Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell reacts after the Redskins were assessed a false-start penalty during the fourth quarter against the New York Giants on Thursday night. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Written by DCist Contributor Rob Birgfeld

It turns out the anxiety gathered from the last two preseason games was well-founded. Losing last night’s opener to the Giants 16-7, the Washington Redskins and their fans have a lot to be worried about. Right out of the gate, the Redskins struggled to stop the defending Super Bowl champion Giants from moving the ball. In short order, Eli Manning and running back Brandon Jacobs moved down the field to score a touchdown. Then, on the first offensive snap of the 2008 campaign, quarterback Jason Campbell was worked over and thrown to the ground. Reality check? Check. This game, and possibly this season, was already in peril.

The buzzed about “West Coast Offense” that head coach Jim Zorn was supposed to unleash on the league produced zero first downs until late in the second quarter. Jason Campbell, the newest “this is his year” candidate took approximately 28 minutes before completing a pass in the first and most of the second quarter. The offensive line was beaten and battered like scallopini, and when the receivers weren’t jumping off-sides, they were dropping balls.

While the defense eventually tightened up after the Giants’s quick score, they were not without their own issues. The pass rush was mostly absent, Brandon Jacobs ran all over and through (sorry Laron) the defense, and the secondary (minus injured Shawn Springs) always seemed to be two steps behind the Giants receivers. Just look at the numbers… it’s a minor miracle the final score wasn’t 34-7.