Skins' first-string offense flat again in lopsided loss

By Joseph White

LANDOVER, Md.

Gregg Williams showed up the team that let him go, his Jacksonville Jaguars defense stopping cold a Washington Redskins first-string attack that once again looked far from ready for the regular season.

The Jaguars held the Redskins' starters to 14 total yards in three first-quarter drives, and David Garrard, Cleo Lemon and Todd Bouman each threw touchdown passes Thursday night in Jacksonville's 24-3 victory.

Seventh-round draft pick Chauncey Washington, making a final bid for a spot on the 53-man roster, ran 11 times for 68 yards and caught four passes for 40 yards for Jacksonville in a game that mostly featured backups over the final three quarters.

The game also marked the Jaguars' debut of No. 8 overall draft pick Derrick Harvey, who ended his holdout Wednesday and entered the game on the defensive line in the second half despite not having taken part in a single practice.

But the more intriguing match-up pitted the combative Williams against his old team. The Redskins' top defensive guru for four years under Joe Gibbs, Williams was considered the favorite to get the head coaching job when Gibbs retired in January.

Instead, Williams was fired by owner Dan Snyder, and Jim Zorn got the job.

On Thursday, Williams vs. Zorn was no contest.

Zorn had decided to play his first-string offense for a series - perhaps two - only because he felt the players needed a boost of confidence after last week's 47-3 debacle against the Carolina Panthers.

The move backfired.

Jason Campbell was intercepted by Mike Peterson on Washington's first play from scrimmage. The Redskins' next possession was a three-and-out, prompting Zorn to send his starters back for a third series - and another three-and-out. Campbell finished 1 for 4 for 3 yards and an interception.

Garrard, a former East Carolina standout, also played three series, going 5 of 8 for 58 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The pick was by safety Reed Doughty, one of only two Redskins defensive starters who didn't get the night off.

Considering that the Jaguars' first-team offense was facing mostly second-teamers, the results were spotty. Jacksonville managed two first downs in Garrard's three possessions.

Given the poor performance of the Redskins starting offense, one of the biggest cheers of the night came when rookie Colt Brennan entered the game in the second quarter. Brennan, though still very raw for NFL, has excited fans by putting up good numbers against other teams' backups all preseason and did so again, going 13 for 18 for 119 yards.

But he only led one scoring drive, and that ended in a field goal. The Redskins were outscored 71-6 in their last two preseason games.