(courtesy photo)

We recently had the pleasure of chatting with one of our favorite childhood players, former Washington Capitals defenseman Al Iafrate. For those not familiar, the man was big and tough, fast as hell and had a slapshot like no other. Oh, and he had a hairstyle that rivaled Barry Melrose. So needless to say, this trip down memory lane was a fun one.

Before we get started, what are you up to these days?

“I work for Warrior Sports in their hockey division,” Iafrate said. “Warrior is a division of New Balance, and I work with some NHL hockey teams on some cheaper business products and do a little bit of sales to the pros with sticks.”

“It’s a company that was founded in the mid-90’s and overtook the lacrosse market. It’s now the biggest lacrosse company in the world. They introduced the hockey division in ’05 and they’ve also got volleyball, field hockey, soccer and others. Warrior is the newest name in your mainstream hockey companies, and it’s grown by leaps and bounds within hockey.”

How does your time with the Washington Capitals stack up against the rest of your lengthy NHL career?

“It was awesome,” he said. “Terry Murray was the coach for 95 percent of when I was there, and [Caps general manager] David Poile and [Capitals president] Dick Patrick were there the whole time I was there. My whole career was unbelievable. I guess there’s only one thing I didn’t do, which was win a Stanley Cup. And a lot of players can say that. Other than that, the individual success was great. But I never got to lift the Holy Grail, which is the only reason I wish I was still playing. I couldn’t imagine anything like it. I can only dream about it.

“Those Caps teams were some of the best teams I played on, but obviously we couldn’t get past Pittsburgh when we needed to and they went on to win two Stanley Cups,” he said. “I just feel fortunate I was born healthy and got to live out my dream for 14 or 15 years there.”

Like you said, you played on some really good Capitals teams back in the early 90’s. Fast forward to today and our nation’s capital is falling in love with hockey all over again now that Alex Ovechkin and friends are here. How’s it feel to see your old team being considered an elite franchise?

“I think it’s great,” Iafrate said. “When I was there, the Redskins were winning Super Bowl after Super Bowl. To see the Caps now, it’s a tribute to the ownership. It’s a tribute to the front office guys there who work the draft, the marketing people and everyone else. They’ve got a great infrastructure there and it translates out onto the ice where they’ve got the highest profile player in the world. They’ve got a very exciting team that is going to challenge for the Cup. I know D.C. can be a tough crowd, so it’s great that they’re the toast of the town. And they should be – they’re very exciting to watch and they have a bright future. I think it’s great, and I think it’s great for hockey.”

You were recently in town for the Capitals Convention. How was it?

“It was a lot like All-Star weekend, with the fanfests that they do,” he said. “It was a great way for the team to give something back to the fans, who could come out and meet the players and see the trophies that players fight for their whole life to try and win. There was a lot of stuff for kids to do. There was plenty of access to current players and guys from the past that everyone loves. Kids can shoot pucks. Kids can stop pucks. It was a pretty festive atmosphere. It was great.”

Your 105.2 mile per hour slapshot is what young hockey players go to bed dreaming of. How the hell were you able to shoot a puck so hard?

(Laughs). “I think it’s a combination of a lot of things,” Iafrate said. “A lot of it is having the product you shoot with dialed in. A lot of it is how fast can you skate, because you want to get a 10 or 15 foot head start into the puck, and then there’s the physics involved – how big you are, how fast you’re moving, the inertia that helps propel the puck – and just knowing how to hit the puck properly. It involves technique and years of practice.

“Everyone always wants to draw similarities between golf and hockey, but when you break it down, shooting a hockey puck and hitting a golf ball are very different,” he said. “If I’ve taken two million shots in my life, my body was never in the same exact position twice. Whether it’s the angle of the play to my skates or whatever, it’s not a static shot. You’re always moving when you hit a hockey puck.”

You’ve been retired for more than a decade. How hard do you think you can fire the puck if you stepped out onto the ice today?

“Everyone always asks me that and I’m a really humble guy,” Iafrate said. “It’s not going to sound like a humble answer, but when you’re in the 99th percentile, it’s really hard to get a good percentage gain. Whether we’re talking about sprinting, or how far you can drive a golf ball or hit a baseball or whatever, it’s hard to get much of an increase.

