LANDOVER -- In desperate need of quality quarterbacking, the Washington Redskins and their fans got a glimpse of what good signal-calling looks like in the team's home preseason opener last night.
Too bad for them the solid play came from Atlanta Falcons' starter, Chris Chandler, and his heir apparent, Michael Vick, who alternately ran and threw the Redskins out of FedEx Field to the tune of a 27-6 drubbing.
While Chandler and Vick were moving the Falcons up and down the field, their Washington counterparts, second-year man Todd Husak and rookie Sage Rosenfels, showed all of their inexperience, throwing a combined three interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown.
To be fair, the Redskins (0-2) looked plenty bad in other areas, especially on special teams, which had an extra-point try and a field-goal attempt blocked, and had to burn timeouts to get personnel either on or off the field in punt situations.
But the quarterback quagmire almost certainly will draw the majority of coach Marty Schottenheimer's attention in the coming week, before the Redskins play host the Cleveland Browns next Friday.
Husak, who was hurt for most of the week with a strained oblique muscle on his left side, got the start, and looked ragged in less than a quarter of action, throwing for 32 yards and an interception.
"I wasn't 100 percent, but once I got out there, I felt good," Husak said. "I missed one throw, but my reads were good, my throws were good except for that one. I'll learn from it and hopefully don't make that mistake again."
Said Schottenheimer: "I gave him the opportunity to play, because he desperately wanted to play. I'm not sure that he's 100 percent, but he's a warrior and he wanted to play. The competition is thickening, and we can't mask that right now."
Rosenfels' first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown after nine-year veteran Ray Buchanan read his audible and picked him off for a 31-yard return.
"I wanted to make a good impression right off the bat and take charge, and I really put our defense in a tough position. Our defense did a good job. They only gave up 13 points. I think I gave up 14 points," Rosenfels said.
Still, Schottenheimer was largely impressed with Rosenfels, the Redskins' fourth-round pick from Iowa State who showed impressive scrambling skills while going 16-for-30 for 133 yards.
"I was very pleased with Sage. The young man has a presence about him," Schottenheimer said. "He flicks it over here, and he flicks it over there. He's got a long way to go, but I think he did a nice job."
Rosenfels outran the heralded Vick, the first overall selection in the draft, with a 32-yard scamper on a second-and-10 play early in the third quarter and marched the Redskins on a fruitless fourth-quarter drive after most of the announced crowd of 67,211 had headed out.
Meanwhile, Vick, who led Virginia Tech to the national championship game two years ago, was sharp, if not dazzling, scrambling for 28 yards on a third-quarter play. A sizable contingent of Hokies fans cheered nearly his every play.
With Jeff George out for most of the preseason so far with tendinitis in his throwing shoulder, Schottenheimer has had to roll the dice with Husak and Rosenfels, but last night's performance only pointed out the wisdom of signing former Ravens quarterback Tony Banks, who was cut Tuesday by the Dallas Cowboys.
Both George, who threw in a pre-game workout, and Banks are likely to see extensive action next Friday against the Browns, provided George is healthy, though Schottenheimer wouldn't commit to starting Banks, if George can't go or if Husak is still ailing.
The lone bright spot for Washington's offense was the play of running back Ki-Jana Carter, who continued his comeback from a series of nearly career-ending injuries, running for 56 yards on eight carries, including the Redskins' lone touchdown, a 38-yard run in the second quarter.
Atlanta 17 7 0 3 -- 27
Washington 0 6 0 0 -- 6
First quarter Atl--FG Arians 43, 6:07. Atl--Anderson 1 run (Arians kick), 1:36. Atl--Buchanan 31 interception return (Arians kick), 1:20.
Second quarter Was--Carter 38 run (kick failed), 5:52. Atl--Anderson 5 pass from Chandler (Arians kick), :21.
Fourth quarter Atl--FG Arians 44, 12:55
A--67,211.
...........................................Atl............. Was
First downs....................17..............13
Rushes-yards.............. 30-136...... 21-123
Passing..........................175............155
Punt Returns.................2-7........... 4-7
Kickoff Returns........... 2-48......... 5-104
Interceptions Ret........ 3-42......... 1-8
Comp-Att-Int................15-27-1..... 20-36-3
Sacked-Yards Lost..... 0-0............ 2-10
Punts............................ 4-42.3....... 5-35.8
Fumbles-Lost...............1-1.............2-0
Penalties-Yards.............6-70......... 9-66
Time of Possession.... 29:58.......... 30:02
Rushing--Atlanta, Anderson 12-45, Smith 10-40, Vick 1-28, Thomas 4-12, Chandler 1-12, Christian 1-2, McLeod 1-(minus 3). Washington, Carter 8-56, Rosenfels 5-46, Davis 7-25, Watson 1-(minus 4). Passing--Atlanta, Chandler 8-15-0-108, Vick 3-7-1-22, Johnson 4-5-0-45. Washington, Husak 4-6-1-32, Rosenfels 16-30-2-133. Receiving--Atlanta, Kelly 3-26, Jefferson 2-57, Mathis 2-16, Kozlowski 1-24, Christian 1-13, Neil 1-13, Martin 1-11, Jervey 1-7, Anderson 1-5, Thomas 1-2, McLeod 1-1. Washington, Westbrook 4-44, Watson 3-31, Alexander 2-20, Carter 2-1, Thompson 1-15, Flemister 1-12, Davis 1-8, Gardner 1-8, Mercer 1-8, Spencer 1-8, Rasby 1-6, Bennett 1-3, McCants 1-1. Missed field goals--Atlanta Feely 50 (WL). Washington, Conway 47 (BK), 51 (WL).
