ASHBURN — Both plays stood out, just not the way DeAngelo Hall wanted. Or anyone else with the Redskins for that matter. One was a mistake that looked bad; the other was not the example the Redskins want from a captain.
And both plays led to New England touchdowns, a crucial factor in Washington’s 34-27 loss Sunday.
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Perhaps one reason the Redskins are 4-9 this season — and 9-12 in games decided by eight points or less in the past two years — is their penchant for making bad plays that leave them in too deep of a hole. New England also had two personal fouls Sunday, but because the Patriots have quarterback Tom Brady they can recover. The Redskins don’t have Brady, so they don’t recover.
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| Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said the officials made the right call on receiver Santana Moss late in the game Sunday. Officials flagged Moss for pass interference, saying he pushed off defensive back Julian Edelman. It nullified a last-minute touchdown by Moss in the 34-27 loss to New England. “I agree with the call,” Shanahan said. “You can’t extend your arms. I’m not sure how many times they are going to call offensive pass interference, but anytime there is an extension of the arms, it’s a proper call.” |
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| Right tackle Jammal Brown still had a sore groin Monday after reinjuring it in pregame warmups. If he can’t play Sunday at the New York Giants, then Tyler Polumbus would replace him, Shanahan said. Polumbus played the entire game vs. the Patriots. Also, Shanahan said the Redskins will rotate Sean Locklear and Willie Smith at left tackle in practice this week and then decide who will start. They rotated early Sunday vs. the Patriots, but Smith then played the rest of the game. |
The second mistake is tougher to excuse than the first. Hall was flagged for a defensive holding, then picked up the flag and tossed it. He later said he regretted doing so but also said, “Your emotions get to running real high. I felt like it was a terrible call.”
But he’s also a captain, which carries more responsibility. The penalties were his third and fourth this season. The other two were a face-mask penalty vs. Dallas and an unnecessary roughness vs. St. Louis.
Hall isn’t the only captain who has lost his poise. Before left tackle Trent Williams was suspended for testing positive for drugs, he was penalized for unnecessary roughness and a personal foul and was occasionally engaged in shouting or shoving matches, as was Hall.
“When guys are in a leadership role, you understand that you have to keep your cool, regardless if you like a call or don’t like a call,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. “That’s your job to handle yourself in a professional manner, more importantly to not put your team in a hole by getting a 15-yard penalty. So those are things that I’ve talked about with our football team. If you make too many of those mistakes, eventually you’re not with us.”
Shanahan said he expects captains — who are voted on by teammates — to behave a certain way. He wants them not only to play to a certain standard but to conduct themselves that way as well. That’s not just Hall, who was coming off a strong game vs. the Jets, but every captain.
“Just because somebody throws a flag, it doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy,” Shanahan said. “It means you have to keep your poise and can’t give your team a 15-yard penalty. There’s nothing more important than your team. You have to put your team first.”
Hall’s other mistake occurred in the first quarter when Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski turned a short gain into a 49-yard catch. Redskins defensive backs Reed Doughty and DeJon Gomes were trying to tackle him near the sidelines as Hall ran up. But Hall then stopped and watched the play. He later said, “I thought he stepped out.”
But Gronkowski kept going and broke the tackles, setting up his own touchdown reception a play later.
“I was disappointed because one of the things DeAngelo usually does is finish,” Shanahan said. “A lot of corners don’t like to tackle. He’s one of the more physical guys in the league. I know he was embarrassed by it as well as our whole team. You’ve got to finish, especially when someone is inbounds. Those things like that do happen.”
His teammates weren’t focused on Hall’s miss.
“I’m more worried how I’m tackling,” Doughty said. “Had I made the tackle, they wouldn’t have had 30 extra yards.”