“I don’t really think I could say how hard I could hit it now because I don’t really play anymore, so I’m not focused on being dialed into my stick,” he said. “So I’ve never had a stick made exactly the way I want it, just for me, just for that shot. But I will say this – they’ve been holding the hardest shot contest since the early 90’s and only three guys have ever really won it consistently. Me – and I will add, I never lost to anyone. (Laughs) – Al MacInnis and Zdeno Chara.

“Chara’s won it four or five times in a row. I won it a bunch of times, and the only time Al didn’t win, was when I beat him,” Iafrate said. “If I wouldn’t have been in it, MacInnis probably would have won it 11 or 12 times.”

So if we put all three of you on the ice, who is walking away with bragging rights?

“Al MacInnis, in a game situation, had the best shot from the blue line ever,’ he said. “Hardest shot contest, if we had to do it today, Chara probably wins. And if we raced one time around the rink, I’d win. I’d be faster than both of them.”

How much fun would it be to play on a team with someone like Ovechkin?

“It’d be great,” Iafrate said. “Hockey, fundamentally, has always been a skating game. It really seems now, with the way they call the games, is tailor-made for the way I played. It’s a speed game, with a lot of puck movement and puck control. I played with a lot of great players over my career, but it’d definitely be fun to play with a guy like Ovechkin.”

Do the Caps have what it takes to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup this year?

“Time is going to tell,” he said. “At the end of the year, every team sits down and assesses what they have to do to get to the next level. The Caps lost in a tough seven game series to Pittsburgh, you know, I experienced that. Ultimately, I believe it comes down to teams that can generate an unbelievable offense from a great defense. Teams that win championships – in any sport – typically have great defenses that help generate their offense. The Caps have the makings, now it’s just a matter of putting it all together on the ice.”

(photo by Jim McIsaac)

The Washington Capitals kick off what has to be D.C.’s most anticipated professional sports season in recent memory Thursday night, when they take on the Boston Bruins in their season opener.

Why are folks so jacked up for the upcoming season? That’s easy.

The Redskins ended any hopes of a competitive season when they lost to the inept Detroit Lions 19-14 Sunday. The Nationals have lost more than 100 games for the second consecutive season and still look years away from being a competent franchise. The Wizards are heading into a season with a bunch of jump shooters who don’t play defense. So yeah, the fact that the Caps are viewed as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, is kind of a big deal.

DC Pro Sports Report recently asked local bloggers to predict how the upcoming season will play out. While we were asked to keep our answer brief for them, we decided to expound on our original answers for the benefit of our loyal readers.

1. Will the Capitals three-peat as Southeast Division Champs?

Yep.

This team is arguably the deepest the Caps have been under the guidance of coach Bruce Boudreau. Forwards Sergei Fedorov, Viktor Kozlov and Donald Brashear have been let go. Forwards Mike Knuble, Brendan Morrison and a handful of youngsters have been given the chance to earn their open roster spots.

Meanwhile, the defense is stocked with promising, young talent. Tom Poti and Brian Pothier are each 32. Everyone else is under 30 – with guys like Shaone Morrisonn (26), Milan Jurcina (26) and Mike Green (23) each having plenty of hockey left to be played.

And the goaltending situation looks solid as well, with Semyon Varlamov, Jose Theodore and even Michal Neuvirth looking like solid options in net.

2.  Do you foresee a Washington Capitals Stanley Cup appearance this season?

If they’re following the Pittsburgh Penguins script, then Year 3 ends in a Stanley Cup Finals visit. The first year the Caps just dipped their toe in the pool. Last year, they waded into the kiddie pool area. This year? They’re bouncing off the diving board into the deep end.

3. If and when will youngster Semyon Varlamov wrestle the starting goalie spot from Jose Theodore?

We’re of the mindset that the team is only calling Theodore the starter to try and get some kind of trade value for him. If they can get his big price tag off the books while bringing back something in a trade, they’d do it tomorrow. If not, they’ll roll into the season splitting time between Theodore and Varlamov.

