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Posted on: October 13, 2009 4:21 pm

Score: 319

Panthers 20, Redskins 17

Plusses...

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.

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Posted on: September 29, 2009 6:35 pm

Score: 343

Lions 19, Redskins 14

Plusses...

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.

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Posted on: September 22, 2009 1:15 pm

Score: 330

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.

2. Malcolm Kelly

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.

4. London Fletcher

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.

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Posted on: September 13, 2009 8:57 pm

Score: 351

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

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Posted on: September 9, 2009 5:45 pm

Score: 315

Breaking the Redskins down by position

I wanted to take a few minutes to break the Washington 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.

Category: NFL

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Posted on: September 1, 2009 2:29 pm

Score: 168

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).

Category: General

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Posted on: August 30, 2009 5:24 pm

Score: 289

Redskins Release Five

The Washington Redskins announced on Sunday afternoon that they hace commenced their cut-down process by releasing five players.

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."

Category: NFL

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Posted on: August 6, 2009 12:08 pm

Score: 154

Rabach Isn't Worried About 'Skins Offensive Line

The right side of the offensive line is still an area of interest at Washington Redskins training camp.

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.

Category: NFL

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Redskins Release Five

Rabach Isn't Worried About 'Skins Offensive Line