Last Updated on September 22, 2010 4:48 pm by Anthony Rome
Redskins vs. Rams Preview
St. Louis, MO – The Washington Redskins are hoping to get their NFL-worst rushing attack untracked. It could happen Sunday against a St. Louis Rams defense that has had problems stopping the run.
The Redskins head to St. Louis for their first road game of 2010 looking for Clinton Portis to break out after two sub-par outings.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Redskins 3.5-point spread favorites for Sunday’s game against the Rams. Current NFL Public Betting Information shows that 88% of more than the 5,555 bets for this game have been placed on the Redskins –3.5.
Washington (1-1) has totaled a league-low 107 yards on the ground, with Portis accounting for 96. The inability to run the ball was a factor in a blown 10-point fourth-quarter lead in a 30-27 overtime loss to Houston last Sunday.
“It doesn’t happen overnight,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “I like the direction we’re headed. We had some great effort. Our running game wasn’t there, but it didn’t have to be.”
Donovan McNabb threw for 426 yards and went 28 of 38. Portis did not have a reception and carried 13 times for 33 yards.
“Right now as an offense we are throwing the ball around, so you just have to be patient,” said Portis, who ran for more than 1,500 yards in his first two years with Shanahan in Denver from 2002-03. “When we do get a chance, we have to be consistent.”
St. Louis (0-2) has allowed 280 yards rushing – third most in the league. The Rams gave up 145 yards to Darren McFadden in a 16-14 loss at Oakland last Sunday, and that contributed to the Raiders holding the ball for nearly 37 minutes.
Oakland put together second-half scoring drives of 59, 83 and 67 yards.
“I think we have just got to come up with some plays in the second half,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “They made some, we didn’t make some.”
The Redskins may be without rookie left tackle Trent Williams, who injured his left knee last week. An MRI exam showed no structural damage, but Stephon Heyer will step in if the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft is unavailable.
“I have a lot of confidence in Steph,” Shanahan said. “If Trent can’t play, he’ll go in there and hopefully do a good job.”
The matchup on the other side of the ball features two struggling units. Washington has allowed a league-worst 453.0 yards per game while St. Louis has the second-worst offense in the NFC at 267.5 yards a contest.
Rookie Sam Bradford – whose blind side was protected by Williams at Oklahoma last year – is clearly still adjusting to the NFL. Bradford has four touchdowns, five interceptions and a 57.5 completion percentage through two games.
“We need to drive the ball better,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “That’s a combination of a lot of things.”
Washington has installed a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, who went 2-10 as interim coach for St. Louis in 2008. It’s a system that has upset defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who was inactive last week, but Shanahan still has faith in it.
“You’re going to give up big plays in any defense when you’re just kind of getting started,” Shanahan said. “It’s a learning curve. We’ve just got to keep getting better.”
Safety LaRon Landry leads the league with 28 tackles and linebacker Rocky McIntosh is third with 24, but that may be a reflection of Washington’s defense spending too much time on the field.
Cornerback DeAngelo Hall met with the coaching staff to explain his comments after last week’s loss. Hall had declared that he would cover the opposing team’s top receiver every week – no matter what the coaches say.
“You want guys that believe in themselves and guys that know they can get the job done,” Shanahan said.
These teams met each of the last two seasons in Washington. The Rams won 19-17 two years ago in Haslett’s first game as interim coach, and the Redskins won 9-7 last year.
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