And if they can package Theodore and disgruntled forward Michael Nylander in a trade, then George McPhee should immediately be tasked with fixing our economy.

4. Seems each year there is a surprise offensive player?  Who would you project to be that player this season for the Caps?

Watch for the continued emergence of underrated center David Steckel. It started last year in the playoffs, and will continue this season. The guys does a lot more than win faceoffs and kill penalties. He can score. He can pass. He does all of the little, unselfish things a coach loves. He might have earned his way onto the roster playing as a grinder, but Steckel can basically play any role Boudreau asks of him. Here’s hoping the team continues to find minutes for the most underrated player in that locker room.

5.  What player or type of player do you think the Caps need to make the push to win the Stanley Cup?

The Knuble signing was huge. Having Knuble, Steckel, Brooks Laich and a healthy Chris Clark gives the team several gritty players who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty. Clearly, that’s what was missing a year ago when the team thought that they could skate ‘figure eights’ around the competition in the postseason.

Knuble led the Caps with four goals in the preseason, and there’s little reason to think he won’t continue to prosper playing on a line with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom for the bulk of the season.

6.  What impact do you think 2008 first rounder John Carlson will make this season with the Caps?

Why rush the kid? Even though both of them are going to start the season in the minors, I’m expecting bigger things from Karl Alzner. He logged 30 games with Washington a year ago and has an idea of the physical and emotional toll it takes to stick at this level. Let’s give Carlson a little more time before we throw any lofty expectations at him.

(photo by Paul Sancya)

1. “Killing Me Softly” by The Fugees

The most intriguing aspect for the Washington Redskins as they headed to Detroit to face the winless Lions was simple – how would the team respond leaving the hostile-work environment known as FedEx Field in favor of Detroit?

Yes, that’s how bad things had gotten just three weeks into the 2009 season. The ‘Skins needed to pack up the car for a road trip in order to get away from the boo birds, so they headed to Motown, where a mostly apathetic Lions fanbase has seen so many losses over the last decade or so that, if they show up on gameday, it’s usually with a brown paper bag over their heads.

What happened next is already well known. The Redskins are now officially the laughingstock of the NFL, losing to Detroit 19-14. It’s the Lion’s first victory since Dec. 23, 2007, and snaps the second-longest losing streak in league history. If reserve linebacker Robert Henson didn’t like the home crowd last week, just wait until next week against Tampa Bay the first time the Redskins go three-and-out.

Sunday the Redskins lost in front of the smallest crowd in Ford Field history (less than 41,000). There’ll be twice as many people in attendance at FedEx Field next week, and it’s a safe bet they’re not going to be in a great mood. Things are about to get interesting around here.

2. “Pity and Fear” by Death Cab For Cutie

Here’s the most painful part of it all – the Lions pretty much dominated this game from start to finish. They held the ball for nearly 37 minutes. They had 381 yards of total offense. They converted 10 of 18 third downs. Led by a rookie quarterback making just his third professional start, they marched up and down the field at will – putting together four monster scoring drives against what we believed was a dominant Redskins defense.

The Lions first scoring drive went 99 yards in 12 plays. Their second scoring drive went 74 yards in 11 plays. Their third scoring drive went 86 yards in 18 plays. Their fourth and final scoring drive went 85 yards in eight plays. Meanwhile, the Redskins started the game with an 11-play drive that went 75 yards and put zero points on the board because the team couldn’t find the endzone. One team was able to impose its will Sunday. The other team was the Redskins.

3. “Moment of Clarity” by Jay-Z

This isn’t going to be very popular, but we feel it needs to be said. Mike Sellers is quite possibly the most overrated member of the Washington Redskins. Think about it. Any time someone is telling you how great Sellers is, it’s normally him talking. And honestly, every time we make it a point to watch him during a game, we come away less than impressed.

Last week he dropped a “gimme” touchdown pass that would have gone a long way towards quieting the backlash the team felt from fans after barely pulling out a victory against the woeful St. Louis Rams. This week, we watched him stand flat footed on a pass from Campbell that the defender had time to run around Sellers to defend. Had the defensive back been able to hold onto the ball, it would have been the easiest interception for a touchdown of his career – all while Sellers stood there wondering what the hell just happened.

