Associated Press
ASHBURN, Va. ó John Beck has played in eight games since he came into the NFL in 2007. Heís started six of them.
His teamís record when he steps on the field: 0-8.
In two of those games, including his most recent one, his team failed to score a point.
While itís true heís largely been a victim of circumstance ó he had five games with the awful Miami Dolphins his rookie year ó Beck needs to get the monkey off his back if heís going to be taken seriously as a starting pro quarterback. Heís getting his long-awaited chance with the Washington Redskins, but the results so far have been fair to middling.
ěI definitely want to win,î Beck said Wednesday. ěThatís why I play this game. Do I dwell on that? Not at all, because Iíve tried to do my very best each and every game that Iíve played, and I canít get over-concerned with the outcome before the start of a game. I have to worry about the process of making plays, executing and getting us in and out of the right thing. And thatís what I focus on, on a day-to-day basis. I do believe that it will come.î
His next shot for elusive victory No. 1 comes Sunday, when the Redskins (3-4) try to break a three-game losing streak as they host the San Francisco 49ers (6-1), one of the hottest teams around.
Beck is coming off a performance that even coach Mike Shanahan conceded was ěa little offî ó a 53.6 rating with two interceptions and 10 sacks in a 23-0 loss to Buffalo.
The sack tally was originally nine, but a scoring change on Wednesday upped the number, setting a Washington franchise record for most allowed in a game.
ěThereís things I couldíve done better to help avoid a handful of those,î Beck said. ěJust getting rid of the ball. … There were a few in there where I could have easily just said, ëYou know what? We donít have a play right here.í Just get the ball out of my hands. Live to play the next down.î
Itís no surprise Beck was constantly under pressure. The Redskins are playing with a patchwork offensive line, and there was no running game. Neither Beck nor the play-calling of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan could find ways to work around it.
Also, with receiver Santana Moss out several weeks with a broken left hand and tight end Chris Cooley done for the season with a left knee injury, Beck didnít exactly have a top-notch array of targets.
In nine quarters since Rex Grossman was benched, Beck has completed 59 percent of his passes with one touchdown, three interceptions and a 69.9 rating.
Mike Shanahan isnít saying how long Beckís leash will be, but the coach indicated Wednesday that extra leeway might be in order because of the injuries and Beckís lack of experience as a starter.
ěJohnís going to get a chance to start his third game for us, and hopefully heíll play well,î the coach said. ěI told John, ëYouíre going to have some highs and lows in this profession, especially at the quarterback position, especially when you have about six or seven new guys, like last week.íî
Beck said the offense is doing everything it can to speed up the process of working the new guys in.
ěThis last week was just one of those ones where you just have to say, ëOK, that was gut-wrenching. That wasnít us. Thatís not us,íî Beck said. ěSo letís move ahead and letís move forward.î
Notes: Mike Shanahan said RB Tashard Choice, claimed off waivers this week from Dallas, needs ěa week or twoî to recover from a hamstring injury. ěWe think he has a chance to come in and help us once he leans the offense,î the coach said. … Shanahan said LT Trent Williams is about ě70 percentî healthy while attempting to come back from a sprained right ankle. Williamsí return would go a long way toward stabilizing the offensive line, possibly allowing Sean Locklear to move inside to left guard and Will Montgomery to move back to center. … TE Fred Davis, who has a mildly sprained left ankle, did not practice. Neither did S Oshiomogho Atogwe, who has toe and knee injuries.
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Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP
The Associated Press
11/02/11 18:57