The 2006 Washington Redskins returned to Texas Stadium for Game 2 and picked up where they left off with 7 minutes left in Game 2 of 2005. For most of that game, the Redskins offense was stuck in the mud, able to generate few first downs while Dallas did just enough against our defense to pull away. Around that seven minute mark, something magical happened in 2005. The offense summoned up enough daring, focus, and confidence to go with their physical talent to go on the attack. The tables turned, the Skins walked away with a comeback victory, and that confidence carried the team the rest of the season and into the playoffs.

Quarterback: B - Brunell played an efficient game, not taking any chances with the ball, avoiding sacks, and scrambling when necessary. Unfortunately, it was necessary too often. He seemed to be throwing on the run or with someone in his face much of the night. He was also stuck with the plays that were called, which seemed to emphasize screens and swings over downfield strikes. Still, when given time and a view of the field, he hit Moss and Randle-El on several deep passes, and his final drive sideline passes almost sent the game into OT.

The article in Washingtonpost.com's Redskins section today (Saunders: Critics are Missing the Point) cites Al Saunders stating what many of us have suspected watching the preseason: The Redskins offense has kept it's cards firmly on the table.

There's no argument that the scoreboard results for the Washington Redskins this preseason have been dismal. There's also a long-standing and well-supported NFL conventional wisdom that says the preseason just doesn't matter. It's what you do with the games, not whether you win them. So where does the truth lie for the 2006 Redskins?

Redskins fans looking forward to a continuation of 2005's positive ending were treated instead to a devastating injury and sloppy play from reserves, and the team muddled to a 19-3 loss to the Bengals. All in all, this was a dismal start to the 2006 campaign. The starting offense was barely on the field long enough to get a feel for it, and Saunders looked like he used no motion, only a series of different formations. The starting defense appeared to be in mid-season form, but there will be some big questions about depth in the secondary. Quarterback play in general will come surging back as a huge concern if all three continue to turn in similar performances. Worst of all, an early injury has struck right at the heart of the team. Hopefully the news out of Ashburn about Portis' recovery will turn positive over the next month and we can file this game away as a bad memory by opening day.

It sounds like its been a pretty routine first week of camp for the Washington Redskins. Portis seems to have re-emerged as the unquestioned centerpiece of the team, with repeated reports of big plays in practice and also repeated accounts of his cheerleading of both the offense and defense. The good news is there don't seem to be any siginificant injuries yet from either practice or the Saturday scrimage. Gibbs seems to have stuck to his word that Collins and Campbell will be splitting time as primary backup, and results sound mixed for both.

I was stunned to hear that we almost lost one of the Redskins icons from the 80s last week.

Manley has been kind of lost as a Redskins icon for some time after admitting his illiteracy and serving jail time for a cocaine addiction. But to anyone who can remember being a fan during the mid 80s, he was one of the big faces of the team along with the more revered Theismann, Riggins, and D Green. He had an infectious smile and seemed to love being a Redskin above all else. His big plays in the 1982 Championship against Dallas did as much as Riggins' runs to propel us to our first Super Bowl.

I made the first summer sighting of the Lindy's NFL Preview at a newsstand today. Didn't pick one up yet, but flipped through the NFC East section. Should I be surprised we were picked to finish 4th? They cited an unsettled QB position, new WRs, and a new offensive coordinator.

We're into one of the quieter months for football in general, but there are a few rumblings worth commenting on:

The 2006 schedule is up and accessible from the main menu to the left.

At first glance, it looks like the division games are spread throughout the season, unlike last year where there was a big division run at the end of the campaign. We play four out of six division games before Thanksgiving. Too slow of a start could dig us a tough division hole.