Redskins 20, Broncos 17
Denver Broncos running back Quentin Griffin (22) tries to break free from Washington Redskins linebacker Kevin Mitchell in the first quarter during the Pro Football Hall of Fame game at Fawcett Stadium Monday, Aug. 9, 2004, in Canton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
AP Football Writer
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Joe Gibbs already has a bust in the Hall of Fame. He's already mastered the art of coaching in pro football.
So what did Gibbs think of his return to the NFL after leading the Washington Redskins to a 20-17 victory over Denver on Monday night in the Hall of Fame game?
”It's a learning process, and that's the best thing about it,” Gibbs said. ”It's a little different to be back in the heat of battle, like taking a mental test. You really struggle when you can't get things going.”
Both teams struggled, but the third-stringers performed well enough in the fourth quarter to carry matters to the final gun. That's when backup kicker Ola Kimrin hit a 39-yard field goal for the win.
Gibbs had to get used to such things as using a transmitter to send plays to the quarterback, and instant replay challenges. He had to get back into the mind-set of making critical decisions. He wasn't sitting on pit road watching his NASCAR drivers.
Instead, Gibbs was calling plays and making substitutions and adjustments.
”It's pressure-packed,” he admitted. ”A lot has changed, and it's a big learning curve for me. Hopefully, we're going hard at it.
”We were kind of nervous and uptight. It meant a lot to us, probably more than to Denver. It's a tough deal over there, but it was fun being back.”
Even if the game was anything but a masterpiece.
And it had a big negative aspect for Washington, which lost starting right tackle Jon Jansen for the season with a torn left Achilles' tendon.
”I've never missed a practice or a game,” said Jansen, supporting himself on crutches in the locker room. ”It's disappointing, especially with a new coaching staff and we have a lot of expectations and excitement.”
So do the Broncos, but their highlight this weekend came Sunday, when John Elway was inducted into the Hall. Elway and fellow inductees Barry Sanders, Carl Eller and Bob Brown saw a typically sloppy opening exhibition game played mainly with backups.
Many Broncos fans who filled Fawcett Stadium for the ceremony Sunday were back in their No. 7 jerseys and they saluted their hero with loud cheers when he was introduced before the game and at halftime. But there were no Hall of Fame quality performances on the field, only the usual collection of errors for an opening exhibition game. Penalties galore, fumbles, interceptions, drops and poor timing slowed matters to a crawl.
”It's the first exhibition game, but it still bothers me,” said receiver Rod Smith, one of Denver's veteran leaders. ”I don't like losing, anytime, anywhere. We have to go home and get on track.
”All those mistakes, all those penalties, dropped balls, missed coverages. That's the same thing you can't do in practice.”
Yet it looked as through both teams had practices messing up, particularly drawing yellow flags: There were 22 penalties for 189 yards, plus perhaps a dozen more infractions that were declined or offset by other penalties.
Still, the Redskins marched efficiently to the winning kick behind third-string quarterback Tim Hasselbeck.
First, fourth-string quarterback Mike Quinn led Denver's 13-play, 58-yard drive that was capped by a 2-yard TD pass to Jeb Putzier and drew the Broncos to 17-15. Quinn hit Charlie Adams for the 2-point conversion to tie it.
Back came Washington, with a 35-yard pass from Hasselbeck to Darnerien McCants sparking the winning march. Kimrin didn't flinch on his attempt, and Gibbs was a winner again.
”It feels good to get us out of there a little earlier,” Kimrin said, laughing.
Safety Sean Taylor, Washington's first-round selection (fifth overall), had a strong debut. He picked off two of fellow rookie Matt Mauck's passes, scoring from the 3 on the second interception.
Taylor stepped in front of Putzier, grabbed the pass and sauntered into the end zone for a 10-9 lead in the third quarter.
”I saw it coming and I made the play,” Taylor said. ”I'm here to make big plays.”
Washington appeared to put the game away on Hasselbeck's 33-yard TD pass to Gari Scott with 6:54 to go. But Quinn rallied Denver.
”Overall, I was fairly pleased,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. ”We did move the ball. But we did make too many mistakes, including one very big turnover. We can't have so many dropped balls. I lost count of how many.”
Shawn Springs, signed to replace cornerback Champ Bailey after Bailey was traded to Denver for Clinton Portis, intercepted Jake Plummer's pass on the Broncos' first series. Bailey's sticky coverage of Laveranues Coles on a third-down pass forced an incompletion, and the Redskins settled for John Hall's 39-yard field goal.
Jason Elam tied it with his own 39-yarder on the next series after Quentin Griffin, Portis' successor as Denver's starting tailback, had runs of 27 and 16 yards.
Elam added field goals of 40 and 47 yards.
Notes: Gibbs became the second man already enshrined to coach in the Hall of Fame game. Paul Brown did it in 1975. … Griffin finished with 46 yards on six carries. Portis had 11 on four rushes. … Starting QBs Plummer (5-for-8 for 24 yards) and Mark Brunell (4-for-8 for 18 yards) weren't particularly impressive in short stints. … Denver LB Jashon Sykes sprained his left knee, while star DE Trevor Pryce banged his left knee, but was able to walk it off. WR Darius Watts has a sore shoulder.
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