdown. correctly notes that fewer defenders attempt illegal. Expecting defensive players to adjust “I know concussions have been a big thing, I doubt if the NFL wants players to adopt to wrap up ball carriers during tackles, opting to last-second changes in their opponents’ he said. “I’ve had concussions before, and I Pollard’s new mindset. “Now if a quarterback is instead for big, missile-launch hits. The threat pad level is almost unfair. The “head and neck know guys are going to have concussions. If going to the sideline and I’ve got a chance,” he of making helmet contact increases with that area” isn’t always stationary, especially when you want to stop it, stop the game. Like people told reporters Wednesday, “I swear to you I’m technique. players are running, cutting and trying to pro- say, it’s starting to be a fl ag football thing.” going to kill him.” But it’s not always the defensive player’s tect themselves. Hardly, but I understand his frustration. Truth be told, Pollard can do that (fi gura- fault. That’s a valid point for defensive players Unintended consequences of the new culture tively) with a perfectly legal hit. Which may or Hits to the chest still are legal, a time-tested who complain about the NFL’s recent crack- have appeared. may not draw a penalty. method of causing fumbles, breaking up passes down on hits. But any argument that mentions In Week 9 at FedEx Field, Carolina line- Good luck to the NFL in trying to solve this and discouraging receivers venturing across the past has no place in the discussion. Reed backer Thomas Davis received an unnecessary complex situation. Good luck to NFL coaches the middle. O! ensive players often are aware acknowledges the need to make football safer, roughness penalty for hitting quarterback in trying to teach what’s expected. Most of all, when a big boom is imminent. That can lead but also falls a bit into the history trap. Robert Gri" n III. RG3 still was in the fi eld of good luck to defensive players in trying to fol- them to brace for impact and duck, putting “We grew up watching the game be played play, but he was headed out of bounds. low the murky, theoretical guidelines. their heads in the line of fi re to catch blows a certain way and playing it a certain way,” Last Sunday at Pittsburgh, Baltimore safety How either of those parties will fi gure this intended for their chests. he told the Baltimore Sun after handing out Bernard Pollard thought quarterback Byron out is a mystery to me. R4 | REDSKINS ☆ R FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012 EXPANDED REDSKINS COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON: WASHINGTONTIMES.COM/SPORTS/FOOTBALL

QUARTERS NUMBERS Too much turkey pregame? Perhaps, 295: Points for the Redskins through as both teams stumbled out of the gate. 11 games. They scored 288 last year The Redskins’ opening possession went 28: Points in the second quarter for 1no-gain run, dropped pass, intentional Washington, which ties for second- grounding penalty. Eek. The Cowboys then most in any quarter in team history hurt themselves with a third-down penalty that after a 35-point second quarter vs. blunted a long drive and forced them to settle the Broncos in Super Bowl XXII for a field goal. More bumbling followed, but 6: TDs of at least 60 yards for the maybe the biggest takeaway was the pressure Redskins this season after Thurs- Dallas put on Robert Gri!n III, keeping him day’s 68-yarder to Aldrick Robinson from looking like himself until an option run for a first down on the penultimate play of the quarter. So apparently the aforementioned NEXT run was indeed RG3 getting into his groove, as he and his mates proceeded GIANTS AT REDSKINS 2to assemble their best stretch of play all 8:30 P.M., DEC. 3, ESPN season. On the third play of the quarter, Gri!n ⦁ Another week, hit Aldrick Robinson for a 68-yard score. That another first for began a run of touchdowns on four consecutive Robert Gri!n possessions for the Redskins, capped by a Grif- III. Eleven days fin bullet to Santana Moss with five seconds to after the Turkey play in the half. In the meantime, the defense Day matchup forced a fumble and picked o" Tony Romo in Dallas — the to keep feeding RG3’s machine. A remarkable QB’s first against display. Washington’s longtime rivals ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPHS — RG3 makes his PLAY OF THE GAME: Let’s go ahead and give Redskins receiver Santana Moss (above) celebrates a touchdown in the final seconds of the first half. "e score was the primetime debut some love to the kicker for a non-game-ending third TD pass of the quarter for Robert Gri#n III and completed a 28-point outburst in the second quarter. Safety DeJon on Monday night field goal. Kai Forbath’s 48-yarder with 2:58 (below) Gomes eludes the tackle of two Cowboys a!er he recovered a Dez Bryant fumble in the second quarter. remaining — no gimme there — made it a two- against the Giants at home. It will be possession game, and the Cowboys simply an opportunity for the Redskins to didn’t have time for two scores a!er that. exact revenge after a 77-yard touch- down to Victor Cruz ruined what seemed to be a Gri!n-led comeback After a Cowboys field goal on the first in New York on Oct. 21. Oddly, Eli drive out of halftime, both teams essen- Manning hasn’t thrown a TD since tially held serve throughout the period that game-winning pass. Not coin- 3— until the thunderbolt near the end. cidentally, the Giants are 1-2 in that Romo’s scrambling hookup with Dez Bryant stretch, including two straight losses that somehow resulted in an 85-yard touch- entering Sunday night’s game against down reawakened the home crowd and made the Packers. things a bit more interesting heading into the final stanza. Interesting indeed. Even after Gri!n answered Romo with a TD toss on third- and-inches, the Cowboys kept rolling 4as the Redskins’ secondary reverted to form and scored twice, plus a two-point conversion, to make it a 35-28 game with more than half the quarter remaining. Contributing to their cause was a rare bad play by Gri!n, a what-was-he-thinking interception. But the Redskins finally sustained a drive, chewing up 5 minutes, 20 seconds to set up Kai Forbath’s field goal and leave the Cowboys in an unten- Victor able situation. They opted for a field goal first, Cruz but couldn’t recover the ensuing onside kick.