A few nuggets:
- Ladell Betts has started 11 games since the 2004 season, and in those game's he's run for 1,082 yards. That's an average of 98 yards-per-start. He carried the ball 26 times for 114 yards and scored a touchdown in Sunday's win over Denver. "He steps up every time he gets a chance," Santana Moss said about the former Iowa Hawkeye. "That's what Ladell does."
- Left tackle Levi Jones was thoroughly impressive in his first start as a Redskin. The former Cincinnati Bengals 1st-round pick did a nice job protecting Jason Campbell's blindside, and he also became a reliable lead blocker in Washington's running game. "He's only been here a few weeks," said Rock Cartwright who rushed for 41 yards. "But he seemed like he's been here all season. He was a beast."
- With his 1.5 sack performance, Brian Orakpo set a new franchise record for sacks in a rookie-season. His seven on the year move him past Andre Collins for the most sacks by a first-year player in franchise history. Orakpo made six tackles, one of which knocked Denver quarterback Kyle Orton out of the game late in the second quarter. Orton didn't return and his replacement, Chris Simms, was 3-for-13 in the second half.
- The Redskins posted three sacks as a team in Sunday's win (Andre Carter had the other 1.5), which gives the club 24 on the season. That's the same number of sacks that Washington mustered all of last year, and they still have seven games to play.
- After the game Josh McDaniels accidentally called the Redskins the Chargers. The rookie head coach, clearly thinking about his team's next opponent commended "The Chargers and Coach Zorn" for their effort. I mean, I know the Redskins played too well to be considered the Redskins today but the Chargers? Okay. I'll take it.
-Devin Thomas made a key reception on a screen pass that he turned into a tackle-breaking, 27 yard third-down conversion on a big drive in the second half. The Redskins took the lead a few plays after his athletic play. Earlier in the drive Malcolm Kelly ran an in-route and picked up 18-yards on a catch-and-run. Fred Davis, who like Thomas and Kelly was drafted in the second round last year, caught a team-high four passes for 50-yards. "We're getting more involved," Kelly said about Washington's trio of developing young pass catchers. "We'll keep producing as we get more and more chances."
-Hunter Smith has now thrown a touchdown pass and run for a touchdown this season. That wouldn't be too interesting if he wasn't a punter. Smith, who was a quarterback in high school, joked that he now has to catch a pass for his season to be complete. "We'll be putting that one in next" he said about a potential new trick play. He also pointed out that he once threw for 250 yards as a high school quarterback.
Line of the day:
Ladell Betts, who hasn't started a game since 2006, said that it had been so long since he'd been asked to participate in a press conference in the Redskins media room, he'd forgotten how to get there.
Redskins 27, Broncos 17
Things You Won't Hear Today
But everybody is going to be talking about that. Nobody is going to point out a couple of the positives from Sunday, so allow me.
Call me a homer (bailey) if you want. You'd be wrong. I'm not saying that the Redskins are any better than there 2-4 record or that they'll end up competing for a post season spot. I am just staying that it's easy to call a bad team bad. It's tougher to actually go back and find a few strengths that are worth pointing out. If you want to bury a team, fine. But it's only fair to point out the very little good that occurs as well.
.........................
Andre Carter is playing hard
-Carter has posted back-to-back two sack games for the first time in his 54 games as a Redskin. He had 2.5 sacks in Carolina last weekend and two more on Sunday against Kansas City. Carter's got 5.5 sacks through six games have him on pace to register what would be a new career high, 15 sacks. He had four in 16 games last season.
"If there was a stat for almost sacks I would've led the league in it," Carter told me yesterday. "This year the plays I was almost making are being made. I give all the glory to God though. Without him none of this would be possible."
The ninth-year veteran should also give Albert Haynesworth some credit. Haynesworth is having the type of impact on the Redskins that pundits thought he would when the team signed him to a $100 million contract. Carter, and rookie OLB Brian Orkpo (3.5 sacks) are both playing well and reaping the benefits.
His seven solo tackles were a team-high on Sunday. He also batted a pass down. His consistent penetration changed the complextion of the game, and he made more plays in big situations (like his fourth down sack) than anybody else on the defense.
...........................
Fred Davis showing character
-One of the really cool things about football is that game's don't lie. In other words, a player can talk all week about how badly he wants to win, but if you see them missing tackles and not running hard to make a play on Sunday - their actions contradict their words.
Davis is as maligned as any player on the Redskins. He's a second-round pick who is listed second on the team's depth chart at tight end (behind all-pro Chris Cooley). Davis doesn't catch more than a pass a week (on a good day). He gets very few opportunites to make a difference and he rarely does nothing with the chances he gets.
One thing nobody has talked about today, though, is the effort that Davis exerted on Clinton Portis' 78-yard, third quarter run. Portis broke free on a well-blocked carry behind center Casey Rabach and left guard Derrick Dockery, and then followed fullback Mike Sellers down the sideline for his longest gain of the season. If you re-watch the very end of the play, you'll see Davis show up on the screen on a full sprint to make a block on a Kansas City defender who was closing in on Portis from behind.
The second-year tight end didn't have to sprint down the field. None of the other players on offense did.
Portis was either going to score or get brought down for a huge gain. He and Sellers were well out in front of the play and nobody else mattered at that point. But Davis worked hard when he didn't have to. Those types of plays show character. Fans can watch that and say, "that's what he gets paid to do." That's fine. Few players do what he did. It speaks well about his makeup. And it was also a nice display of the speed he possesses, which was one of the reasons he was considered the best tight end in last year's draft class. It's a shame he hasn't been able to show it off after a catch at any point.
...........................
Shaun Suisham's been perfect
Suisham made two second-half fied goals after drives stalled in Kansas City territory on Sunday. He's now 8-for-8 on field goal attempts this season, with his longest attempt having come from 42 yards out.
Sure, he hasn't had to test his leg at all (both because Washington hasn't moved the ball as much as it would like, and because the Redskins have gone for a lot of fourth down conversions from between the 30 and 40 yard lines). But he missed more field goals than any other kicker last season (10), and the Redskins converted on a lower percentage of attempts than any other team last season. Considering that, eight-of-eight on chip shots is worth celebrating.
Quarterback Change
The Washington Redskins offense was awful in the first half.
They couldn't run the ball. They couldn't throw the ball. They couldn't block. They couldn't move the ball.
Washington racked up all of one first down in it's first five drives (on a nice gain after the catch by Chris Cooley along the home-sideline to move the chains). The Redskins didn't score a first-half point for the second straight home game against a winless team, and yesterday's first half struggles came against the NFL's worst defense.
