Cortland Finnegan picked off Robert Griffin III in the second quarter of the Rams' win over the Redskins. (AP)

The guy Redskins coach Mike Shanahan wanted to draft against the guy he did take two years later. Both Sam Bradford and Robert Griffin III showed why Shanahan, and the rest of the NFL for that matter, was right in his desire to land either.

The Rams' Bradford was calm and cool in the pocket, picking apart Washington's (soft) zone coverage, going 26 of 35 for 310 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He led the Rams back from a 21-6 first-half deficit and his confidence grew with each series. Bradford’s passing mechanics were sharp, a big reason Shanahan tried to trade up to get him in 2010.

His lone blemish was a big one, an interception in the back of the end zone to kill a scoring drive when he didn’t see LB London Fletcher.

Griffin nearly trumped him with his own late comeback. Griffin displayed a little bit of everything, with 82 yards rushing and 206 yards passing. He threw a 68-yard touchdown pass but also was picked off before halftime on a bad decision. Griffin, under duress, forced a weak pass over the middle. CB Cortland Finnegan read his eyes and broke off his man and in front of the intended target for the easy interception.

But the main reason Washington still had a chance in the end was Griffin. He drove the Redskins to the Rams’ 36-yard line when he completed a short pass to receiver Josh Morgan. Had Morgan turned inside, Griffin’s potential game-winning drive would have continued. Instead, Morgan raced outside, was involved in a fracas started by Finnegan and drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That led to a missed 62-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff.

There were many problems with this game, from the chirpiness of both sides to the replacement officials' inability to control the game -- or, in many cases, make the right call. But watching Bradford and Griffin operate was worthwhile. Both put on a show.

What they said about the officiating and the 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Josh Morgan:  

  • Shanahan: “You can’t lose your poise in those situations. Too often it will cost you games.”
  • Shanahan: “I don’t think anything needs to be said [about the officiating]. If you watched the game you could see what happened. … Everyone wants the officials back.”
  • Morgan: “I've just got to keep my cool and be the bigger person."
  • Griffin III: “It did get out of hand, but that’s not my job to enforce that.”

When the game turned:  Late in the third quarter, the Redskins were punting with a 28-23 lead. But the Redskins' linemen left early to cover the punt, creating a gap. Matthew Mulligan raced through and blocked the punt, and the Rams recovered at the Redskins’ 24-yard line. They scored the winning points about two minutes later at the start of the fourth quarter.

Highlight moments: There were a number of big plays, but one of the prettiest was Griffin’s 68-yard touchdown pass to second-year WR Leonard Hankerson. He received man coverage from rookie Janoris Jenkins and gave him a slight stutter step, sped past him and never broke stride as he caught the ball.

Top shelf performances:  Rams RB Daryl Richardson finished with 15 carries for 83 yards, with a long of 53 that set up a touchdown. Redskins RB Alfred Morris gained 89 yards on 16 carries. Redskins LB Fletcher intercepted a pass and forced a fumble.

Numbers you should know: Rams WR Danny Amendola carved up the Redskins’ zone coverage, especially in the first half when he caught 12 of his 15 passes. Amendola finished with 160 yards, making up for a lost fumble that was returned for a touchdown by CB Josh Wilson on the game’s first play.

Injury update: DE Adam Carriker suffered a sprained right knee and will undergo an MRI, but Shanahan said it did not look good for the veteran. Shanahan mentioned possible surgery for Carriker. LB Brian Orakpo said he tore his left pectoral again, but the Redskins weren’t sure how bad it was torn yet. Orakpo needed surgery on that pec after last season and missed time this summer after hurting it again. CB Josh Wilson left with a concussion.

Going forward: Redskins -- Washington enters its home opener with the record most expected it to have (1-1). But the Redskins need to capitalize on winnable games early, starting Sunday with Cincinnati and the following week at Tampa Bay. Rams -- The Rams play at Chicago and then return home for games against Seattle and Arizona.

John Keim covers the Redskins for the Washington Examiner. Follow him on Twitter @CBSRedskins or @John_Keim.