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By Jack Anderson: It's only preseason, but things aren't looking good for the Washington Redskins offense.
I wasn't expecting to see the second coming of the '99 Rams or anything, but it would have been nice to see a little progression and familiarity with the system when the first-teamers were on the field during a 23-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Instead, we were treated to the same lifeless performance that we saw throughout the second half of the 2008 season.
I've seen this movie before, and let me tell you: If it isn't an Academy Award winner, I don't want to see any reruns.
This performance was anything but Oscar-worthy.
Jason Campbell went through the motions: one-two-three and kick. At least Hunter Smith can actually punt.
The sad thing is that on the opposite side of the field, the Ravens offense (yes, the Ravens offense) played as if they had something to prove. Joe Flacco looked crisp in the pocket and threw some strikes.
The running game wasn't special, but it pushed for the extra yards—something the 'Skins didn't do.
Overall, the offenses were polar opposites. The Ravens got open, beat the Redskins off the ball, and showed they wanted to play well.
Washington simply sleepwalked through a quarter and then retreated to the bench.
I don't know if it's a lack of focus, effort, confidence, or skill. This offense just can't move the ball.
Campbell's footwork isn't much better, his release is still too long, and his reads are too slow. He takes light years to make basic reads, and his slow release doesn't afford him the kind of time he takes in the pocket.
Neither does poor blocking. The offensive line could have been worse, as they gave up three sacks on the night, but they failed to control the line of scrimmage in the rushing game.
Early on, Campbell and Todd Collins faced some pressure, but things really got bad once Colt Brennan came in.
Brennan was chased around the entire second half and had virtually no chance to make an impact. He didn't play well, yet a lot of it was due to poor pass protection.
The Redskins really couldn't open up their playbook, as they failed to get many first downs (11). They had the ball for only 24 minutes (compared to the Ravens' 35 minutes), making it difficult to get into any rhythm.
The running game was useless, as the offensive line got no push. The ground attack averaged 2.9 yards per carry, and Rock Cartwright was the leading rusher with just 24 yards.
Fred Davis fumbled twice, and Devin Thomas went back to looking lost. Thomas looked impressive in camp, but he has yet to show much ability in games. He didn't look explosive enough to be much of a threat.
The lone bright spot on offense was Malcolm Kelly. Kelly looks the part lining up out wide. He's lanky and tall, the perfect possession receiver or red zone target. Add in a dazzling fingertip grab for a first down, and it might be time to get excited about his future.
I know it's sad I'm happy about one play by a receiver who has done nothing but sit out with injuries. Laugh all you want, but let me be excited about something.
Jim Zorn called the offensive struggles a "learning experience." I call them "failure to launch." That was a pretty crappy movie—just like this offense.
