Redskins.com recaps Saturday night's 17-10 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens at FedExField:
First Impressions:
#### Revealing Moment:
On Mark Brunell's first pass attempt of the game, he was quickly pressured by blitzing linebacker Terrell Suggs. Brunell threw the pass away, at the feet of Ladell Betts a few yards away. It was the first indicator that this Redskins offense was not ready for prime time. Of course, we could see an entirely different offense come Sept. 11. Will they be ready? Really, they have no choice.
Redskins Play of the Game:
#### Redskins Player of the Game:
Close call between a pair of young wide receivers battling for a roster spot. It's Mike Espy who gets the nod over Steven Harris. Espy, a rookie, led the offense in receptions with four catches for 24 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown catch late in the game. It's the second time this preseason that Espy led the offense in catches.
Redskins Unsung Hero:
#### What Went Right:
-- The Redskins passing offense in the second half, led by Todd Collins, finally got going with backup receivers in Mike Espy, Steven Harris and Richard Smith. Collins passed for 201 yards in two quarters of action and e guided the Redskins to two of their three preseason touchdowns.
-- Which players may have made a case to stick around on the roster or practice squad? Mike Espy has had a strong preseason, as has Kedric Golston. Steven Harris caught a 54-yard pass and led the offense with a team-high 68 receiving yards. Did they do enough to win a roster spot? Espy and Harris would have to beat out James Thrash for the last wide receiver spot, a tall order for the undrafted rookie. Golston was competing against fellow rookie Anthony Montgomery and third-year player Ryan Boschetti for the fourth or fifth defensive tackle spot.
-- John Hall connected on a 30-yard field goal.
-- Derrick Frost was "pounding it" in Thursday's game, Joe Gibbs said in his post-game press conference. Frost appears to have won the punting job, but he knows he hasn't exactly solidified the job. In the game, he had six punts for a 47.2-yard average, but his first punt was a 42-yarder that bounced into the end zone for a touchback.
What Went Wrong:
#### What's Next:
By 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, the Redskins must reduce their roster to 53. It promises to be a tough day for some veterans and roster hopefuls on the bubble. Most of the players who saw action in the second, third and fourth quarter on Thursday could be sweating it out this weekend. On Sunday, the Redskins can name an eight-member practice squad.
Stats Geek:
#### Quote:
"First and for most, these games don't count. Things really kick off September 11. It has been a grueling training camp. The point of emphasis now is to make sure guys are on the same page and minor injuries are healed so that we can have FedExField field rocking." -- Joe Salave'a
Lasting Impressions:
It seems there is a degree of pressure on the Redskins' coaches and players to come out with a solid performance against the Vikings. Coaches have emphasized that they have not done much game-planning this preseason and that they are evaluating players in game-like situations. In any event, preseason is over and now the games count.
