The Redskins continue their solid start to the preseason by defeating the Indianapolis Colts 16-3.
John Beck, the man most fans wanted to see on this night, finished the game 14 for 17 for 140 yards, leading the team to 16 first half points. Beck looked poised in the pocket and got the ball out of his hands quickly as he settled for shorter completions. He also showed some of the athleticism that the coaching staff likes from him when he made two scrambles for 17 yards.
But perhaps the most impressive performance tonight came from the running backs. Newcomer Tim Hightower, who had a strong Redskins debut last week against the Steelers, continued to make his case as the potential starting tailback as he ran for 70 yards on six carries, mostly gaining those yards with the starters. Another newcomer, rookie Roy Helu, had an equally impressive night as he ran for 101 yards on 14 carries. What stood out about the two runners were that each had a run of 50 or more yards, with Hightower breaking a 58 yarder and Helu going 51 yards on his long scamper.
Fortunately for the Redskins, they were able to leave Indianapolis relatively unscathed. The most severe injury came in the third quarter when linebacker Edgar Jones was on other end of a vicious hit. After the initial scare, Jones was able to leave the field, but was later diagnosed with a concussion.
As for the other side of the quarterback competition, Rex Grossman got his chance in the second half to impress the coaching staff, but he did not shine as Beck did in the first. Grossman finished 7 of 12 passing with 88 yards and one interception.
What everyone wanted to know tonight was whether Beck deserved the coaching staff's praise for him, and whether or not he truly deserved to be considered over Grossman as the Week 1 starting quarterback. Tonight's game showed that this is indeed a competition, and it's one where it will take several more weeks to sort out.