Making Amends

I'll make this short and sweet. I apologize, wholeheartedly, to Mark Brunell, the Washington Redskins quarterback, for casting him aside like some dingy hand-me-down after only two games. That's my bad. He was stellar yesterday, due in large part to Clinton Portis and a bevy of skilled receivers, particularly Santana Moss. Of course, the Redskins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday 36-30 in a thrilling overtime contest. (Brunell hit Moss for a 68-yard game-winning strike. I guess it's more accurate to say that Brunell completed a pass to Moss, who snagged the ball from well above his head and sprinted to pay dirt.)

Brunell has looked much stronger, and Al Saunders' system has appeared more fluid and dynamic the last two weeks. Soundly beating the Jags, a team with a top-notch defense and strong-armed pocket passer, went a long way toward rebuilding the city's confidence in this team. Not surprisingly, the turn about has occurred with No. 26 manning his usual halfback spot.

The Redskins still exhibit glaring weaknesses, most notably in the secondary. The defense's propensity for allowing big plays is troubling, especially when you consider this team will play the Giants and Colts in coming weeks. (Am I concerned about what Eli Manning could do to this depleted Redskins secondary? Yes. But I also know that Plaxico Burress is Rod Gardner Version 2.0 because Burress has 50-50 hands and a tendency to fumble.) Still, you kind of get the feeling that this win against the Jags could spark another three or four in a row. Nothing's guaranteed, and the Skins could throw up a clunker in the Meadowlands next week, just like they did last year -- a 36-0 annihilation. But I have this twinge in my gut that tells me the Skins are about to roll off a few consecutive W's. And who am I to doubt my gut? I genuflect at the altar of Stephen Colbert.