Running On E vs. Big "D"

I am not a fan of quitting. Nor am I implying that the Redskins quit. But if they did who can blame them? I have never seen my team so worn down and frustrated in all of my years of following them. Dallas is peaking at the right time, while Washington just can't wait until January 4, 2010. A lot of what happened to Washington had to do with organizational turmoil. Not to take anything away from Dallas. They've been playing well over the past few weeks. But let's keep it real. If the Redskins were able to play to the level of their own talent, Dallas would have been blown out of the water. But the Redskins didn't and the Cowboys did. The Cowboys won and they deserved to win. Bottom line. No excuses. But what caused Washington to perform the way that they did last night?

I have watched the Redskins-Cowboys rivalry for about 25 years now. I have seen some lopsided affairs. But last night was only the second time that I have seen the Redskins playing like they just wanted the season to end. The first time was December 14, 2003. Tim Hasselback came in, in relief, for Patrick Ramsey who played poorly, but was he really the blame? The Redskins could move the ball, we just could not score. Sound familiar people? Final score of that game Dallas 27, Washington 0. Some of the exact same issues that plagued the Redskins that day in 2003 reared it's ugly head again this season. The wrong combination of coaches, players and system(s). Jason Campbell took another beating. Players looked frustrated and were acting out. Dallas was, by no means, completely dominating Washington. But, they did come up with timely plays. The Cowboys even opted to go for it on 4th Down twice, and were stopped both times. But it went for naught. Final score Sunday night, Dallas 17, Washington 0. Dallas goes to the playoffs, Washington goes home to lick their wounds and prepare themselves for, what is shaping up to be, a very interesting offseason.

The Redskins have a lot of soul searching to do from the owners all the way down to the last man on the roster. Dallas, on the other hand, is in unfamiliar territory. Tony Romo has taken the brunt of a great deal of criticism over the past 3 seasons. Everything has been said about him from him being out of shape, to him just not being good enough to win the big one. He sure as hell looked like he was in shape and ready for big stage Sunday night. I still get a kick out of watching Miles Austin play well. Here is a guy who was a virtual unknown, undrafted and unheralded. And now, he may be unavailable to other teams when his contract is up. If Dallas is smart, Austin gets locked up in a long term deal, in season. Dallas has no soul searching to do. If the Cowboys win their game against the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday, they will lock up the NFC East. And if the Vikings drop their next two games, the Cowboys lock up the #2 seed in the NFC Playoffs. No soul searching their. The Redskins on the other hand are preparing for the NFL Draft. When you are preparing to pick #1-#10 in the draft, you didn't have a good season.

Most people say that the one word to describe the Redskins season would be disappointing. My word for this season would be inconsistant. Overall I am bit disappointed, but at certain points during this campaign, I have seen the team that I thought we had when the season started. Many believe that blowing up the team would be the answer. Well folks, how many teams have you seen blown up, and then go and win the Super Bowl the very next season? Take your time, I have all day. It just doesn't happen. So if the organization decides to blow up the team, don't expect anything good for at least 2 seasons. Bill Cowher, John Gruden and Mike Shanahan are all at the top of the wish list for coaches. Will that mean a new Offensive and/or Defensive system? Will that mean a new Quarterback, Running Back(s), and a new group of Wide Receivers? Will that mean a group of new Linebackers, Cornerbacks or Safeties? What's going to be different? If Jason Campbell comes back, but Coach Zorn is fired, will that mean Jason Campbell will have to learn yet a new system? Are they expecting Jason Campbell to learn that new system in one year? Thank goodness Campbell is smart, but, I feel like he is being set up to fail.

Here is a solution. How about we fix all of the problems surrounding Jason Campbell and let's see what happens. Don't fix all of the problems for someone else. Jason Campbell, for the umpteenth time, is not the problem folks. Are we going to go draft a Free Safety? LaRon Landry is one hell of an athlete, but is NOT a Free Safety. LaRon is playing that position by default. Landry is a Strong Safety, get it right. Are we going to fix the Offensive line for another running back? How about we fix the line for Clinton Portis and see what happens. I'll admit the situation surrounding Clinton Portis not practicing bothers me. But let's not get amnesia folks. Portis racked up 1,487 yards in 2008. People want to bury him, but I seem to remember people saying the same things about Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Issac Bruce and Terrell Owens. The last I checked, all of those guys are still productive. Clinton Portis still has a few good years left in him. But I think the problem with the Redskins starts in training camp.