All that said - benching Jason Campbell for Todd Collins wasn't irrational. I didn't agree with the decision but it wasn't a foolish move by Jim Zorn. It was just an act of desperation that probably shouldn't have happened.
Collins connected on his first pass of the game for a 40-plus yard bomb to Santana Moss downfield. Everybody jumped around and acted like things were going to change.
Then reality set in.
Collins went back to his old ways of patting the football and happy-feet hopping around the pocket before dumping off to a running back. Dump off, incompletion, dump off. That's about how the passing game went.
It should be pointed out that he faced occasional pressure that made getting the ball down the field tougher. But he wasn't under the kind of heat yesterday that Campbell has been under against some of the better defense's Washington has faced this season. The New York Giants and Carolina Panthers both come to mind as teams who have abused Washington's fifth-year quarterback.
The Philadelphia Eagles will apply substantial pressure. They'll be dialing up blitzes from the parking lot. That's why you have to go back to Campbell on Monday. His escapability, which Collins has none of, gives you a chance to prolong plays behind one of the NFL's most injury-riddled and ineffective offensive lines.
He's also a better passer.
I had a player (who plays on offense) tell me after the game that many members of the offense "were not happy at all," about the quarterback change. He also said that part of the reason why Campbell needs to be the guy is the lack of big plays that will be made with Collins in the fold.
Detractors will say that Campbell hasn't made enough big plays while he's been in the game either. But he, according to this player, gives the team a better chance to make them.
Hopefully all of the people who have been calling for Collins for the last season-plus were watching closely on Sunday. He's a whole lot of patting the ball and checking down, and not much else. There's nothing wrong with that. It just means that he's supposed to be a backup.
Campbell hasn't proven himself to be a franchise quarterback yet, either. There are plenty of variables as to why. But what matters is that he is the best quarterback on Washington's roster. And because of that he should start on Monday night.
Three and Out
1. Deangleo Hall
I have to give Hall credit for being a professional. The guy holds court with the media after every game and during every open locker room session. Even after he has a bad game (which has happened a few too many times), he's been there to field questions.
Hall did his best to deflect attention from his head coach, Jim Zorn, this week. He wants the fans to know that Zorn isn't to blame for Washington's awful start to the season.
From Jason Reid's piece in the Post: "I think a lot of people made the comment, '[Zorn's] not out there playing in the games.' That's the truth of the matter," Hall said. "If you want to blame someone, look at the film. Look at the guys who are out there trying to play. We haven't been doing a great job, bottom line, we haven't been doing a great job. I think the blame lies with us. I think the blame lies with us. I think we're the ones out there playing every day, practicing, trying to do the right thing, but I don't know if we've got the right personnel here to do it."
It's good to see one of the players step up and back Zorn. Another cornerback, Carlos Rogers, cited that the problems the Redskins are having shouldn't be put squarely on any one group of the team's personnel. He even said that "the owner" might be part of the problem. Oh, and did I mention he's a free agent?
____________________
2. Marko Mitchell
It's time to activate Mitchell and get him into a game.
The Kansas City Chiefs have had trouble defending the pass all season long. They're giving up 270 yards a game through the air. You'd have to be naive to think that Jason Campbell is going to have a lot of time to throw the ball down the field. He'll be dropping back behind a line that will feature Stephon Heyer playing out position, Mike Williams starting at tackle for the first time in years, and Will Montgomery starting at guard for the first time as a Redskin. The fact that Kansas City hasn't been able to generate much pass rush should change this week.
But that doesn't mean that the Redskins shouldn't start incoporating some fresh bodies into the offensvie game plan. The team did it on defense (with Reed Doughty at safety and Jeremy Jarmon on the defensive line) and has benefited. It's time that the offense starts to allow a few young, hungry players to make an impact.
Mitchell isn't going to become a pro bowl player over night. He's also not going to make the offensive line any better. But he'll at least provide Campbell with a big target who can get down the field.
At the very least, he could be used to run a few of the new quick-slants that the Redskins started running in Carolina last weekend. As big as he is, as long as he keeps his body between the football and the defender covering him, he should be able to pick up a nice chunk of yards each time he runs that route.
____________________
3. Big Game
Who thought that Sunday's matchup against the Chiefs was going to be a make-or-break game? Heck, who thought that Sunday's game was going to be tough to win? I didn't until about three weeks ago.
Consultants have been hired. Jim Zorn is on the hot seat (I'll maintain my belief that he shouldn't be). Players are getting into shouting matches that are being made public (Clinton Portis and Mike Sellers). Offensive lineman are falling to new injuries every week, and the Redskins keep losing to - or barely beating - bad football teams.
Are things going to implode? Or will this team find a way to rally in this time of turmoil? Redskins teams in the past have done it (in 2005 and 2007, both times late in the season to sneak into the playoffs). But does this team have what it takes?
We'll know by Sunday night.
Panthers 20, Redskins 17
Jason Campbell
Campbell didn't make many plays but he did a nice job taking what he was given behind a disastrous offensive line. He completed 17-of-23 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. He didn't turn the ball over and he didn't force any passes into tight coverage, impressive considering that he was running for his life most of the day. The Auburn-product was sacked five times, or almost once every five drop backs.
Andre Carter
Carter posted a season-high 2.5 sacks, forced a fumble, and made six tackles. He got consistent penetration off the edge and applied pressure on Jake Delhomme all afternoon. Sunday's performance may have been Carter's finest as a Redskin. He changed the game, something he hasn't done very often in burgundy-and-gold.
LaRon Landry
Landry hasn't developed into the play-maker the Redskins thought he might be when they made him a top-10 draft pick a few years ago. But he's also playing so far off the line at free safety, roaming around in deep center-field, that he rarely gets a chance to creep up towards the line of scrimmage to make plays. His eight-tackles were a team-high on Sunday. He also forced a fumble. He was extremely active and he was actually wrapping up ball-carriers in the open field. He normally just throws his shoulder at them while going for a big-hit. He played very well and was one of the top performers in a strong defensive effort.
Minuses...
Offensive Line
The line played it's worst game of the season. Left-tackle Chris Samuels suffered a stinger on Washington's second play from scrimmage and didn't return. His replacement, D'Anthony Batiste, got abused off the edge throughout the game. TE Chris Cooley had to help Batiste block defensive ends, which kept Cooley from making a reception in a game for the first time since his rookie season back in 2004. Center Casey Rabach wasn't any better than average on Sunday, and right-tackle Stephon Heyer posted another poor effort. Right-guard Mike Williams (who replaced Chad Rinehart) exceeded expectations in his first start as a Redskin.
