Sunday's 3rd quarter? Not too shabby

Washington lost its fourth straight game Sunday in Atlanta dropping to 2-6 halfway into the season. Ironically, that's the same record they finished with last season.

Even so, the Redskins, if only for 15 minutes Sunday, finally played like the team many expected to see take the field in early September. The team that finally had a full season of experience in Zorn's west coast offense. The team who spent over $140 million in free agency to significantly upgrade its underachieving roster. The team that was finally expected to show off its young talent at wideout, linebacker, and corner. Yada yada yada.

But the Redskins finally looked the part, at least for a quarter:

• Total plays: Atlanta-3, Washington-22
• Total yards: Atlanta-9, Washington-134
• Campbell: 9 for 13, 102 yards passing, 26 yards rushing, 1 touchdown
• Betts and Cartwright: 17 carries, 72 yards, 1 touchdown
• Time of possession: Atlanta-2:15, Washington-12:45

It seemed as if the Redskins haven't scored 17+ points in a decade. On Sunday, they scored 14 in a quarter.

I'm not saying these are the real Redskins when they play the way they're supposed to because they're not. They're simply overpaid and underachieving. The inspired team that took the field after halftime Sunday is simply the Redskins when they play their best - something no owner, GM, or coach has been able to consistently galvanize since Gibbs's first go-round. The Z-man seemed no different.

But something must have snapped in Zorn's head, whether it was one play or the weight of the entire season, because several players interviewed after the game claimed the lambasted head coach "went off" at halftime.

Good. What took so long?

Every time the camera showed Zorn with his play sheet on the sideline following another missed opportunity, he outwardly resembled a 90-year-old just handed an iPhone. Confused. Flummoxed. Downright stupid. It's not composure, he just seemed to have no idea where to begin to fix it all.

But whatever he conjured up on the walk back to the locker room at halftime finally got through to the players. And they finally responded. The oft-criticized Oline showed no trace of the ineffectiveness they've displayed all season. They kept Campbell upright, opened up holes for Betts and Cartwright, and stayed off the referee's laundry list, excluding a forgivable hold on Mike Williams.

The defense held steady forcing the Atlanta offense to go 3 and out on their only possession of the quarter. Lionized free safety LaRon Landry even made the crucial 3rd down stop, a play Redskins fans hoped the 6th overall pick would make more consistently at this point in his career rather than his usual careless and out of control attempt at tackling.

It is said that one learns most from failure rather than success. Despite the losses, the miscues, the inconsistency, the lack of offensive production, and the shameful (lack of) character from alleged "team leaders," some coaches and players are still fighting and, consequently, proving their worth to this team.

3 conclusions made from Sunday's game

Some thought the outcome of week 9 would most accurately define the Washington Redskins and provide a realistic glimpse of what to expect from a team that has appallingly failed to meet expectations. Down 24-3 at halftime, having allowed 5 sacks, and having witnessed their starting RB knocked out with a head injury, the Redskins conceivably seemed to mirror the infamous "deer in headlights" look.

This season alone, Washington has trailed at halftime 7-17, 6-7, 0-13, 0-10, 0-3, and 10-27. They've trailed in every game so far with the exception of the Carolina game in which they surrendered a 10-2 lead. For fans, it has reached that painful point when constant incompetence fails to surprise anymore. Desensitization.

That's why fans merely rolled their eyes when Washington went sack 3-and-out on their first possession following Atlanta's penalty-aided 74-yard opening scoring drive. That's why fans merely shook their head when Fred Davis let an easy catch slip through his hands and into Tye Hill's for a 62-yard INT return touchdown. And that's why fans merely closed their eyes each of the 5 times Campbell was drilled to the ground barely able to continue playing.

That was merely the first half and those were merely the Redskins fans have become accustomed to watching.

But the second half proved different. The second half validated 3 noteworthy things that affect not only the rest of the 2009 season, but also the future of this franchise.

#1 Four weeks ago change was suggested. Now change is mandatory and players have proved themselves expendable.

Clinton Portis, age 28, has failed to return to his early 2008 form when he led the NFL in rushing. Seemingly, he is never 100% and has proven incapable of turning the corner, breaking the tackle, or making the move needed for a big play. After he went down with a head injury, Betts and Cartwright not only adequately filled in but actually proved more effective than Portis. Portis is 15th in the NFL in rushing yards, 27th in YPC and 45th in TDs. Expendable.

Santana Moss, age 30 and alleged top WR for the Redskins, dropped 3 crucial passes in Sunday's game. He dropped a sure TD against the Eagles. He has 33 catches on the season, 2 TDs, and it's time his questionable hands gave way to younger WRs such as Marko Mitchell who impressed in his first action of the year. Excluding his punt return ability, expendable.

Lastly, and most overrated, is DeAngelo Hall. $40 million dollars? That money would have been better used if Snyder just refunded all the neglected season ticket holders. Hall can't cover. Hall can't tackle. And Hall can't keep his mouth shut even when trailing 21-3. The Redskins defense surely upgraded when they added Haynesworth and Orakpo, but they visibly downgraded when they attempted to replace Shawn Springs with Hall. Expendable, with talent and team chemistry considered.

#2 LaRon Landry wasn't worth the 6th overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft. Especially considering players such as Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, and Darrelle Revis were drafted immediately after.

Don't be fooled by his Pro-Bowl-alternate selections, those were based purely on hype. The 3rd-year combine standout has failed to live up to expectations and comparisons to the late, great Sean Taylor. On Sunday it was unmistakable. On three separate occasions he failed to tackle the Atlanta running back resulting in 2 TDs. On another play he foolishly speared Matt Ryan out of bounds drawing a 15-yard unnecessary roughness flag and sparking a sideline brawl. And following his only respectable play of the game, down 24-10 in the 3rd quarter, he posed by himself after stopping Aaron Stecker on 3rd down.

Whether it's because he was forced to change positions following Taylor's murder or it's merely the unwarranted comparisons to the late defensive star, Landry is playing scared, stupid, and substandard. Expendable.

#3 Some of the Redskin players still genuinely give a damn.

Backstabbed in the offseason (twice, Cutler and Sanchez), benched in week 6, and scapegoated by nearly every fan and critic, Jason Campbell has seen every side of disloyalty and faithlessness imaginable. He's the 3rd-most sacked QB in the league, 11 in the past 2 games, yet he never complains. He never points the finger at another teammate nor does he ever badmouth a coach. And on Sunday he never quit despite the 5 sacks and 8+ hits he took on just 22 drop backs (that means he was hit over 50% of all pass plays).

Jason Campbell exemplifies how a Redskin player should handle himself after all that has occurred this disappointing season. If he can play, he will. He'll give 110 % and he'll never thrown in the towel.

As Redskins fans begin to consider quitting on their once-proud team, they should be appreciative and take note that at least some players haven't quit on them.