And that’s not even the worst part. For more than a year we’ve noticed a very troubling trend. Every single time the Redskins have absolutely had to gain one yard with the game on the line, they fail. The team’s offensive line issues are well documented, but if we’re talking about going for it on fourth-and-a-foot, shouldn’t your supposed Pro Bowl fullback be able to get enough push to get your Pro Bowl running back that one yard?

We’re not even mentioning the debacle that was Sellers carrying the football in Cincinnati last year. No need to go that far back. Just last week, Sellers and the Redskins offense couldn’t get it done on fourth down as the ‘Skins tried to run out the clock, and it happened again on the first drive of the day against Detroit. Go back and watch the play again - and specifically watch Sellers. If you do, chances are you’ll come away thinking the same thing we did - if this is his best effort, it’s a good thing he already got paid.

4. “This Place is a Prison” by The Postal Service

Which brings us to running back Clinton Portis.

Where do we begin? His offensive line is old and unreliable. His fullback is more flash than substance. And when the Redskins are driving down the field with minutes left in their worst-case scenario (you know, losing to the worst team imaginable), Portis contributed as much as Tom Cruise. That’s because Portis was, for reasons unbeknownst to us, sidelined in favor of the rarely used Rock Cartwright.

Think about it – you’ve got one of the premiere backs in football at your disposal, and you opt to go with a guy trying to stave off nobodies like Marcus Mason and Anthony Alridge just for playing time. In what world does that make sense?

With time running out on the game and possibly even the competitive portion of the season, Campbell completed three consecutive passes to Cartwright, the third of which was the team’s third offensive touchdown of 2009. Meanwhile, Portis might as well have read lines with Cruise. At least then he could have felt like he was doing something to earn a paycheck.

Through three games Portis has just 47 carries for 183 yards and zero touchdowns. A year ago, Portis had 65 carries for 248 yards and three touchdowns through the first three games. In the words of Joe Theismann, “It’s not rocket surgery.” He can’t help if he doesn’t touch the football. And people wonder why, from time to time, Portis daydreams about playing for a different franchise.

5. “Never Change” by Jay-Z

There will be plenty of “Fire Jim Zorn” talk this week. There will be call for the benching/trading/deporting of Jason Campbell. Just know, those folks are either unwilling or unable to see the big picture. This issue goes deeper than a head coach or quarterback.

There is a fundamental flaw with the way the Washington Redskins choose to do business. While successful teams build through the draft while focusing primarily on the offensive and defensive lines, Vinny Cerrato and friends continue to chase the big names. Why watch film of college kids when you can scout your players on Dancin’ with the Stars?

When you play fantasy football it’s cool. When your favorite football team does it … not so much. And when your team cannot win the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball against a doormat Lions squad that had lost 19-consecutive games … well, it’s time for a little accountability.

Bringing in a new quarterback or coach isn’t going to fix the problem (unless they pull a Marty Schottenheimer and demand Cerrato pack his bags before arriving at Redskins Park). Think about the last decade of mediocrity. Coaches and quarterbacks have come and gone, but what has been the constant? Cerrato.

It’s completely acceptable for fans to be outraged right about now. They just need to make sure they focus that anger in the right direction. Last year the equally inept Matt Millen was run out of Detroit and this weekend showed us that the Lions are heading in the right direction. Let’s learn from this travesty and be honest about the state of the franchise. The glory days are long gone. You now root for a team that regularly loses to the likes of the Lions, Rams and Bengals.

Step one is admitting the Redskins have a problem. Step two is taking action.

(photo by Brian Murphy)

A year ago, there were whispers from folks around town wondering if the Washington Redskins had made a mistake drafting receiver Malcolm Kelly.

First, there was word from head coach Jim Zorn that Kelly and fellow rookie wide out Devin Thomas weren’t in great shape causing them to fail their initial conditioning tests. Then, nagging injuries sidelined Kelly and basically washed out any chance the rookie had of contributing in 2008.