Special Teams
Both Panther touchdowns were set up by bad special teams play. Carolina's first score came after a 55-yard kickof return that got the Panthers back into the game after the Redskins jumped out to a 17-2 lead early in the third-quarter. The second touchdown Carolina tallied, which helped the home-team to take the lead in the fourth-quarter, came a couple plays after the Redskins suffered a turnover on a botched attmpted fair catch on a punt when the ball bounced off the leg of Byron Westbrook, who was being thrown into return man Antwan Randle El.
Botched Opportunities
Devin Thomas was open, deep down the field, on a third-down play on the Redskins' last offensive drive with a few minutes left in the game. Jason Campbell put a well-thrown ball into his hands while Thomas laid out, but the second-year wide receiver couldn't make the catch. Had he have caught the ball, Washington probably wouldn't have had a problem setting up a field goal attempt from Shaun Suisham, which could have tied the game.
Also... On Carolina's final third-down play, Jake Delhomme ran a bootleg to pick up a game-clinching first down. He should have been brought down short of the stick though, which would have resulted in a Carolina punt and another drive for the Redskins. DeAngelo Hall didn't make an open-field tackle that a starting cornerback has got to make. It was him and Delhomme, all by themselves near the sideline, and rather than hitting him low and wrapping him up, Hall just tugged at his shoulder pads and watched as he moved around him to win the game.
Third-Down Efficiency
The Redskins were 2-for-9 on third-down. You can't win many games doing that. The Redskins couldn't run the ball on first and second down, which meant that they were often stuck with third-and-long. That didn't help. Neither did the fact that Campbell got sacked so many times. Constant pressure means that five and seven step drops are out of the question. Without five and seven step drops, longer patterns aren't used, and you can't convert a third-and-long without sending receivers down the field.
Fred Davis
Davis caught a career-high three passes, for a career-high 23 yards, but he left his feet to try to hurdle defenders on two seperate occasions. The second time he lost the football upon hitting the ground. Luckily he was ruled down, but that might not be the case next time. He's got to keep his feet on the ground. He's too fast to try to leap over people. His inability to block also hurt the Redskins on Sunday, because Cooley, the Redskins' best pass-catcher, had to help chip pass-rushers to protect Campbell.
Lions 19, Redskins 14
1. Santana Moss
It took three games but Moss finally showed up. The ninth-year receiver caught 10 balls for 178-yards, 57 of which came on a catch-and-run that got the Redskins back into the game in the opening minutes of the second-half. Moss wasn't fighting with cornerbacks or fumbling the football like he had in the two weeks prior. He was running precise routes and catching everything that touched his hands. It was good to see the 30-year-old get back to his old play-making ways. I'd anticipate the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to shade safety help over towards Moss' side of the field on Sunday. That should open up the middle of the field for Chris Cooley and Antwan Randle El again. (They combined for just five catches and 59 yards against Detroit).
2. London Fletcher
Fletcher's one of the few players on this Redskins team who looks like he's maximizing his effort on every play. For the second time in three games, the Redskins' middle-linebacker registered over 15 tackles. He corralled 16 Detroit ball-carriers on Sunday, bumping him into first place in the NFL with his 43 stops through three games. As fun as the undersized (5-foot-9) inside linebacker is to watch, he still shouldn't have to make as many tackles as he has been. When you start to see 15 or 16 in a game for any one player, it means that there are a lot of other players on defense who aren't doing their job. Luckily for Washington, the 34-year-old, John Carroll product is one of the game's finest players at his position. He is also one of the most underrated. Fletcher has never been to a pro bowl, which is ludicrous. Hopefully that will change this season.
3. Jason Campbell
Campbell threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns, prolific numbers when considering that he rarely throws for 300 yards or more than a touchdown. If you're keeping score at home, Sunday marked the third consecutive week that Campbell played a good football game. He threw one interception and struggled to handle the football early on. He didn't lose any fumbles, though. Campbell's performance was particularly impressive when you consider that the right side of Washington's offensive line spent most of the afternoon getting shoved into the backfield. The fifth-year, quarterback completed passes to 10 different receivers, and hooked up with Santana Moss down the field for a long touchdown. He still needs to be more crisp with his down-field attempts. He is still over-throwing receivers on some of his deep-ball attempts. That said, though, it's better to overthrow your target down the field than to under-throw them.
4. Rock Cartwright
Cartwright is rarely used on offense anymore, but for some reason he was on the field and lined up in the slot with the Redskins down a couple of scores and in need of quick points on Sunday. He caught all three of the passes thrown to him, the last of which resulted in Washington's second touchdown of the game. Cartwright is one of the Redskins' most vocal leaders, but he doesn't spend as much time trying to motivate his teammates with his mouth anymore, probably because he is playing a reduced role. It shouldn't surprise anybody that he was the player who Campbell was leaning on to get first downs, and eventually to catch the touchdown, late in the fourth-quarter. He plays with the type of heart and pizzazz that the Redskins lack. It was good to see him on the field. He's a hard worker and he desperately wants to win.
Minuses...
Where should we begin?
1. Pass Rush
Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford had way too much time to throw the football. Brian Orakpo and Albert Haynesworth, the Redskins' two biggest defensive acquisitions this offseason, both posted their first sacks in burgundy-and-gold. But nobody else got to Stafford. Not once. Incidentally, Haynesworth was carted off the field with a towel draped around his head after his sack. It looked like his season might be over. He returned to the game in the second-half. We now know that he strained a muscle in his butt, which makes the cart and the towel and the 'laying lifeless on the field for a couple minutes' all very curious. Andre Carter and Phillip Daniels -- Washington's starting defensive ends -- combined for eight tackles. But neither tallied a sack.
There's got to be more pressure applied by the defensive front moving forward. Period. Four sacks in three games isn't good enough, and frankly, there's 100 million reasons why only having four sacks at this point in the season just isn't acceptable. If Washington needs to send linebackers or safeties to hit quarterbacks, fine. Do it. But don't keep letting signal callers, from Marc Bulger to Matthew Stafford, stand in the pocket for eleven minutes to pick your defense apart on third-and-long.
2. Albert Haynesworth
Haynesworth's first sack as a Redskin wasn't enough to keep him off this list. The getting carted off the field incident still doesn't sit well with me. Maybe the guy suffered a bad stinger and he thought he was seriously hurt. If that's the case, then fine. But to lay on your stomach for almost a full minute, as if you'd blacked out, and then to get driven off with a towel covering your face, all over a muscle pull in your butt? That seems a bit excessive to me. Oh, and the Redskins gave up 100 rushing yards to a tailback for the second consecutive week. Worse yet, they've given up well over 100 rushing yards to all three of their opponents this season.
