It's now two hours until kickoff, and as we get ready for the 2-1 Redskins (WOOT, WOOT!) to face off against the 0-3 Rams at the Edward Jones Dome, I fear the inevitable will happen: the favorites (Redskins), picked by many to win this game, create mistake-after-mistake to cost them a victory against the heavy-underdog Rams team. It's happened before - actually two times the last three years:
2008 The Pete Pickup-and-Fumble Game
Click the above picture to see highlights from this game
Yikes! And to add insult to injury, Rams offensive lineman Richie Incognito blew his fuse and got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty near the end of the game, but kicker Josh Brown nailed a 50-yard field goal (instead of a 30-some-yard FG) to win the game.
2010 We-Didn't-Come-to-Play Game
Click the above picture to see highlights from this game
This game involved the 0-2 Rams against the 1-1 Redskins (again, favorites for this game). But this time, w/ McNabb at QB, the Redskins didn't show up. The big 40+ yard run by S-Jax (Steven Jackson) in the 1st quarter was the big dagger/big hole that we were unable to overcome come the second half. Despite him leaving with a groin injury in the 2nd quarter, we just could not stop the Rams offense offensively.
So, my question to you is this: Which Redskin team will show up? The one that defeated the Giants, or the one that created multiple blunders against the hapless 2011 Cowboys team/2008 + 2010 Rams teams of the past three years?
During yesterday's high-scoring preseason game between the high-powered Saints and the lowly Raiders, former Redskin quarterback Jason Campbell passed the ball to former Redskin and Maryland Terrapin lineman Stephon Heyer. Take a look:
What I am really enjoying about this Redskins draft is the way the Redskins are doing their business - the Bruce Allen + Mike Shanahan method - of trading back picks to fill in the multiple holes both on offense and on defense. I am so used to the Vinny Cerrato + Dan Snyder method of picking players on where they are at and becoming busts - because they don't try as hard - the Shanahan system will force these players to earn their spot instead of players with guaranteed money playing half-as-hard for the team. From eight 2011 picks to now 12, the Redskins are moving against what they normally do during the draft and instead trying something new.
1st Round Pick (#16 overall)
OLB Ryan Kerrigan
A great pick-up by the Redskins, who trade their #10 overall pick to the Jaguars for the #16 pick and #49th overall pick. They: a) Did NOT go after fast-falling quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who did not fit their system and b) Solidified a horrible defense with a great pass-rusher. Think the white version of Orakpo.
I am so glad the Redskins did not draft a QB in the first three rounds - like four of the top 12 teams in the draft were doing on Thursday night. The common Redskins/NFL fan would be like: "WTF? Why aren't the Redskins drafting someone like Ryan Mallet or Collin Kaepernick? Are they stupid? Let's fire Shanahan and Snyder and Allen. They can't be resorting back to Rex Grossman again, can they?"
My answer, along with the Redskins coaching/managerial staff, is this: We already have two decent quarterbacks in Rex Grossman and John Beck. None of the passed 2011 QB's seem franchise-worthy and fit our West Coast Offense/Zone Scheme. Don't forget, we traded a player to the Ravens to get Beck, who was a 2nd round pick by the Dolphins. He has talent, and possibly enough to be our temporary franchise quarterback for the future. Just take a look at this video:
2nd Round Pick (#49 overall)
DE/DT Jarvis Jenkins
Using the Jaguars 2nd round pick, the 'Skins picked up a solid defensive line player in Jenkins - ESPN980 has said that two other teams behind the Redskins' pick would have picked up JJ had they not grabbed him. He's Haynesworth without the heavy baggage and complaints. He is great on run defense, but weak on the pass rush. I'm glad they chose him and NOT his teammate defensive end DeQuan Bowers, who has a history of leg problems.
NOTE: The Redskins traded their own second-round, third-round, fourth-round and fifth-round picks for later picks in the draft.
3rd Round Pick (#79 overall) - from Miami
WR Leonard Hankerson
This pick was probably the best and safest pick the Redskins have made in the draft. One of their biggest holes on offense over the past decade was the lack of a big-time tall wide receiver. We tried that with the 2008 draft debacle with both Malcolm Kelly (likely to be released by the team) and Devin Thomas (now with the NY Giants). If Moss returns to the team - a BIG if, since he is a free agent this season - we could go far, with Moss, Armstrong, Cooley and Hankerson as our receivers.
4th Round Pick (#105 overall) - from Houston
RB Roy Helu Jr.
