Football
Associated Press 18y

Arrington leads Redskins in tackles

WASHINGTON -- Well, well, well, check out who led the
Washington Redskins in tackles Sunday: LaVar Arrington.

That's right, the same LaVar Arrington who didn't play a single
down on defense in the preceding two games. The same LaVar
Arrington who's been involved in an off-field soap opera of "he
said, he said" with head coach Joe Gibbs and assistant Gregg
Williams, involving why the linebacker hasn't been playing and when
he might again.

Playing mostly in long-yardage situations in the first half, but
on the field much more in the second, Arrington was credited with
seven tackles and two assists in Washington's 52-17 victory over
the San Francisco 49ers.

"I was just happy to be out there. I don't care what package, I
don't care how they use me," Arrington said. "The interaction
between me and the coaches has gotten a little better. I felt there
was a different type of vibe between us, which was kind of good. It
took some tension out of the air."

He played often as a rushing end and also dropped into coverage.
Coincidence or not, the 49ers often ran plays away from Arrington,
sometimes rolling out quarterback Alex Smith.

"He responded. He looked like he made plays," Gibbs said.
"That was good for us and it was good for him."

In the first quarter, Arrington tracked Smith down from behind
near the sideline. Linebacker Chris Clemons greeted Arrington with
a leaping hug, as though to say, "Glad to have you back!"

Arrington stopped running back Kevan Barlow for a 4-yard loss on
the final play of the first half and pulled down wideout Rasheed
Marshall for a 7-yard loss on a reverse. He collected high-fives
and back slaps from teammates and was his usually animated self,
waving to the crowd to ask for louder cheering and bouncing around
before plays.

"I felt a whole lot of stuff. I'm overwhelmed in this
experience," Arrington said. "I'm happy the coaching staff gave
me the opportunity to go out there and help. I just want to be a
part, and it feels good."

He was relegated to spot duty in Washington's first three games,
then didn't enter on defense at all the next two. The team offered
all sorts of partial explanations, from Arrington's slow recovery
from knee surgery to problems in practice to his hit-or-miss
playing style.

Arrington said he wasn't told exactly why he wasn't playing;
Gibbs said he's spoken to Arrington "more than any other player
I've ever coached in 30 years, probably three times more."

This week, Williams gave the strongest indication to date that
Arrington was close to getting back on the field, saying: "We
really think he's taken some strides physically, not only from the
schematic standpoint, but physically. It looks like his legs are
back."

Whatever was keeping Arrington out, his teammates were pleased
to see him back.

"I've been encouraging LaVar the whole time because I know what
he can do. He had an outstanding game and I'm proud of him,"
offensive lineman Chris Samuels said. "It's just a boost for all
of us. It's another force other teams have to focus on."

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TAKEAWAYS:@ The Redskins failed to force a turnover in any of
their previous four games. They managed one fumble recovery and one
interception Sunday.

"We haven't been getting any," coach Joe Gibbs said. "It was
kind of a breakthrough from that standpoint."

With about a minute left in the first half, linebacker Marcus
Washington sacked quarterback Alex Smith, who lost the ball, and
defensive lineman Phillip Daniels recovered at San Francisco's 19.
That was Washington's first takeaway since Week 1.

On the next play, Mark Brunell threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to
Mike Sellers to make it 35-7.

Early in the second half, safety Sean Taylor intercepted Smith
and returned it 32 yards to San Francisco's 3. That set up Clinton
Portis' 1-yard dive over the left side to make it 42-7.

"It feels great, finally getting that monkey off our backs,"
Washington said. "It had been a couple of weeks."

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SMITH'S TROUBLES:@ When Alex Smith trudged over to the sideline
after his third fumble of the day, someone pointed to the little
white towel dangling from the front of his uniform, as if to remind
the rookie he could dry his hands if he wanted.

The No. 1 overall draft pick's NFL initiation took another tough
turn in Sunday's 52-17 loss to the Washington Redskins. He went
8-for-16 for 92 yards with an interception. Smith fumbled three
times, though the Redskins recovered just one.

He has five fumbles in two games.

"It's not like Alex has small hands. Alex has good-sized hands;
he shouldn't drop the ball. I don't know why it slipped out of
there," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said.

The first fumble came on the very first play from scrimmage
Sunday, and through two drives, Smith was 1-for-4 for zero yards.
He was sacked a total of five times.

"I was pressured a high percentage of plays and I have got to
expect that -- got to learn how to beat it," Smith said. "It was
pretty evident early on what their plan was against us and against
me, they were bringing pressure all day."

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SPENCER'S PROBLEMS:@ 49ers CB Shawntae Spencer was beaten on
several long plays, including a 43-yard pass to Santana Moss down
the right sideline that set up Washington's first touchdown, and a
24-yard pass to David Patten on third-and-11 on the Redskins'
second possession.

On Mark Brunell's 32-yard TD pass to Moss that made it 28-7
shortly before halftime, Spencer stopped running, looked around as
if he lost the ball, then slapped his palms on his thighs -- and
Moss was all alone in the end zone.

Spencer said he thought he'd have help from a safety.

"I was playing a different coverage. It was my fault. It's a
mistake I never made before," Spencer said.

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EXTRA POINTS:@ LB Chris Clemons and DL Nic Clemons both played
Sunday, making them the first pair of brothers to appear in a game
for the Redskins since punter Matt Turk and long-snapper Dan Turk
in 1999. ... Washington's Joe Gibbs collected his 150th career NFL
coaching victory, third-most among active coaches. ... Redskins RB
Clinton Portis gained 101 yards on 19 carries and ran for three TDs
before leaving in the third quarter. It was his 26th career
100-yard game. He hadn't scored a touchdown this season. ...
Washington hadn't scored more than 21 points in a game this season;
the team surpassed that total in the first half. "It was past due
for us to get some points," offensive lineman Chris Samuels said.
"I was saying to somebody on the sideline, 'Last year, they were
laughing at Coach Gibbs. Now look at him." ... The 49ers had been
shut out 62-0 in the fourth quarter before Sunday; San Francisco
scored 10 points in that period against Washington, including on
Frank Gore's 72-yard touchdown run. ... H-back Mike Sellers caught
two touchdown passes -- the first multiple-TD game of his career.

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