If Haynesworth was doing a $100 million job clogging gaps and drawing double teams, that wouldn't be happening. He's got to get in better shape and make a bigger impact. He's been fine. He just hasn't been great. Anthony Montgomery can go out there and give them 'fine.' They are paying him to be great.
3. Carlos Rogers
I think more highly of Rogers than a lot of people do, but he didn't have a good game. He was consistently beaten by Bryant Johnson, who has played for more teams in the last few years than J-Lo's had husbands. Rogers actually covered Johnson pretty well on the Lions' loan touchdown pass, but he's still got to look back towards Stafford to find the football sooner. He also got away with a pass interference penalty late in the game that would have resulted in a critical first down for Detroit. The former Auburn standout is a better corner than he showed this weekend, and he's got to be better for the Redskins when they play against more experienced and accurate passers. Otherwise he's going to get torched.
4. Play-Calling at the Goal-Line
Stretch left? Stretch left? Haven't we seen this before? You are one yard from the endzone. One! Your fullback weighs 270-pounds and your running back is one of the hardest runners in the National Football League. Go straight ahead! Don't go wide at the goal-line while defenders are trying to slice through creases and string the play out. Hell, your quarterback is 6-foot-5. Let him fall forward for a yard.
In the interest of being fair, though, it should be noted that the stretch-left that didn't work very easily could have. Chris Cooley didn't fully seal the player he was supposed to have blocked and Mike Sellers didn't put a hat on the guy that he was supposed to have gotten. That isn't Jim Zorn's fault. People will blame him for a horrible call, but the call itself should have worked on that particular instance. I am not blaming him for a bad call. I do, however, think that there are a couple of better options in the playbook right there. Campbell falling forward is one. Portis up the gut is another. Play-action bootleg is a third.
Redskins 9, Lions 7
Plusses...
1. Chris Cooley
Cooley might not be the best player on the Redskins' offense (I still think Clinton Portis is), but he is unquestionably the team's most reliable offensive weapon. Cooley caught seven more passes and compiled 83 receiving yards, setting the pace in the Redskins' passing attack for the second consecutive week. Jason Campbell threw nine passes Cooley's way, seemingly finding him in the middle of the field on check-down reads whenever he was in trouble. Cooley has phenomenal hands and plays the game with the type of passion that the fans in Washington want to see all 53 players on the Redskins exuding. If the NFL kept a statistic on broken tackles, Cooley would lead all pass-catchers and it wouldn't even be close.
Kelly caught more passes on Sunday than he did all last season. His four-catch, 41 yard performance marked his second consecutive week without a drop. He made a nice leaping attempt to get to a first down when he could have easily stepped out of bounds. He was also on the receiving end of an attempted deep-ball on Washington's first play of the game. He beat the cornerback who was covering him in isolation, but couldn't make the reception because the ball was underthrown. The only thing keeping Kelly from becoming a legitimate No. 2 receiver now is opportunities. He was targeted six times on Sunday; a good number considering that tight-end Chris Cooley was the only player who had more passes thrown his way. I'd like to see Kelly get seven or eight targets in Detroit on Sunday.
3. Jason Campbell
Campbell was solid again, finishing the day with a stellar stat-line. He completed 66% of his passes for 242 yards, and he didn't turn the football over. He also made plays with his feet, scrambling for first downs with the pocket collapsing on a few occasions while totaling 28 rushing yards on the afternoon. Campbell is doing a fine job executing the plays being sent in, but he's not going to progress as a quarterback until he's given an entire playbook to work with. Jim Zorn has to take the shackles off of his signal-caller, and until he does - Campbell is going to be an efficient passer who doesn't make enough plays to win his team games. He'll just excel at not losing them. Washington is running the ball way too frequently in the red zone. Campbell has to be allowed to throw the ball into the end zone more often, and he's got to be ready to zing passes into tight-spots. I think he is, but either way... it's time to find out.
Fletcher led the Redskins in tackles for the second straight game. Last week he brought 17 ball-carriers to the ground. This week he registered nine tackles, three of them solo and six of them assisted. Only Carolina's Thomas Davis has made more tackles (28) in the first two weeks than Fletcher has (27). He's a leader, both vocally and with the way he plays the game, and the rest of the players on the Washington defense feed off of his energy. Fletcher is the single biggest reason why the Redskins have only given up 17 points on defense so far this season.
5. Chris Horton
It looked like there were two players donning long-flowing dread locks and wearing #48 on Sunday afternoon. Horton was a fixture in Washington's stout run defense, which broke down on just one big-play against a talented tailback, Steven Jackson. Horton made six tackles on defense and two more on special teams. He also forced a fumble and defended two passes, including a knock-away on a deep-ball from Marc Bulger to Donnie Avery on St. Louis' final play of the game. Horton is a stout option against the run. He is the prototypical gap-plugging, strong safety. There are still questions about his ability to cover receivers downfield, though. Running step-for-step down the sideline with Avery shows that he has improved considerably in coverage.
Minuses...
1. Redzone Offense
The Redskins had the football inside of St. Louis' 15-yard-line on five different occasions and the team still only scored nine points. That's tough to comprehend. It should be noted that the last of those possessions came when Washington was downing the football in the closing seconds. Still, four legitimate trips inside the redzone and only three field goals to show for it is nothing short of brutal. So is the fact that Devin Thomas and Mike Sellers both dropped would-be touchdown passes. Even Jim Zorn's poor redzone play-calling can't be blamed for that.
Washington ran the ball on first-down on all four of it's first-down plays inside the Rams' 11-yard-line. Running the ball on first-down, then asking Jason Campbell to throw the football in a passing down does Campbell a disservice. It's just a bad idea. Throw the ball on first-and-goal every now and then. Mix up your play calling. Run-pass-pass, or run-run-pass just isn't good enough. You threw the football out of the spread to get inside the 10. Stick to that. And when you are going to run the football from one yard out, slam the ball up the gut. Don't run a stretch to the sideline. Mike Sellers weighs 270-pounds. Get him going down-hill and let Portis follow him into the painted area.
2. Third-Down Defense
For the second straight week, the Redskins allowed an opposing offense to convert on 50% of the third-down attempts that it faced. The Rams were 6-for-12 on third down, and just like the New York Giants had done one week earlier, the Rams were able to convert on underneath passes to the sidelines. DeAngelo Hall and Carlos Rogers have to give less cushion on third-down. Jim Zorn said that after week one and he should be saying it again this week. Washington's defense has been terrific, but the unit still has to do a better job at getting off the field. More than one sack a game would be nice as well, because only tallying two every two weeks isn't going to be good enough against quality opposition. There was more pressure on Bulger this week than there was on Eli Manning last week, though.