What a difference a year makes. Kelly is now the team’s clear-cut second receiver and he had more catches against the St. Louis Rams last weekend than he did all last season. And for anyone who still might think he’s not totally committed to doing anything and everything he can to help the Redskins win, we present the following:

On the third play of the game, the Redskins faced third-and-nine from their own 26. Quarterback Jason Campbell threw a quick pass to Kelly, who was still several yards away from the first-down marker. As the defense closed in, Kelly remained determined to fight for every extra inch possible and went airborne in hopes of getting the first down (as shown in the photo above). He might not have made it, but dammit, that’s not the point.

He played the rest of the game with a wrist injury because of the play and still finished with four catches for 41 yards. Clearly, the kid is willing to do anything humanly possible to help the Redskins – even if it means occasionally falling short and getting dumped on his head.

Hey Malcolm, could you please step out of bounds next time? You’re an important piece to this offense and we kind of need you healthy.

“Naw, man,” he said. “I had to get the first down. That’s all that was on my mind, and I knew that most DBs don’t want to tackle a guy up top. So when I was going, I knew he was going to dive for my legs. But I guess I’ve got to work on my vertical a little bit, to go on ahead and get over him.”

What goes through your mind when your feet are above your head and you’re waiting to come crashing down?

“It happened so fast,” Kelly said. “As soon as I jumped up, I had one arm out like this because I was trying to reach out for the first down. Falling on my head or anything like that never really crossed my mind.”

This whole town is tired of settling for field goals. How close is this offense to having it all finally come together?

“I think we’re getting better and better every week, man,” he said. “Especially driving the ball – we’re driving the ball down the field. We just get real stagnant when we get down there. We just have to keep calling the plays and execute. We got down there two times and should have had scores, but we didn’t get the job done.

After a lengthy pause, Kelly continued.

“I don’t know man … I don’t know,” Kelly said. “My guess is as good as y’alls right about now, you know what I mean? We get down there and we’ve got all this momentum. We drive the ball all the way down the field and when we get down there … I don’t know, man.”

We talked with Marko Mitchell earlier and said we couldn’t figure out why the coaches aren’t trying to get guys like you and him out there to run that fade route that worked so well in the preseason. Who do we need to pull aside to make that happen?

“Hey, you gonna have to talk to Z-Man about that one,” he said. (Laughs). “I’m not going to speak on that, you gotta ask him about that. You know, he calls the plays and he feels like we’ve got to go with what he thinks, you know what I’m saying? Whatever he calls, he feels like he’s putting us in the best position to make plays. We’ve got to go with that, but right after the game, we did put it in his ear that during practice this week we’re really going to focus on that red zone. Staying after practice and things like that. We’ll get it done.”

That’s nothing new though. Pretty much since camp you’ve been sticking around and getting extra reps with the quarterbacks …

“Oh yeah,” Kelly said. “It’s all about opportunity, man. The thing is, you don’t get many opportunities – especially early on being a younger guy – so when you get those chances to make plays; you’ve got to capitalize on it. If you go out there and they give you a shot to make a play and you don’t make it, they’re going to think this guy can’t make it and go to someone else. You’ve got to make the most of it.”

(photo by Brian Murphy)

A thought occurred to us as we watched the Washington Redskins red-zone offense go missing in action this past weekend against the St. Louis Rams.

With the Redskins struggling to put points on the board, especially from close range, the question needs to be asked – will Jim Zorn and the coaching staff switch things up?

The Redskins failed to score a touchdown in five red-zone visits against the Rams, and are currently tied for 29th in the league in scoring. Jason Campbell and friends are seemingly capable of moving the ball up and down the middle of the field, but for whatever reason, look downright baffled any time they get in scoring position. Sadly, the only time Redskins players found the endzone was when they jogged through it at halftime as they headed to the locker room for their orange slices and juice boxes.

Meanwhile, there very well may be a secret weapon sitting on the sidelines waiting for his first chance to make an impact. Who? His name is Marko. Marko Mitchell.

