November 19-- Campbell good, Defense bad in 20-17 loss at Tampa Bay

The Skins defense was dominated by statistically one of the most inefficient offense sin the NFL falling for the fifth time in six games 20-17 at Tampa Bay.. The Buccaneers rushed for over 180 yards, they came into the game averaging 80 yards on the ground per.. The Bucs scored 17 second half points to erase a 7 point deficit.. Tampa had not scored 17 in any game in a month, the last time they scored 20 or more was a win against Philadelphia where they had two defensive touchdowns and a 62 yard field goal..

So Washington fell to 3 and 7.. Joe Gibbs claimed the team is not playing “by certain principles” which was not exactly elaborated on except to say the team needs to rush the ball better and stop the run better..

Jason Campbell’s first start was a success.. He threw two touchdown passes and no interceptions leading the team on a scoring drive to start the second half and then a two minute offense drive that gave Washington a chance with 30 seconds to go.. Campbell said he was comfortable all day and credited his teammates for supporting him throughout the week and into the game..
The first play call was a go route to Brandon Lloyd which was dropped.. Campbell said he knew the night before that this would be the first play run and that he was throwing it no matter what the coverage but the team got man on man on Lloyd on the outside, it just didn’t connect..

Phillip Daniels said the defensive players have all the intangibles to be the group they were the last two years but players are consistently getting out of position.. He called it “head scratching” and said “When you count on players to be in a spot and then they aren’t there, you wonder what’s going on.” Shawn Springs wouldn’t elaborate on the play of the D other then to say, “We don’t have enough time to go through all of the problem but scratching the surface, we need to stop the run better, stop the pass better and tackle.” That’s everything!

Springs did have an interception, one of two Redskin takeaways, their first in 6 games.. It kept the game tied at 3 at halftime despite Tampa outgaining Washington in the first half 190-63.. On Springs’s interception, QB bruce Gradkowski was trying to change the play at the line of scrimmage but WR Joey Galloway was not paying attention to him or ignoring him to the point where Gradkowski waved his hand in a “forget it” manner then proceeded to throw the ball at Galloway anyway.. Springs jumped the route..

RB Clinton Portis did not come to Tampa with the team but was in Florida and then arrived at the game.. he was escorted through the crowd in the first half and when reaching the field did not have the proper credentials to join his teammates on the sideline.. The team rectified the situation and outfitted him so he could cross into the team only area..

The only injury reported was to safety Troy Vincent who strained his left hamstring and did not return.. S Sean Taylor missed a couple of plays after tweaking his right hamstring but returned.. WR Brandon Lloyd left the game on a couple of occasions after hits, but returned..
WR Santana Moss was a game day inactive due to his hamstring injury.. TB had three defensive starters inactive, DE Simeon Rice, DT Ellis Wyms and LB Shelton Quarles..
TB came into the game having not converted a 3rd down in the second half of any of their last 3 games..
Washington now starts a 3 game homestand with Carolina this weekend.. This crowd should be interesting..