3. Santana Moss
Moss struggled again this week, catching just three passes for 35-yards. The No. 1 receiver on Washington's depth chart, Moss has caught just five passes, and has yet to reach 50-yards, on the season. He lost a fumble in Rams territory when the Redskins were moving the ball consistently. If you add up the number of fights Moss has been in this season (one), and the number of fumbles he has lost (one) ... you get a number that's only three less than the number of catches he has. Not good. Perhaps #89 can break out on the turf in Detroit, where he broke a punt return for a long touchdown last season.
4. Where is the speed?
I think Clinton Portis is an elite running back, even in his late-20's. But he doesn't possess the ability to hit home runs anymore. Santana Moss is no longer the kind of receiver who is going to get behind defensive backs for long touchdowns (Roy Williams is thrilled to hear that). Not with consistency anyways. Portis and Moss are considered to be team's highest profile offensive talents. If they don't have game-breaking potential, who does? That's the problem. Chris Cooley is a stud but he's not a home run hitter. Neither is Ladell Betts or Antwan Randle El. Malcolm Kelly could ultimately be a down-field threat, but that's because he is big enough to out leap defensive backs. He's not a speedster. Devin Thomas is considered a blazer, but he has to get on the field and make a few catches before he's penciled in as the Redskins' deep option.
What does this all mean? The Redskins have very little speed on offense. They don't have anybody who can go 90-yards for a touchdown. That is a problem in today's NFL, and it's a major reason why the club struggles to make big plays.
Giants 23, Redskins 17 - Final
Plusses...
1. Antwan Randle El
Antwan Randle El's first game working in his more natural slot position was a major success. He was running free in the middle of the field most of the afternoon, catching seven passes for 98-yards (both a team-best). Randle El was working against linebackers on several of his receptions. He was Washington's most consistent offensive weapon, which hasn't been the case very often in his time in DC. Getting him back into the slot to run around between the hashes is going to be a major help to Jason Campbell this season.
2. London Fletcher
Is there a player in football easier to admire than Fletcher? He's undersized and older than most of the guys at his position, but he just keeps on producing. His 18 tackles (11 solo) today were a game-high, and they'll rank him atop the NFL for the week. He threw his body around with reckless-abandon, crashing into the line of scrimmage to blow-up stretch runs. The problem was that he had to make too many plays in the middle of the field because the Giants were picking Washington's secondary apart. That's got to chance. Fletcher's 18 tackles are impressive, but the fact that he had to bring down that many ball-carriers means that there were too many other players on the field who weren't doing their job.
3. Hunter Smith
Hunter "the punter" Smith was a key addition this offseason, but because he's a punter, nobody spent much time talking about the impact he could have on the Redskins' special teams unit this season. He pinned the Giants inside the 20 once and did a nice job changing the field-position back into Washington's favor on a couple occasions. He also scored the Redskins' first touchdown of the season on a fake field goal, tucking the ball and taking off around the right-edge to jog into the endzone.
4. Jason Campbell
Sure, Campbell's still got some improving to do. He lost a fumble, when he should have stepped up into the pocket, which was returned for a touchdown on a sack by Osi Umenyora. He also threw an early interception. But he also did a lot of good. His numbers at game's end -- 19-of-26 for 211-yards, a touchdown, and an interception -- were solid, and he did a nice job at taking what an elite defense gave him. He only took one chance at throwing the deep ball, over-shooting Santana Moss on the left sideline. Only taking one chance up top isn't going to work. Head Coach Jim Zorn has to open up the playbook in week-two against the Rams, and Campbell's got to let loose.
5. Chris Cooley
Cooley equaled his scoring output from last season, catching a 17-yard touchdown to cut a fourth-quarter deficit in half in the closing minutes. The veteran tight end ended up hauling in seven passes for 68-yards. As is usually the case, the majority of Cooley's receptions accounted for first downs. The more involved he is in the Redskins' offense, the better off the unit's going to be. Seven catches is fine, but eight or nine would be better. It'd also be nice to see the five and 10 yard routes Cooley is running become 15 to 20 yard routes. He could help the Redskins to stretch the field more efficiently.
Minuses...
1. DeAngelo Hall
Hall was toasted in coverage all day long. The only play that saved his performance from being as awful as his preseason effort against Randy Moss and the New England Patriots was his second-half interception. His pickle came on a ball that was batted into the air by a diving LaRon Landry, who broke up a pass intended for an open-receiver who had beaten Hall on a comeback-route. Hall whiffed on a plethora of attempted tackles, the most glaring of which came on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Mario Manningham. There just isn't much to say about Hall's performance other than that it was forgettable. He had better improve in the coming weeks or else Washington's secondary is going to be in trouble.
2. Santana Moss
The most action Moss saw in today's game came after a play, when he got into a half-hearted boxing match with cornerback Corey Webster. Moss was penalized after throwing jabs at Webster's helmet, but luckily not thrown out. This wasn't the speedy-receiver's first time pretending to be Kimbo Slice. You may remember when he punched a Seattle Seahawks cornerback in the helmet a year ago. In addition to throwing more punches than he made catches (two, which resulted in just six receiving yards), Moss also ran a post on a deep-ball that Jason Campbell threw as if it were supposed to have been a go-route. He also dropped a pass and made no effort to come back to the football on a pass at the sideline, which was picked off by Webster -- who made more effort than Moss did to get to it.
3. Running game
Clinton Portis' first carry of the season went for 34-yards off left-tackle. The Redskins only ran the ball 21 times after that, netting just 51-yards. One reason for the club's inability to establish a consistent rushing attack was the fact that the Redskins fell behind by 17 at one point. But even when the deficit was trimmed and Washington pulled to within a possession, the Redskins weren't able to get anything going between the tackles. I'm still not a fan of what seems like an insistence from Jim Zorn to continue to run stretch plays to the short side of the field. Portis' 16 attempts were five fewer than I'd like to see him again, and Ladell Betts' two were well below the number he should average this season. The problem was that the Redskins weren't on the field enough, especially early on, to stick to their ground game.
4. Where were the kids?
Malcolm Kelly was named the No. 2 receiver, which was a good sign for the Redskins. But it won't mean anything if he doesn't become increasingly involved in the offense. Kelly caught the only ball that was thrown to him, making a nice reception in traffic for a six-yard gain on third-and-short. Then he didn't get any additional balls thrown his way. The Redskins have to find a way to chance that. If this offense is going to improve, and it'll need to, Kelly has got to be a focal point in the passing game. Devin Thomas got some reps, but no opportunities to catch the football, and Fred Davis was a non-factor. In fact, he wasn't targeted on any of Campbell's attempts either.