The Redskins traded up a couple of spots ahead in the fourth round to nab Helu. He's most likely the backup to starting running back Ryan Torain and has more of a Darren Sproles/Noel Devine kind-of-feel. He's small, quick and elusive and fits perfectly for the Shanahan zone-running system. The downsides are that he's not Clinton Portis in terms of pass-protection (no one can PP [pass-protect] like CP; and he's not a durable, strong runner that gains yards-after-contact (YAC)).
I don't know much about Gomes, other than that he fills a backup/possible starting position at safety and possible cornerback, and it's the second consecutive Cornhusker pick.
From ESPN Insider: "Gomes is a SS-type player who excels against the run with good angles and technique as a tackler. He will have some limitations on the backend due to lack of fluidity and top-end speed."
5th Round Pick (#155 overall) - from New Orleans
WR Niles Paul
The pick of Paul makes it three straight Nebraska Cornhuskers chosen in a row and the second WR picked in the draft. I really thought the Redskins would go offensive line here, since their big-play threat was filled by Hankerson's pick yesterday. Don't get me wrong - Niles may be just as good of a player, but the Redskins really need to fill their weak offensive line sooner rather than later. The good part about Niles is that he is great in pass/run blocking - a plus for any team's offense and special teams.
From ESPN Insider: "Paul is a big, physical WR with a RB's build who can contribute as a receiver after the catch and bring added value on special teams a returner. However, he is a bit tight as a route-runner and is a bit inconsistent catching the ball outside of his frame."
The Washington Redskins schedule was released moments ago, and if you don't know it, here it is:
(that is, if we have an NFL season). White = Predicted Loss; Green = Predicted Win
We have an early, EARLY bye week (week 5), and the meat of the schedule (Cowboys/Seahawks/Jets/Pats/Vikings/Eagles) is not until the end of the season
The supposed easy part of the schedule is in the middle, where we face the Panthers/Bills/49ers in consecutive weeks
There are A LOT of 1:00 games this year - 12 of the 16 games are the early afternoon version
We, the Redskins, need to be up and running as the season starts, as we face two NFC East foes to start the season - including @ the Cowboys on Monday Night Football
We have to face the Jets and the Pats in CONSECUTIVE WEEKS, and BOTH in December? Talk about a double-whammy there! (the one good thing is that both games are at home...)
Prior to those games, we are at Quest Field and face the noisy - and I mean the REALLY NOISY - twelfth man
If McNabb is somehow traded to the Vikings, we don't face them until the penultimate game of the regular season - on Christmas Eve. Hopefully, McNabb will be McSanta Claus and give the Redskins faithful a gift that day!
We have to face the pesky Rams again - the last three times we faced them, we got BLITZED by Bradford (last year) and then we had the Pete Kendall incident (2008) that is still branded into my brain to this very day
Luckily, the guy who returned the fumble for a 75-yard TD is on our team now (Oshiomogho Atogwe)
We have the 29th hardest schedule - which means easy, but not when we hit the winter season!
Last time we beat the Pats at home was the loss that sparked their 21-game winning streak
I am predicting an 5-11 season... with some losses coming against the terrible teams (happens to the 'Skins every friggin' year) and some surprise wins - even though we have the sixth-easiest schedule in the league. We have too many holes offensively (RB/WR/OL/QB - basically, our entire offense outside of TE) and we had one of the worst defenses in the League last year. We might blow another top-10 pick come next April.
As a die-hard Redskins fan, I used to love watching Clinton Portis suit up for the team on a weekly basis. We got CP at the perfect time - he was just about to excel for the Denver Broncos when we did a two-for-one deal for him, sending coveted corner Champ Bailey and a 2004 draft pick (running back Tatum Bell, who did well for only a couple seasons with the team) for Portis.
I remember his first carry with the 'Skins - a 64-yard touchdown run right up the middle, with perfect blocking to the left and right of him:
But, the best of all was his blocking. No running back in the league could block as well as Portis. That was why he was so vital to the team from 2005-2007. His pass-blocking ability could not be matched - which is why we loved him.
And, then, of course, there was his shenanigans - and by Portis's shenanigans, I'm referring to his multiple alter-egos he displayed in 2005.
We all, the Redskins Faithful, will miss you, Clinton Portis!
As reported by ESPN a couple of minutes ago, Redskins star quarterback Donovan McNabb is going to be benched in favor of quarterback Rex Grossman for Sunday's Week 15 game against the rival Dallas Cowboys.