You may remember him from such plays as “The guy who scored a touchdown pass against Pittsburgh in the preseason.” Or “The guy who caught a touchdown pass against New England in the preseason.” Or even “The guy who caught a touchdown pass in Jacksonville in the preseason.”

Sure, Mitchell picked up those touchdowns against guys who are largely collecting unemployment right about now, but that shouldn’t be held against him. You can’t pick who you play against – you can only give your best in whatever situation the coaches put you in and hope that it is enough.

Mitchell finished the preseason with 11 catches for 113 yards and three touchdowns over the final three games. And since two out of his three scores came from the red zone, shouldn’t the ‘Skins at least consider trying him out in those situations?

We caught up with Mitchell, who has been active for the first two regular season games, but has only been on the field for a total of three plays, to see how he’s feeling these days.

“I’m feeling real good right about now,” Mitchell said. “We didn’t play like we wanted to, but we still got the win in the end.”

How important was it to get things turned around after the loss in New York?

“It was definitely important,” he said. “No one in the NFL likes to lose. By us messing around and starting off 0-2, it wouldn’t have been as bad, because it’s the beginning of the season. But we really wanted to get this win up under our belt.”

The offense is really struggling to put points on the board these days and every time we saw you in the preseason, you were making plays and putting points on the board. Who do we need to talk to in order to get you onto the field to help these guys out?

(Laughs). “Well … I mean … I’m not the one calls the plays or anything like that,’ Mitchell said. “The only thing I can do is, whenever my number is called, go out and make plays.”

Are you at least doing that old trick where you stand real close to coach in hopes he’ll see you and throw you in the game more often?

(Laughs). “Of course,” he said. “I’ve got to stay around the coaches anyway, just in case something happens and it’s time for me to go in. You’ve always got to be prepared. This is a physical game and you never know what might happen.”

What should we chalk the offense’s struggles to?

“Basically, everybody knows what they’ve got to do, it’s just all about going out there and executing,” Mitchell said. “Little bitty penalties. A couple of dropped balls. Busted plays. Those are things that you can’t do. I don’t care what level you’re at – if you’re at high school or college level – those things are not good. We’ve got to take advantage of red-zone opportunities.”

What are you doing to stay sharp until they call your number?

“I can’t do nothing except stay on the sidelines and try to keep myself loose,” he said. “That’s about all I can do.”

Consider this the beginning of the Marko Movement. We are officially requesting that if the team is going to have Mitchell active on game day, the least they could do is … you know … actually use him.

A year ago the Redskins gave a seventh-round safety by the name of Chris Horton a chance, and he’s become a staple of the defense. Why not roll the dice one more time and see if this seventh-round receiver can do the same for the offense?

(photo by Brian Murphy)

Okay, we admit there wasn’t a lot to love in the Washington Redskins’ 9-7 victory over the St. Louis Rams Sunday. The head coach’s playcalling abilities have been brought into question after another less-than-stellar outing, the offense sputtered any time they were in a position to actually put points on the board and the defense continued to let their opponent convert too many third downs.

But all is not lost.

First of all, the Redskins did not play their best game, and yet, still came away with a win. In a league where victories are hard to come by, that is always huge. And the second takeaway was the inspired play of safety Chris “The Predator” Horton, who provided the game’s two biggest highlights when the outcome was still very much in the balance.

With St. Louis in a position to retake the lead in the fourth quarter on third-and-goal from the nine, the talented safety delivered a monster hit on Rams wide out Donnie Avery that jarred the ball loose, and cornerback Carlos Rogers recovered the fumble.

Horton’s second highlight came on the Rams’ final offensive play of the day. On fourth-and-10, Marc Bulger threw a pass deep down the right sideline to Avery, which Horton defended beautifully to end the game. The play was eerily reminiscent of the 43-yard bomb Bulger completed to Avery a year ago which enabled St. Louis to kick the game-winning field goal – giving the Rams one of their two wins in 2008 while providing the Redskins with a stomach-punch loss to an inferior opponent.

So naturally, we caught up with Horton after the game to talk about his memorable performance and the team’s first win of 2009.