5. Pass Defense
Eli Manning had all day to throw the football, and he used that time to dissect the Redskin secondary with the precision of surgeon. He completed 20-of-22 passes for 256 yards and touchdown, throwing just the one interception on the Landry deflection that ricocheted to Hall. He was sacked only once, by Andre Carter, and was rarely flushed out of the pocket. He picked on Deangelo Hall throughout the game, connecting with receivers on comeback-routes who were breaking away from Hall all afternoon long. He also did a nice job connecting with his tight end, Kevin Boss (62 yards), on intermediate routes against the Redskins' linebacking corps.
6. Clock Management
The Redskins burned two timeouts in the third-quarter on the same drive. Later in the game, while trailing by two possessions with less than three-minutes to play, Washington didn't have the luxury of stopping the clock in it's comeback attempt. Burning two of your timeouts that early in the half is inexcusable. I'm not sure of Coach Zorn was taking too long getting the plays to his quarterback, or Campbell was taking too long relaying the play in the huddle -- that has to be corrected.
..........
Weekly Nominations...
Game ball: London Fletcher for his 18-tackle performance
Play of game: Hunter Smith scoring on the fake field goal
Voted off the island: Deangelo Hall
Missing in Action: Brian Orakpo
Useless moment of broadcast: When Fox showed highlights of Troy Aikman's debut in New Orleans from the early 1990's
Breaking the Redskins down by position
I've ranked each of the team's units on a scale of 1-10, based on how it ranks as we prepare for Thursday night's NFL Kickoff special. A five means the position is just average by league standards, and the closer to 10, the better.
...
Quarterbacks: 6.5
Jason Campbell has shown flashes of excellence. The last time he was on the field in a game that mattered, he led the Redskins on a scoring drive to take the lead in the closing minutes in San Francisco against the 49ers in week-17 last December. He also beat New Orleans with a perfectly thrown bomb to Santana Moss earlier in the season. He needs to take more chances down-field and work on getting rid of the ball quicker. But he's way more effective passer than he gets credit for being. He'd thrive in an offense where he was protected with any shred of consistency. Todd Collins is a competent backup.
Running Backs: 8.5
Clinton Portis is a work-horse. He's also a top-five rusher in the NFL when healthy. Portis' value to the Redskins runs deeper than his abilities when carrying the rock, though. He's terrific in pass-protection, he can make plays out of the backfield in the passing game, and he plays with the type of heart coaches dream about. He just turned 28 and he plays the game so hard that his body takes a pounding. Ladell Betts is an above-average second option (which his 1,154 rushing yards in 2006 proves). Washington should benefit from Betts playing an increased role in Jim Zorn's offense this season. He needs to be on the field more often to help keep Portis fresh. Rock Cartwright and Marcus Mason may not get many touches, but each runs hard enough that they won't disappoint when called upon.
Wide Receivers: 7.5
This is the most improved spot on the roster. Santana Moss is still a game-changing performer when healthy. I'd anticipate another 1,000 yard season for the Redskins' top pass-catcher. Moss should benefit from the development of Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas, who will both see increased playing time and opportunities on offense. Kelly's been named the team's No. 2 receiver. He'll be a key in Washington's efforts to revamp it's red zone offense. Thomas seems to be most comfortable running 12-20 yard routes. He'll be asked to catch a lot passes in the middle of the field in 2009. He'll also be used in packages that will result in him catching screen passes. The Redskins want to try to better utilize his speed by getting him the ball in space. Antwan Randle El should also be more comfortable this year than he was last, as he's finally been moved back to his more natural slot-receiving position. Marko Mitchell provides extra size and depth at the position. The 'Skins haven't had much of either at the WR spot lately.
Tight End: 8.5
Chris Cooley is as reliable a tight end as there is in the National Football League. He's got wonderful hands and he does a great job finding voids in the secondary and sitting down while waiting for the football arrive. Cooley might be the most sure-handed player at his position and he excels at breaking tackles. When he gets the football, good things happen. Second-team tight end Fred Davis was considered one of the best tight ends in the nation when he came out of college. He's a well kept secret who should continue to improve as he gets more chances to make an impact. Todd Yoder will be used primarily to block.
Offensive Line: 6.0
If all five projected starters (from left to right: Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, and Stephon Heyer) make 16 starts apiece, then all the worrying about Washington's offensive line will have been for not. But the chances of that happening aren't very good. Samuels is in his 10th season, Rabach will be 32 soon, and Thomas is 33. The Redskins kept five backup offensive lineman, only one of whom (T Mike Williams) has started in more than 6 NFL games. Washington's lack of depth up front is scary. Bottom (o)line: if completely healthy, the unit should still be able to provide above-average work in both the run and passing games. Any injury issues to the front-five could prove detrimental, though.
.............
Defensive Line: 7.5
Suddenly a strength. There's a ton of depth at defensive tackle, where Albert Haynesworth and Cornelius Griffin will start ahead of former starters Kedric Golston and Anthony Montgomery. If one of the starters goes down, Golston and Montgomery could both fill in admirably for several weeks at a time. Andre Carter should have a big year off the right-edge, and the return of Phillip Daniels on the left-side of the line should benefit the Redskins against the run. Daniels also does a great job clogging passing lanes, where he thrives at reading passers and batting balls. Lorenzo Alexander and Renaldo Wynn both provide veteran depth and the versatility to play either tackle or end. Jeremy Jarmon, a 21-year-old rookie, should see limited work at defensive end as well.
Linebackers: 7.0
London Fletcher, who turned 34 in May, still plays like a rookie middle linebacker. A human wrecking-ball, who throws his body around with reckless-abandon, Fletcher hasn't missed a game in 11 pro seasons. He's played in 176 games, starting 161 of them. No NFL linebacker has made more tackles since 2000, and I'd have to assume that his elite production will continue for at least another season or two. Rocky McIntosh is fast and gets off of blocks well. He's an underrated weakside-backer who is at his best when he's free to clobber tight ends and running backs trying to make plays on short-yardage passes. Brian Orakpo will eventually become the first Redskin linebacker to compile a double-digit sack season since LaVar Arrington did it under Marvin Lewis. That probably won't happen in 2009, but I'm anticipating that he'll have a big impact. I don't know who would start in McIntosh's spot if he went down. HB Blades and Robert Henson can both play mike and strong, but I can't see either succeeding in a McIntosh's role. Chris Wilson will be a nice backup to Orakpo as a pass-rusher.