What I do NOT understand is how you offer multiple draft picks for this guy, bench him in the final two minutes of a crucial game against the Detroit Lions, sign him to a multi-year contract extension, then BENCH him with three games left in the schedule! This Redskins organization has been doing some crazy stuff in recent years, and it starts from the top down.
I believe that Dan Snyder, the current owner for the Redskins franchise, has put a curse (Bad Karma) on this team for the past decade - and this is the cherry on top of that sundae.
According to the Washington Post, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, the player who "plays when he feels like playing", has been: "suspended without pay for the next four games for 'conduct detrimental to the club.'"
Head coach Mike Shanahan said that Haynesworth: "repeatedly refused to cooperate with our coaching staff in a variety of ways over an extended period of time" and that he failed to play in certain defensive situations.
Where have I heard that before?
Oh yeah! Keyshawn Johnson and ex-Buccaneers head coach and current Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden had a feud in 2003 that led too this:
"Honestly, I'm very disappointed because I really wanted to win another championship with this team," Johnson said. "I was never Gruden's guy. He never liked me. I told him I'd rather retire than play for him in 2004. But I also told him I wouldn't be a distraction, I wouldn't go to the media with it and I didn't."
Johnson, in the tail end of the 2003 season, was suspended without pay for the final four games of the year.
Just substitute "Haynesworth" for "Johnson" in the same quote and "Shanahan" for "Gruden" and no one will know the difference!
It's already been three years since one of the greatest safeties in the NFL passed away on November 27, 2007. Pittsburgh Steeler safety and ex-Redskin Ryan Clark said it best:
Here's a nice tribute video of the late, great Sean Taylor. Rest In Peace, #21.
This Redskins fan and commenter on Redskins Insider said it best:
"How is it that John Gruden in the broadcast booth knows that the Eagles would have Vick sprint out of the pocket to make passes and mentioned this before the first Eagle play where Vick did exactly that and throw a touchdown pass? Also, how did Gruden know on the Eagles second possession that they were going to do a double reverse because of field location. He predicted this right before the play when they did exactly that. How do broadcasters know the offense of a team we are playing and our coaching staff does not? How can you prepare for two weeks and NOT know what the heck the offense is going to do, but a broadcaster does? Another Daniel Snyder-lost-season. It will be followed by at least five more since we gave McNabb (who still can't hit short passes) a five year extension."
My question to you is... should the Washington Redskins put a waiver claim on him? Here are my reasons:
1) It's the Daniel Snyder way of adding players to the team - he goes after high-profile veteran players who do excellent with their previous team but stink as soon as they play w/ the 'Skins. Also, these players carry a lot of baggage - see Sanders, Deion; Archuleta, Adam; and Smith, Bruce.
2) Outside of Moss and young semi-proven Anthony Armstrong, we are VERY thin at wide receiver - we have been for some time now. We need a tall, big-play wide receiver after we inexplicably released Devin Thomas.
3) Who would NOT like the fact of seeing a Moss on one side of the field and ANOTHER Moss on the other side of the field? There are so many Jacksons and Johnsons and James on one team - why not Moss?
We, the Redskins, have a chance in getting him, since Moss will be put on waivers tomorrow - the order of the waiver claims goes from the worst team (the Buffalo Bills) to the best team (the New England Patriots). Out of the teams that want him, only the Rams and the Raiders have a worse record than the 4-4 Redskins.
I found this great comment from a Washington Post Redskins Insider reader regarding the benching of McNabb:
"I'll bet you that McNabb gave Kyle some crap on the sidelines or on the headset and Kyle ran to dad. Dad got upset and benched McNabb. Only possible scenario."
In context, the Redskins, down by two at the two-minute warning of the fourth quarter, decided to sub in a cold 'Sexy Rexy' Rex Grossman against a feisty Lions defensive line. This is what happened instantly:
Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com
Since this year is the 25th anniversary of the "Back to the Future" movie - and the fact that the local AMC theater is reairing the movie next week, I thought it would be a good idea to focus this week's NFL fantasy top players on the veteran all-stars in the NFL.
Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com
What a game for the Washington Redskins! Coming into this three-game stretch (at the Philadelphia Eagles, at home against the Green Bay Packers, and at home, nationally televised, against the Indianapolis Colts), I expected the Redskins to fold, as they normally do in tough stretches like these.
