WP - H Bryant - For Foes, a Redskins Flaw Exposed

[RedskinRat]

For Foes, a Redskins Flaw Exposed - washingtonpost.com

Two quarters into his first game as a Washington Redskin, safety Troy Vincent is optimistic. His new team leads the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts, 14-13, and he sees an even more encouraging sign: Despite a penchant for giving up big plays this season, the Redskins have surrendered just one long pass to Peyton Manning, the most dangerous quarterback in the league.
In the locker room at halftime, Vincent tells his fellow defensive backs that they can steal this game. If they can just keep the pressure on and not allow big passing plays in the second half, they can beat the heavily favored Colts on their home field.
But with 8 minutes 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter, any hope of victory disappears. Manning, tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai line up at midfield. Clark runs a pass pattern up the middle of the field, past Redskins linebacker Khary Campbell. Safety Adam Archuleta notices and takes a fatal step in to help cover Clark. Manning catches Archuleta cheating and throws deep to the spot he has just vacated to an open Reggie Wayne running a post corner, the exact route that all season long has been open against the Redskins defense when the safety is caught too shallow.
The 51-yard touchdown play devastates Washington. By taking that single step inward toward Clark, Archuleta has sacrificed the battle to try to win the war -- and lost on both fronts. The Colts lead, 27-14, and the game is gone.
For days afterward, Redskins safeties coach Steve Jackson was sick about the play. "I can't talk about that play," Jackson said. Although he was unwilling to talk about the particulars of that play, he offered his basic philosophy on playing the position: "All I can say is that when you play safety, you play deep to short. Deep to short. Nothing over your head."