The game was getting scary there towards the end and you guys definitely needed someone to step up and make a play. Go ahead and walk us through your big forced fumble.

“I think we might have been in man coverage and my job is to read the quarterback,” Horton said. “Once he threw it, I just ran over there and it’s just one of those things – I got the ball out, but it wasn’t because I did anything special. I wasn’t trying to cause a fumble or anything. I just read the play and ran to the ball. I feel like every time I do that, something positive always happens.”

These early-season home games have become your calling card. A year ago you burst onto the scene with your monster game against New Orleans and you did it again against the Rams. What’s really going on?

“I just try and come out the gate and make plays,” he said. “One thing I’m really trying to focus on though is later in the year last year I kind of hit a wall. Everything got overwhelming and I started to feel really sore and beat up because it was my first NFL season. This year, I’m learning how to take care of my body more. It’s one of those things – I want to start fast and try to continue it throughout the entire season.”

There was some serious déjà vu on the fourth-and-10 play, where Bulger aired it out for Avery. A year ago they connected on that play, but this time around you made the play to seal the win. What did you see on that play?

“Basically, we were in Cover 2, but it turns into man-to-man once he gets that far down the field,” Horton said. “I was just thinking, ‘Keep running and don’t let this guy catch the ball.’ I knew I had a lot of guys counting on me, and I happened to make the play.”

We double checked the standings and the NFL doesn’t keep track of ugly wins versus pretty wins. How big was it for you guys to pick up this victory?

“Very big, very big,” he said. “A win is a win, you know. It doesn’t matter how many points you win by. If they gave out half points and we could win by half points, we’d still take the W.”

While Horton preferred to downplay things believing he was just doing his job, his teammates definitely took notice that when the game was on the line, “The Predator” was there to finish the job.

“It was huge,” said linebacker Brian Orakpo of Horton’s forced fumble. “Because if they converted on that play, who knows what happens. They could keep driving and score a touchdown or fieldgoal, and the game is lost. Horton made a huge play on the ball and we thank him for that and for getting us off the field.

“He’s a hard-nosed, hard-hitting safety who plays very smart and is just a guy who is all over the field,” Orakpo continued. “I really try to learn him.”

So, even though there is still plenty of work still to be done on the 2009 Washington Redskins, because of the play of guys like Chris Horton, the team was able to sneak away with a victory. And if Horton’s play inspired a guy like Orakpo to find ways to improve his game, well, then some good came out of Week 2 after all. With all of the negativity out there this week, it’s nice to have at least one positive to focus on.

(photo by Brian Murphy)

1. “Respect This Hustle” by T.I.

One week ago, for reasons that remain unclear, the Washington Redskins coaching staff saw fit to replace safety Chris “The Predator” Horton in the lineup against the New York Giants. No explanation was given, and honestly, no one really made an issue out of it – even though, in his limited playing time, Horton still racked up nine tackles (second best on the team, behind only middle linebacker London Fletcher’s 18 tackles). They felt more comfortable using other players and Horton was left stranded on the sidelines for much of the second half of the 23-17 loss.

Fast forward to the home opener against the St. Louis Rams. Horton may be a quiet guy, but he’s got a lot of pride, and those who know him were fairly confident he’d make a statement with his play. Boy did he ever. On a day when points were at a premium, Horton made two big-time plays in the fourth quarter to ensure the ‘Skins earned their first win of the season, 9-7 over the St. Louis Rams.

Horton’s first game-saving play came on the Rams’ first drive of the fourth quarter. On third-and-goal, the talented safety forced a fumble in the red zone, which Carlos Rogers recovered. The second play, which came after the Redskins offense stalled yet again, sealed the win for the burgundy and gold.

On fourth-and-10, Rams quarterback Marc Bulger threw a pass deep down the right sideline to wide out Donnie Avery, which Horton defended beautifully to preserve the win. The play was eerily reminiscent of the 43-yard pass Bulger to Avery a year ago that enabled the Rams to kick a crushing fieldgoal in one of the low points of the 2008 season. The take-home message – Horton is better than Leigh Torrence. And more importantly, the Redskins are better with Horton on the field.