See here is where my training back background, although limited, comes into play. With the rash of hamstring injuries that we have had, two things come to mind. Either we are running these guys to death in training camp, or we are not training the hamstrings correctly. Do we stess the importance of proper nutrition, including hydration? Are we focused on their flexibility and mobility? Why do we have to run them to death if they are involved in OTA's (Organized Team Activities) just about all damn year? Should we not be able to tell who is in shape and who isn't before training camp starts? Why is it that people want our Cornerbacks to play physical, but they have not gotten any bigger or stronger. I mean LaRon Landry, for all of the criticism that he endures, is ALWAYS in shape. And here is a piece of information for you to chew on. Landry does not work out at Redskins Park during the offseason. Hmmmmm!!! I wonder what he does during the offseason. How many times is Randy Thomas going to tear his tricep? Why does Malcolm Kelly look slower this season? Why does Antwaan Randel El look slower here in Washington, as opposed to when he was in Pittsburgh? Why are Chris Samuels, Santana Moss, Mike Sellars and Derrick Dockery among the better conditioned players, but everyone else looks like they are struggling each and every season? These are some of the questions that I think need to be answered to move forward. I will tell you one thing. Most of the Redskins problems are not even visible, so just imagine the kind of work that the organization has to put in this offseason. Good luck Danny.

A Giant Problem For The Redskins!!!

So I am at home Monday, waiting all day for the Redskins-Giants game. It is a Monday Night Game, a nationally-televised game at that. The Redskins have been playing so much more competitively lately and we have a chance to showcase how far our team has come in a year where we have severely underperformed. And what do we do? Nothing. That's right!!! NOTHING!!! The Giants looked like they prepared all year for this one game. And it showed in their playcalling. Their execution wasn't bad either. Now most would say that there is too much going on at Redskins park. But that will change soon. The giant problem that I speak of has nothing to do with the New York Giants. The Redskins' giant problem starts January 4, 2010. The first day of the offseason for 20 teams. And guess who is in that mix?

O.k so we all know that this past Tuesday, Vinny Cerrato stepped down as Vice President of Football Operations and Acting General Manager. Bruce Allen, son of the late former Redskins Head Coach George Allen, was hired. I don't know much about Bruce Allen, but I do know that he had a hand in building the the Oakland Raiders team that reached the Super Bowl to face another team that he built, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So it is obvious that he knows what he is doing. So what does that mean for some of the players, most notably Jason Campbell and Carlos Rogers? What about players like Fred Smoot, Clinton Portis, Santana Moss, Reed Doughty, Todd Collins and Randy Thomas? What about Defensive Coordinator Greg Blache and Head Coach Jim Zorn? See all of these people are nearing the end of, or, are going into the last years of their contracts. This team has finished 8-8, and are currently 4-10. These are not good records for those of you who may not know. And last night did nothing in the way of helping anyone's cause. So what will Bruce Allen do? I know the team that took the field last night will not be the same team to take the field to start the 2010 season.

The Giants have done a fantastic job of putting together a team. It all started with the owner, the late Wellington Mara, and Head Coach Tom Coughlin. Although Coughlin rubbed some players the wrong way, was a bit too strict at times, and was even on the hot seat in 2007, he finished that campaign with a Super Bowl win. See the owner(s) didn't panic. They went out and got their guy, Eli Manning, and put a good team around him, starting with that Offensive Line that has two guys that I love watching play, David Diehl, and Sean O'Hare. They also added guys like Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward who left for Tampa Bay. When Amani Toomer was released and Plaxico Burress got into trouble they turned to guys that they drafted and groomed. Steve Smith from USC, Domonique Hixon, Mario Manningham and one of my favorite player from the University of North Carolina Hakeem Nicks. They traded Jeremy Shockey and plugged in Kevin Boss. He may not be as athletic, but his personality fits in that locker room. I can also talk about the Defense, which is depleted by injuries (who isn't at this point of the season), but still seem to put it together. The Giants have the kind of stability that has been longed for by the Redskins fans and players alike. So will we get it in 2010? Well.....

To sum it up, NO!!! There will be changes. There has to be changes. Monday was a culmination of what has turned out to be one of the worse seasons in the Dan Snyder era. The Redskins can rally and beat the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday, but not with the team that took the field last night. And the Redskins can go out to San Diego playing like they did last night if they want to. San Diego will put up way more than 45 points and they are capable of scoring that in one half. The bright spots in last night's game were Jason Campbell not quitting and Fred Davis showing, yet again, why he was worth the draft pick. I know the en vogue thing is screaming we need Offensive Lineman in the draft. Well I agree to a certain degree. We do need Offensive Lineman, but we also need a Free Safety, a Cornerback or two, a Strong Side Linebacker and a change of pace (speedy) Running Back. So how many draft picks are we going to use on Offensive Lineman? I suggest one, two, at the most. There are too many area's of need. The Redskins are not going to get this thing turned around in one year. So please understand, this is not the John Madden Football game. You can't just trade or cut players. You still have to pay out their bonuses. Why continue to pay someone who is not playing for you anymore? Is that not what we as fans have been complaining about? Why ask Dan Snyder to do what you, as a fan, didn't like him doing before? That's not very smart.