They played a hell of a game Sunday afternoon, enforcing their "bend, don't break" philosophy on defense, winning in overtime, 16-13 against the Packers and their potent passing offense. The co-MVP's of this game would have to go to: first-year wide receiver Anthony Armstrong (3 catches for 84 yards and 1 TD, a 48-yarder); first-year returner Brandon Banks (an explosive returner, reminding me a lot of Chicago Bear Devin Hester); and, most importantly, fourth year strong safety LaRon Landry, who has played at a Pro-Bowl level this year (13 tackles (10 solo), 1 forced fumble and one game-saving interception in OT).
Here are some notable notes about the game and future points for the Redskins:
As some of you may know, the last preseason game for all NFL teams was on Thursday, and the deadline to cut 20-some number of players was yesterday, at 6 PM EST. Teams after this final preseason game had 80+ players, and they had to trim their rosters down to 53 before Saturday in order to get ready for the regular season.
If you have been following my blog in early August (during training camp and before preseason games began), I made my own predictions on the final 53 men that will be playing with the Washington Redskins during the 2010-2011 season. Let's see my predictions:
(Bold indicates he made the team. strikethrough means the player got cut/traded/placed on IR. Italics are new players that made the team)
Quarterbacks
QB1: Donovan McNabb
QB2: Rex Grossman
QB3: Colt Brennan Received John Beck from Ravens in trade
Running Backs
RB1: Clinton Portis
RB2: Larry Johnson
RB3: Ryan Torain Placed on the Practice Squad; Keiland Williams made the team instead
Fullbacks
FB1: Mike Sellers
*FB2: Darrel Young*
I guess they wanted a good backup and blocking fullback in case Sellers goes down.
Tight Ends
TE1: Chris Cooley
TE2: Fred Davis
TE3: Dennis Morris cut; Logan Paulson made the team
Wide Receivers
WR1: Santana Moss
WR2: Devin Thomas
WR3: Joey Galloway
WR4: Malcolm Kelly Placed on IR w/ recurring hamstring injury; Anthony Armstrong made the team
*WR5: Roydell Williams*
*WR6: Brandon Banks* Made the team as a Punt Returner
Offensive Line
LT1: Trent Williams
LT2: Will Robinson Placed on Practice Squad; Kory Lichtensteiger made the team
LG1: Edwin Williams Cut
LG2: Derrick Dockery
C1: Casey Rabach
RG1: Artis Hicks
RG2: Chad Rinehart Cut; Will Montgomery made the team
RT1: Jammal Brown
RT2: Stephon Heyer
Left Defensive End
L DE1: Adam Carriker
L DE2: Philip Daniels
L DE3: Vonnie Holliday
Nose Tackle
NT1: Maake Kemoeatu
NT2: Albert Haynesworth
NT3: Anthony Bryant
Right Defensive End
R DE1: Kedric Golston
R DE2: Jeremy Jarmon
R DE3: Darrion Scott Cut
Left Outside Linebacker
L OLB1: Brian Orakpo
L OLB2: Chris Wilson
L OLB3: Curtis Gatewood
Left Inside Linebacker
L ILB1: London Fletcher
L ILB2: H.B. Blades
L ILB3: Perry Riley
Right Inside Linebacker
R ILB1: Rocky McIntosh
R ILB2: Chris Draft Cut
R ILB3: Robert Henson Cut; Could've been placed on IR
Right Outside Linebacker
R OLB1: Andre Carter
R OLB2: Lorenzo Alexander
R OLB3: Rob Jackson Cut; But WILL be on the practice squad
Left Cornerback
L CB1: Carlos Rodgers
L CB2: Kevin Barnes
L CB3: Philip Buchanon
Right Cornerback
R CB1: DeAngelo Hall
R CB2: Justin Tryon Traded to the Colts for a future draft pick
R CB3: Byron Westbrook
Strong Safely
SS 1: LaRon Landry
SS 2: Kareem Moore On the team, but is out for 6 weeks due to injury;
Free Safety
FS 1: Chris Horton
FS 2: Reed Doughty
Kicker
Graham Cano
Punter
Josh Bidwell
Long Snapper
Nick Sundberg
Kick Returner/Punt Returner
Santana Moss/DeAngelo HallTBA/Brandon Banks
So, I was 37/53 (barely a 'C'). Okay, but not great. Here's the breakdown by position:
Quarterback: 2 for 3
Running Back: 2 for 3
Full back: 1 for 2
Tight Ends: 2 for 3
Wide Receivers: 3 for 6
Offensive Line: 6 for 9
Defensive Line: 8 for 9
Linebackers: 8 for 12
Safeties: 4 for 4
Special Teams: 3 for 5
Average, at best, I must say. But who is ready for Sunday Night Football? Only 7 more days!
