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Almost flawless Redskins pour it on, trounce Giants 50-21
Posted: Sunday September 19, 1999 07:25 PM
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The Washington Redskins didn't blow a 21-point lead this week. They just poured it on and scored the most points against the New York Giants in 33 years. "Offensively, we were almost flawless," quarterback Brad Johnson said after the Redskins (1-1) produced 395 yards in total offense, while neither turning the ball over nor yielding a sack in a 50-21 victory Sunday. Stephen Davis ran for touchdowns on Washington's first three possessions, and Johnson threw three touchdown passes as the Redskins had their biggest offensive explosion since their 1991 Super Bowl season. The points were the most for the Redskins since a 56-17 victory over Atlanta and the most against the Giants (1-1) since a 72-41 loss at Washington in 1966. It was also the most points given up at home by New York since a 52-21 loss to Cleveland in 1964. "Defensively, we just got pushed across the field like rag dolls," Giants cornerback Phillippi Sparks said. "We were just terrible out there. This is just a very, very humbling situation." "I can deal with a loss, but to get beat by 29 points and give up 50. We just couldn't do anything right," Giants safety Sam Garnes added. The win could not have come at a better time for Redskins coach Norv Turner. He came into the season on the hot seat after failing to get the team to the playoffs in five years, and his job seemed in question after Washington blew a 21-point lead in losing the season opener 41-35 to Dallas in overtime. "We had a taste in our mouths that nobody likes after a loss, especially after losing to rival in that fashion," Redskins rookie offensive tackle Jon Jansen said. "We wanted to go out and prove something, and I think we did. That game last week will stay with us for a while." Washington never stopped lighting up the scoreboard in this one while playing against a Giants defense that last week scored two touchdowns and forced five turnovers in a 17-13 win over Tampa Bay. Davis scored on runs of 1, 1 and 19 yards, while Johnson threw touchdown passes of 1 and 27 yards to tight end Stephen Alexander and 15 to Michael Westbrook. Linebacker Shawn Barber scored on a 70-yard interception in the second quarter, a play that may have broken the Giants' backs, trailing 21-7 at the time. "If you score the kinds of points we're scoring, then you have to say you're surprised," Turner said. "But throughout training camp there was no doubt in my mind the parts were there." Charles Way scored on a 7-yard run, LeShon Johnson scored on an 11-yard run and Kent Graham threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Ike Hilliard to account for the Giants' scoring. Johnson, who finished 20 of 28 for 230 yards, hit his first eight passes in leading the Redskins on scoring drives of 68, 88 and 54 yards. He was 5-for-5 on the first drive for 67 yards. The second drive featured a 20-yard pass to Alexander and a 35-yard pass interference call against Jeremy Lincoln, one of two calls against him that set up Redskins' scores. A 15-yard roughing-the-passer call against Michael Strahan helped set up Davis' third TD run, a 19-yard run in which he bounced off the center of the line and then turned the corner and scored as the Giants' defense seemed to stop, thinking the play was over. Davis finished with 126 yards on 23 yards, his second 100-yard game this season New York tried to pull a Dallas-type comeback, closing the gap to 21-7 on Way's TD and then moving to the Washington 25. On a second-and-7, Graham attempted to throw a screen pass, but Barber picked it off and scored untouched. It was one of four turnovers on a day Washington did not cough up the ball. Washington put the gave away with three straight scores bridging the end of the second quarter and the start of the third. Johnson hit Alexander on a 1-yard TD after another Lincoln interference call gave the Redskins a first and goal. Brett Conway added a 48-yard field goal early in the third quarter, and Westbrook scored to make it 43-14 on the next series. NOTES: Despite the lopsided score, the Redskins only outgained the Giants by 22 yards -- 395-373. ... Johnson was poked in eye late in the second quarter, but he didn't miss a series. Rodney Peete warmed up just in case. ... Graham had thrown 131 passes without interception before Barber's TD return. ... Giants DE Cedric Jones sprained a knee. It will be evaluated Monday. ... The Giants are 3-of-24 on third-down conversions in the first two weeks of the season. ... Hilliard led the Giants with eight catches for 114 yards. ... Teammate Amani Toomer had five catches for 105 yards. ... Graham finished 20-of-31 for 268 yards and an interception. ... Kerry Collins saw his first regular-season action for New York, completing 3 of 7 for 44 yards and an interception.
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