See the Redskins lost 45-12 last night. Some may even say that the game wasn't even that close. But from an organizational standpoint, that score reflected everything that is going on in each franchise. I love the players on the Redskins. I am a big fan and have been since 1982 when I remember watching my first game. Jack Kent Cooke and Joe Gibbs did something that will never be duplicated. The built a storied franchise. Now the Rams, Patriots, Texans, Titans, Steelers, Vikings, Giants, Saints, 49ers, Seahawks, Colts, Panthers, Falcons, Dolphins and a few others are close. These teams have down years, but they don't last as long. The Rams get a pass, because their owner died on them a couple years back. Their team is dealing with the loss of a great owner. I am willing to be that the Rams, as bad as they may be right now, will never have to problems the Redskins have right now. I agree with fans that the front office is to blame, but I have a problem when the fans start lashing out at the players. That's almost like saying a parent is responsible for a child's bad behavior, but getting mad at the child for behaving badly. Until that child is showed the errors of their way, what do you expect? Until Dan Snyder is showed the error of his ways, what do you expect? No Dan Snyder is not a bad person. He want's win now, but someone has to show him how? Are you willing to get off of your ass as a fan and show him? If not, then everytime you turn on the TV or buy a ticket to a game, you get what you get. Either suck it up and go apply for the job of General Manger, or turn the channel. The choice is yours.

Campbell Earns Respect, But What Does It Mean?!!

Sunday’s game was nothing in the way of a surprise. Honestly, the Raiders could have easily won that game by the exact same score. It was nice to see the Redskins dominate a game the way that they did. Everyone has an opinion about what the Redskins should do in the offseason. But one move that they definitely should not make is letting Jason Campbell leave. It is apparent that the playcalling along with the multitude of injuries, especially along the Offensive Line, was the reason why Campbell underperformed. The only way someone could justify letting Campbell go is if they have a personal vendetta against him. And even in that case, you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. Go look at the film for the past 5 games.

Jason Campbell just needs the backing of an organization. I think the dumbest thing that the Redskins organization has ever done was shopping him this past offseason. We already made a major mistake letting Champ Bailey go, and then followed that one up with letting go Stephen Davis and then Antonio Pierce. But letting Jason Campbell get away would sting more than any of the other guys. Campbell embodies what every organization looks for in a Quarterback. The basic characteristics are standing tall in the pocket, the ability to make all of the throws, the ability to make quick decisions, mental and physical toughness, and the ability to move the team down the field when they need it. That cop out about the “it” factor is stuff that commentators make up when they are in love with a player and can’t justify why they are in love with that player. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you would know that I think the “it” factor is the backing of your organization. I can’t understand why Jason Campbell doesn’t have it. Campbell is intelligent beyond belief and one cool customer. It has showed over the past few weeks.

Sunday was just what Jason Campbell needed. A game where he got protection, had an opportunity to look comfortable in the pocket, and make up his mind about what he wanted to do with the football. This is something Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, and even Donovan McNabb all have the luxury of enjoying. Most people would make the comment about how bad the Raiders are. I disagree. The Raiders are loaded with talent, but when you have a people running an organization who don’t know what the hell they are doing, you will have seasons such as this one. Does this sound familiar Redskins fans? And guess which position usually gets the brunt of the blame, even when the problem is in the front office. It isn’t fair for any Quarterback to be blamed for management’s shortcomings. But Campbell isn’t the first, and he won’t be the last.

With all of that said, the Redskins’ next game is against the New York Giants. This is definitely a winnable game, but our Defense has to show up this time. It was bad enough that our Offense, mostly due to the playcalling, couldn’t get out of neutral, but then our Defense decided that they didn’t want to tackle or cover anyone. But I think with the game being at FedEx Field, our fans and players are hungry for another win. If the Redskins’ Defense can put pressure on Eli Manning, the Giants don’t have a chance. Eli has to have time in the pocket. He’s not as athletic as Jason Campbell where he can run for a first down. Eli would get crushed trying to scramble. I think he’s smart enough to sit in the pocket. On the other side of the ball, the Giants’ front four is ridiculous. I haven’t seen a front four this good since the 2003 Carolina Panthers. Oh wait, we might have one just as good here in Washington this year. The Giants have a depleted Secondary, but they are solid at the Linebacker position starting with Mike Boley. With all of that said, I still think that the Redskins are going to find a way to win this game.

