ASHBURN, Va. - Mea culpa.

That's essentially what Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier offered yesterday after his team cooked up a stinker of a game in losing, 26-7, to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Spurrier, whose offensive wizardry at the University of Florida convinced owner Daniel M. Snyder to hire Spurrier as Washington's fourth coach in three seasons, acknowledged during his weekly news conference that he should've turned to a running game that was averaging 4.3 yards a carry when the passing attack fell apart.

"Obviously, we threw the ball too much," he said. "Anytime you lose and you throw more than you run, you threw too much. We didn't really plan on it going that way, but for some reason, that's the way it worked out."

After the Redskins (4-5) gained 48 rushing yards on eight attempts in the first quarter of Sunday's debacle, they ran the ball just eight more times the rest of the game for 20 yards. Meanwhile, quarterback Shane Matthews threw 50 passes, completing just 27 for 256 yards.

Throw in rookie Patrick Ramsey's Hail Mary that was intercepted at the end of the first half, and Spurrier's Fun 'N' Gun offense averaged just a little bit more than 5 yards a pass.

Spurrier pointed out that the team did return to the run at the beginning of the third quarter, but four straight runs yielded just 5 yards.

"We sort of see the coverages [defenses] are running, and we think we've got some good plays in, but we're just not quite hitting the way I think we're capable of," said Spurrier, whose team is 2-1 when the offense runs more than it passes. "So maybe I need to temper my confidence in the way we can throw and catch."

Rough day

When Bryan Barker shanked a 12-yard punt from Washington's 9-yard line and flopped two more within Jacksonville field-goal range, his day was a microcosm of a disappointing season.

Barker, whose 12-year career average before this season was 42.5 yards a punt, is averaging just 39.9 yards, which is the fifth worst in the league. His 29.7 net average is last in the NFL.

"He had a bad night, no question about it," special teams coach Mike Stock said. "You're going to have bad days. [But] I don't think we're going to put him under the guillotine just yet."

Loyalty

With Washington slated to travel to the Meadowlands to face the New York Giants at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jessie Armstead isn't bearing any grudges against his former employers.

The five-time Pro Bowl linebacker was released by New York during the offseason in a salary cap move. But Armstead said he will always be indebted to the Giants, who drafted him out of the University of Miami in the eighth round in 1993.

"New York gave me that opportunity, so I'm always going to be loyal to New York," he said. "They gave me an opportunity when I had nothing. They made me into a millionaire."

Injury update

Spurrier said there's a "good chance" that Stephen Davis (sprained right knee) will play against New York. Spurrier also said wide receiver and punt returner Jacquez Green (right leg laceration) and offensive guard Brenden Stai (right knee tendinitis) could return to practice later this week.