Defensive Backs: 7.0
Carlos Rogers needs to be healthy for this unit to play at the level it's capable of, and to warrant my rating. Rogers has become a pro-bowl caliber cover-corner but he still needs to prove that he can catch enough passes to help the defense by changing games with interceptions. DeAngelo Hall is a lock to catch any balls that are thrown in his vicinity, but there's a reason why Oakland released him midway through last season. He was great in the second-half for Washington, but until he's seen playing at a high level again there is going to be a bit of doubt. LaRon Landry has the potential to be an all-pro free safety, but he's got to start making more plays. He often plays so deep that he doesn't get as involved as I'd like for him to be. That isn't necessarily his fault, but it's something that needs to be fixed. I think Washington would benefit from him playing a little closer to the line of scrimmage. Chris Horton is an awesome run-stopper but his abilities in pass coverage are still questionable. Kareem Moore should see increased playing time this season, and could play a key role in defending the pass. Reed Doughty had a brilliant pre-season and is a fine reserve at strong-safety.
Random Thoughts
I've never been a big fan of Soulja Boy. I don't know why but I just never saw him as talented, and that's coming from a guy who listens to 90% rap and 10% everything else. But I found out today that I am not Soulja Boy's biggest detractor. That distinction goes to this dude.
...
It's my first day of a new semester of classes at George Mason University. College is wonderful for a lot of reasons. You learn, which is always a good thing. There are lots of attractive females in a semi-small area, which is neat. And you get to do a ridiculous amount of people-watching. I love sitting in public places and just watching people. Weird? Yes. But fun.
Give it a try, though. Every now and then you might see something epic.
...
Football players aren't the only people who can hit the monster video-screens inside the Dallas Cowboys new stadium. In fact, soccer players were the first to do it. The problem was that nobody found out about it, because not enough people care about what goes on before, after, and during soccer games. Or is it matches? (Sorry screaming eagles, I am one of those people).
Redskins Release Five
CB Michael Grant
LB Alfred Fincher
DT Michael Marquardt
WR Marques Hagans
OT Devin Clark
The departures of Grant, Marquardt, and Clark were all expected. Each signed with the team this offseason knowing full well that it would take a laundry list of fortunate occurrences for them to make the team. Grant's most memorable play from the preseason was a penalty on a field-goal attempt, when he jumped offside. That didn't help him.
Hagans had a better shot to make the roster. He was viewed as a legitimate option for the fifth-receiver slot entering preseason play. He had a solid training camp and he showed the ability to separate from corner backs in practice. Jim Zorn gave Hagans a vote of confidence mid-way through camp, saying that he saw him as a guy who "can thrive when you get him in some open space."
But he wasn't productive in the preseason, for a lot of reasons, not all of which have anything to do with him. Marko Mitchell's production over the past two weeks and the addition of DJ Hackett made him expendable. He'll latch on somewhere else and probably find his way into the league at some point.
Fincher is the only surprise of the first cuts.
A veteran linebacker who previously spent some time with the New Orleans Saints, Fincher has always been viewed as a steady special teams option. The last time I tried to make my roster of 53 -- in the press box before Friday night's game against the New England Patriots -- I had him not making the team for the first time.
Rookies Cody Glenn and Robert Henson, both second-day draft picks this past April, have both proven competent enough to win jobs on either the back-end of the active roster or on the practice squad. I'd assume both will be on the 53-man roster. With the three starters and HB Blades all locks to make the club as well, Fincher became the odd man out in a numbers-crunch.
Why release him this early?
The Redskins did the right thing. They are giving him a chance to make another team, which he will.
There are more cuts to come. Plenty of them. The roster -- which is still comprised of more than 80 players -- needs to be trimmed down to 53 men before the start of play in the regular season.
This weekend's final preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars will go a long way towards determining who else gets added to what will be a growing list of "former Redskins."
Rabach Isn't Worried About 'Skins Offensive Line
Right-guard Randy Thomas (sore knee) missed all of Thursday morning's practice and right-tackle Stephon Heyer only participated in limited drill-work.
But even with 40% of his club's offensive line on the sideline, ninth-year center Casey Rabach isn't overly-concerned about his unit.
"It's really early," a rain-soaked Rabach said after Thursday's practice.
"Thank God that we don't have anything major going on. So far it's just tweaks and little things where guys can take a couple days off and get back to [being] ready to go."
I'd agree with Rabach on this. I'm hearing a lot of concern about the state of the Redskins' offensive line. But I don't really think that it's warranted.
The unit's age is less of an issue than it was last year when Jon Jansen (now in Detroit) and Pete Kendall (now out of the league) were the projected starters at right-tackle and left-guard respectively. Derrick Dockery, 28, will play left-guard and it looks like Heyer, 25, could be Jansen's replacement on end of the right side of the line.
If there's an area of concern with the Redskins' line it's the team's lack of proven options off the bench.
But don't panic over a couple of minor injuries a couple of day's into camp.
"I think there is a little concern any time somebody gets injured and misses reps," Rabach, the captain of Washington's front-five, said.
"But I think you have to look at the whole picture. It's early in camp, thank goodness, and we do need to get the starting-five together as much as possible to get that cohesiveness that we'll need for during the season. It's not a time to panic right now but sooner rather than later it'd be nice to get us all out there together."
When will it be time to panic, you ask?
"When you start getting close to the end of the preseason," the 31-year-old former Wiconsin Badger said.
"That third preseason game is basically a debut for the starters. That's a game where we'll play well into the third-quarter and kind of see where we're at. So if that time comes and we're not all together still, then it's time to get concerned. We'd have to play catch-up pretty fast after that."
Rabach's right. Settle down. Don't be this kid.
'The Predator' doesn't tweet, but he's a gamer.
Chris Horton's 76-tackle, three-interception rookie season was a pleasant surprise for the Washington Redskins in 2008.
A seventh-round pick known more for his extra-long dread locks than his skills at strong safety until early last September, Horton climbed up defensive scheme at Usain Bolt-like speed.
He intercepted two passes during his first start in week-two last year, the second clinching a victory. Two weeks later he intercepted a Tony Romo pass in Dallas, the easiest way for any Redskins defender to guarantee the support of his team's fan base.
Horton's expected to begin this season where he finished last: starting at strong safety opposite Laron Landry in the Redskins' secondary.
I caught up with Horton after practice on Wednesday afternoon and it didn't take me long to figure out that for a young guy (he's 24), Horton really doesn't spend much time keeping up with the newest technologies.
"Is that the twitter stuff or something else?," he asked me after I had inquired about whether or not he'd been watching Chad Ochocinco's live online web-shows from his dorm room at Bengals camp.
I then explained the difference between twitter and doing a web-show to the jovial 211-pound UCLA product.
Horton knows that some of his teammates are on twitter, but he says that he won't be joining them in the "twitterverse" any time soon.
