Campbell to NFC Beast: Don't sweat the preseason

[MTK]

Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell was kind enough to dial the NFC Beast hotline earlier this afternoon and share his thoughts on Thursday's season-opener against the Giants.

I need to save most of our discussion for a column I'm writing for Thursday, but here are a few tidbits:

• On how poorly the team finished the preseason: "You're playing with a lot of mystery guys in the preseason," he said. "No one's trying to game plan or do anything like that. We just got beat in a lot of areas. But we had just six plays in the last game. People then judge you on those six plays. We just sort of have to keep our ears plugged. You almost need something like that. You'd rather go through some things in the preseason than when games count."

• On the Giants losing Osi Umenyiora to injury: "He and [Michael] Strahan were the two premier guys in the league," said Campbell. "But without Justin Tuck, it may have been a different Super Bowl. People may not really know him, but he's made a lot of plays and he dictates the way teams approach them."

• On the two second-round WRs not making an impact so far: "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed about that," he said about Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. "We had so much expectation for those guys contributing to our offense. I thought we'd grow together quickly. I went over to their place and visited with them about everything. I told them this was the real deal. They needed to show up on time for meetings and to study. We need them out there."

ESPN - Campbell to NFC Beast: Don't sweat the preseason - NFC East