The Washington Redskins ruined DeAngelo Williams’ Sunday morning, so the Carolina Panthers running back was determined to ruin their afternoon.
Feeling pretty good before arriving at FedEx Field, Williams said his realization that this was the Redskins’ “Homecoming” game provided all the motivation he needed.
“I’m looking at the Gameday [program] and I look on there and it says ’Homecoming,’” Williams said after the Panthers beat the Redskins 21-13. “And I’m thinking to myself like, ’This is the National Football League. Are you serious? Homecoming? Homecoming? It’s not like you tried to hide it. You blatantly put it on the front of the Gameday.’ You’re talking about somebody fired up today. I was [ticked].”
Williams was referring to Washington honoring 10 new players into its “80 Greatest Redskins” group, which included calling this Homecoming weekend. LaVar Arrington, Clinton Portis, Jon Jansen, Joe Bugel, Richie Petitbon and Terry Hermeling were in attendance. The late Sean Taylor was represented by members of his family; Chris Samuels did not make it. About 160 alumni took part.
“It’s a tremendous honor. As offensive linemen you don’t get a lot of honors and notice for a lot of things,” Jansen said. “But to have the fans and some that are on the [70 greatest Redskins] team vote for you and to be among those guys and have your name mentioned among those guys, it’s one of the greatest honors I’ve ever had.”
Being on the opposite sideline for these festivities was not anything of an honor to Williams.
“You don’t say you’re going to have a Homecoming in the National Football League,” Williams said. “You do it in college; it’s one of those teams that’s just terrible. You don’t book like a good team for Homecoming.”
Williams brought it up to teammates before the game and ignored a reporter’s question to sound off about the situation. He finished with six carries for 37 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown run. That touchdown included some question as whether an official blew the whistle. Asked on Twitter who blew the whistle, Williams responded: “the homecoming king and queen lol.”
Said Williams: “I just know that you don’t give a team extra motivation by putting that on your program or even just blatantly coming out saying you’re our Homecoming game,” he said.
Griffin has ribs X-rayed
Robert Griffin III had X-rays on his ribs following the game, and they came back showing no breaks. Coach Mike Shanahan said there never was a concern about finding broken ribs.
“That one shot, I think, when he was dropping back in the first quarter, he took a pretty good shot to the ribs,” Shanahan said. “Anyway, hopefully it’s not too bad. But he’s sore right now.”
With two weeks until the Redskins’ next game, Griffin brushed off concern.
“I’m fine. I’ll be ready to go,” Griffin said. “No one’s ever going to question the fight that I have inside of myself to be the greatest and to help lead this team to victory.”
Robinson phased out
It looked like Aldrick Robinson would be a big piece of the Redskins’ offense, given his speed in the absence of Pierre Garcon. But Robinson dropped the ball on the first offensive play from scrimmage and didn’t wasn’t targeted again until late in the fourth quarter when Santana Moss was out with a concussion.
Robinson took responsibility for the drop but didn’t think his almost nonexistent role the rest of the afternoon was based on that.
“It was just the flow of the game. The flow of the game didn’t go the way that my plays were going,” he said. “It wasn’t because I dropped the ball.”
• Stephen Whyno can be reached at swhyno@washingtontimes.com.
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