"I'm not into that twitter stuff at all," Horton continued. "I stay away from all that. I don't need to be on it. That's just another thing to worry about doing every night when I am tired. It's just a way to get into trouble," he added.
"No twitter for me. I'll continue to be on my website, 'predator48.com,' but that's pretty much it. I'll do a video blog every once in a while to interact with the people."
A fan-friendly, emerging star who regularly holds court with the media, Horton seems like a perfect candidate to spend countless hours on twitter. But that just isn't his style.
"I don't want to have to come home every night and be tweeting, or whatever you call that stuff," he said.
"I think it's kind of a waste of time. I mean the guys who have all the extra time to post what they are doing in their daily lives, that's up to them. If that's what they want to do then so be it. But you won't see '48' on there tweeting."
So what does Horton do with the time he gains by not thinking about what to tweet?
"I go back to my place and I try to re-watch film and see what I did wrong in practice. I'll see if there is something in the play book that I have to freshen up on. Then I like to play some XBOX."
Horton's game of choice?
"I like Call of Duty," Horton said. "I'll play a couple of games a night. Maybe four games. I'll shut the XBOX down by 10 or 10:30 and then relax. Maybe watch a movie."
Surprisingly, the 24-year-old safety would rather play a first-person shooter game than 'Madden.' But he did say that he's already pre-ordered the new Madden.
"I am looking forward to playing Madden but I am more excited for November for the new 'Call of Duty' to come out," Horton said while smiling.
As for who Horton will be playing with ...
"My boy [Maurice] Jones-Drew [of the Jacksonville Jaguars]," Horton said. "Andre Carter and Kareem Moore will be on there with me, too. We've got our own clan. Lots of guys from Jacksonville are in it and some fans are even getting in on it now."
Apparently the clan is called 'HYS,' which stands for humble yourself. "We're globally known out there," Horton said about his group of fellow gamers.
Oh, and one more thing.
If you want to play video games with or against the New Orleans native, you can. He told me to give his gamer-tag out.
Horton's online handle is D5BLOCK.
He may not be on twitter but he's still interacting with the fans. One hour of online gaming at a time.
Tuesday at Camp
.....
Albert Haynesworth was back on the field this morning after missing consecutive practices. Jim Zorn told reporters that the all-pro defensive tackle "did great" this morning. He also said that there should be "no worries" about Haynesworth's knee.
.....
Stephon Heyer left practice with a bruised knee while trying to throw a block during drills out of a goal-line package. Word after practice was that Heyer was going to be further-evaluated this afternoon and evening. There didn't seem to be much concern about the injury being serious enough to keep him off the field for an extended period of time.
.....
The Redskins are taking a page out of the TC Williams Titans' book. The left side of Washington's offensive line looks like it'll be the strong side. LT Chris Samuels garners annual pro-bowl consideration and LG Derrick Dockery had become one of the team's steadiest lineman before he left for Buffalo a few offseasons ago. The talk around Redskins Park is that he improved while with the Bills.
.....
Alright, I'm headed down to watch 'special teams pratice' with Chris Russell, or as I call him "slash." What can I say? The man's got a little Kordell Stewart in him.
------GP
Camping from the Front Row
...
Worth noting:
-Jason Campbell was sharp during both passing drills and 7-on-7 work.
I didn't see him throw a bad pass until 9:16, which was about 46 minutes into practice. The ball was exploding out of his hand, sailing towards his targets in tight spirals. You didn't even have to watch him release the ball to know whether or not he had thrown it. His passes just looked different than those of Todd Collins, Colt Brennan, and Chase Daniel.
-Devin Thomas was at his best when combing back to the football
Thomas was running a lot of comeback routes. He seemed to be at his best when he was coming back towards the quarterback with the sideline on his right. I only saw him drop one pass in today's practice session.
-Rookie WR Keith Eloi had an impressive day of practice
Eloi, 24, was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska-Omaha. He's a long shot to make the team, but an impressive training camp might warrant him a second look from another club, or perhaps a season with the Redskins on the practice squad. He made Fred Smoot look bad, almost falling, on a dig route at one point, and the 5-10 pass-catcher made a handful of leaping grabs.
- Alfred Fincher was working with the first team
Fincher is the kind of guy you just have to root for. A fifth-year linebacker from the University of Connecticut, the 25-year-old won a job last summer by standing out on special teams. The soft-spoken, class act was working with the first-team defense at least for a day. Fincher was lined up at strong-side linebacker, in the spot that will likely be occupied by Brian Orakpo (who hasn't signed yet).
...
Quick Hitters:
-The first play of Washington's 7-on-7 live-action drill was a completion to Chris Cooley in the flat. I think you'll agree that there aren't many more fitting ways to get the 2009 season started.
-DeAngelo Hall jumped a hitch route to intercept a Jason Campbell pass early on during today's 7-on-7.
-Chase Daniel, an undrafted rookie free agent from Missouri, was picked off by reserve safety Reed Doughty.
-Will Montgomery, a local product from Clifton, VA who attended Virginia Tech, registered the morning's most prolific pancake. If the offensive line is having a contest to see who can deliver the biggest block during camp, the 305-pound reserve is the early leader.
-UMD product and 2009 third-round pick Kevin Barnes made a couple of pass-breakups in his first NFL practice. Each drew a nice ovation from the crowd.
...
Last man standing:
Malcolm Kelly was the last Redskin to enter the team's air-conditioned facility after today's practice. He signed autographs for over 40-minutes, longer than any other player (with Fred Davis and Deangelo Hall ranking 2nd and 3rd in that category). Kelly told me that the weirdest thing he signed was a dog bowl. "I didn't even know they made Redskins dog bowls," the second-year receiver said.
"I remember being the little kid out here hoping for an autograph," Kelly told me. "It doesn't take that long, maybe a few seconds. And people don't forget it. They are what it's all about, anyway, so I like doing it."
...
A glimpse at what you can expect in my upcoming entries:
-Fred Smoot teaches me how to find good information on an opponent while researching for the sole purpose of talking trash during a game.
-Chris Wilson explains why he would choose Lorenzo Alexander if he had to get into a fight against a group of people and could only pick one teammate to help him out.
-Chris Samuels tells me how he dropped 13-pounds over the offseason. He was playing at 318 last year and will be taking the field at 305 this season.
-Rock Cartwright talks about his relationship with his neighbor ... some guy named Mike Sellers.
-Renaldo Wynn, who's elated to be back in DC, explains why he felt like a "spy" while playing with the New York Giants last year.
-Malcolm Kelly describes how tough it was to give up "taco bell and pizza hut" in his quest to trim weight before camp.
----- GP