2. “Never There” by Cake

At times, the Redskins offense looked like the real deal – moving the ball up and down the field with quick passes up the middle and well-timed running plays. They had the ball for just under 35 minutes, which was 11 minutes more time of possession than in Week 1, and finished the day with 362 yards of total offense.

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the offense was simply incapable of scoring in the red zone. The official stat sheet says they went 0 for 5 on the day. The offensive line and fullback Mike Sellers got no push on running plays, meaning running back Clinton Portis was seemingly fighting for his life every time he got the ball in the red zone. The passing game was plagued by dropped passes and inconsistent play.

When Portis threw a red-zone pass intended for tight end Chris Cooley, it reeked of desperation. When coach Jim Zorn elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the two yard line with two minutes to play, the Redskins actually lost yards on the play. Had the Redskins defense not been up to the challenge, we’d be sitting here discussing an inexcusable home loss to a previously winless Rams team for the second straight year.

3. “I Alone” by Live

Last week punter Hunter Smith provided the bulk of the team’s scoring on a well-designed fake fieldgoal run just before halftime. This week, it was all kicker Shaun Suisham. Typically the only time kickers receive attention is when they screw up (does the phrase “wide right” mean anything to the good people of Buffalo?) So for that reason, we wanted to formally recognize Suisham for ensuring the Redskins weren’t shut out against a doormat opponent like the Rams.

4. “A Good Idea At The Time” by OK Go

The Redskins front office, for reasons that will never be explained, opted to go into the 2009 season with an old and fragile offensive line. Tackle Chris Samuels was coming off of a season-ending injury and guard Randy Thomas has seemingly been injured for most of the time he’s been on the Redskins’ payroll. But instead of investing a draft pick or two on what is universally thought to be the team’s biggest weakness, the team decided to roll the dice hoping the return of guard Derrick Dockery in place of Pete Kendall would be enough to help the team get by.

But let’s turn our attention back to Thomas. He missed most of the 2007 season with a left triceps injury. He played all 16 games in 2008, but did so with a herniated disk in his neck which required off-season surgery to repair. And now, it looks as though he’s done for the year with a right triceps injury. Whether it’s bad luck, old age or a combination of the two, Thomas is now back to wearing a baseball cap and sweatpants on gameday. And the team is now left scrambling to find a replacement via free agency or trade unless Chad Rinehart shocks the world and proves he’s actually ready to become an NFL player.

5. “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” by Kanye West

Kayne West has done a lot of ignorant things during his career, but it’s safe to say his recent stunt at MTV’s VMAs takes the cake. Storming onto the stage in a drunken stupor during what should have been a highlight of a 19-year-old girl’s life is inexcusable. In related news, several “fans” of the Washington Redskins saw fit to boo their own team during the final moments of the game Sunday afternoon – which is fine … until you remember that the Redskins won the game.

Look, we fully appreciate that every team in every sport goes through the charade of saying “We have the best fans in the world,” and it’s almost always bullshit. Redskins fans have heard it for so long, that many actually believe it – evenly though their “sold out” stadium has large sections that are regularly vacant on gameday. Or the fact that a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers can roll into town and pretty much take over FedEx Field for the evening. Or the fact that they think the wave is socially acceptable. They’ve heard it for so long, it must be true.

A year ago, there was such a large contingency of clueless ‘Skins fans that the team had to create a video package – complete with “Shhhhh”-ing sound effects – instructing the mouth breathers in attendance to shut up when the team’s offense has the ball. So really, yesterday’s events aren’t out of character for the vocal minority. But that doesn’t make it right when fans boo and throw debris onto the field as the home team is jogging off the field after winning the game.

Let us be perfectly clear on this – there is never a reason for fans to boo their team after a win. When you hear stories of this type of behavior, it’s almost always about the Philly faithful. But at least they’re consistent. As far as we’re concerned, the actions of the portion of the Redskins fanbase who saw fit to boo and throw stuff at players was just as classless as Kanye West. President Obama might even call them jackasses.

[Editor's note: Redskins blogger Matt Terl shares a reader-submitted image that goes nicely with our recap.]