Jason Campbell has not beaten the Giants yet. We all remember the debacle in 2007 where the Redskins were up 17-0, and the Giants came from behind to win that game, 24-17. The second game in 2007 the Redskins won, but Todd Collins was under Center and performed well, I might add. Last year, both games were won by the Giants, with the second game coming on the one year anniversary of the death of Sean Taylor. And earlier this year the Giants won in the Meadowlands. I see the outcome of this game being different. I have the Redskins winning this game. It’s going to be ugly because it an NFC East game. We never have pretty games. But who cares about how it looks, just as long as you win.

My prediction, Washington 17, N.Y. Giants 13.

Don’t let me down fellas!!!!

Player Spotlight: LaRon Landry

Is he a Free Safety or a Strong Safety? Most people don’t care. They think that just because he’s an athlete that he should just be able to line up and play anywhere. I beg to differ. I would like to point out that there are 11 positions on both Offense and Defense. And since he plays on Defense, we’ll stay on that side of the ball. Because he’s an athlete do we line LaRon Landry up at Defensive End? No!! Why? There are certain requirements of that position and one of them is size. He’s too small to be a Defensive End. Do we line him up at Defensive Tackle? No!! Why? There are certain requirements of that position as well, and again, one of those are size. He’s too small to be a Defensive Tackle. Do you see where I am going with this people? I don’t care how athletic you are, how strong you are, or how fast you are. There are only a handful of people who can play multiple positions. And sorry folks, Landry is a fit, a perfect fit, at only one position.

Football evolves from season to season. New schemes and trends emerge almost daily. No position reflects this better than safety. Remember back in the day when most teams used to draft the big physical safeties that were the 3^rd level enforcers? They were used like additional Linebackers. They were used to intimidate Wide Receivers and provide additional help to the running game. But with the increasing use of multiple-receiver sets along with teams using bigger bodies at Wide Receiver and Tight End, these bigger Safeties were starting to become a liability in passing situations. So how has the Safety position been changed because of this? Well now more teams are looking for more athletic and rangy players. Sometimes these guys are Cornerbacks who were converted to Safeties because a lot of Safeties were not good at judging the deep ball. Other situations had guys who used to be Wide Receivers change to Safety, again, because of the ability to judge the deep ball. But that was really the only change.

The responsibilities of the Safety/Safeties are pretty much the same. They still must be able to hit and come up against the run, but their ability to break down and tackle in the open field is very important. Many guys can create a collision that looks good, but if they can't break down and make a key tackle in the open field, they will hurt a defense. No one player has taken more heat for this than LaRon Landry. But, if most people remember, when Landry was drafted, there was a Free Safety on the Washington Redskins who possessed all of these qualities, had ridiculous range, was great at judging the deep ball and allowed Landry to play closer to the line. I’ll give you one guess who that guy was.

See the strong safety must be a run stopper with the ability to at least cover the tight end while the free safety is more of a range-, centerfield-type guy with good instincts. They also make the secondary calls and put everybody in position. Again, when Landry was drafted there was already a guy who played Free Safety who was stellar at handling the secondary calls and was good at putting everyone in position. But even he had his share of ups and down.

Sean Taylor was the prototype at Free Safety. Now everyone is looking for that kind of player. Big (6’3”), rangy, athletic, ball hawking intimidators with good instincts and intelligence are very rare. But the Redskins made the mistake of thinking that since Sean was so big and rangy lets move him to the Strong Safety position. And if you will remember he had one of the worse years of his short career. An unofficial stat had Sean Taylor leading the league in missed tackles from players who were actually in position to make a tackle. Did this make Taylor a bad player, or did this make the decision to move him closer to the line a bad one? See when Taylor was moved back to his natural position, all of a sudden people took notice. Some people even said that he had the best year of his career. I pointed out that he was back at his original position, so it wasn’t a surprise to me. It was at the Free Safety position where Taylor won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in college. It was also at the Free Safety position that Taylor was a Jim Thorpe Award Finalist in college. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s easy to grow in a position that you have playing all of your career as opposed to adjusting to a new position. It’s not impossible; it’s just a bit more difficult. This brings me to LaRon Landry.

LaRon Landry is a Strong Safety. He doesn’t look for interceptions, he looks for collisions. He has the range to be a Free Safety. Hell, he’s probably the fastest person on the Redskins Defense, but he uses his speed to try to put himself into position to make the knockout hit. It’s not a knock, it is part of his personality. It’s part of his game. It’s what got him to the NFL. I can’t tell you the last time I saw him making adjustments in the passing game pre-snap. Again, it’s not a knock, it is what it is. Most people complain about the angles that Landry takes to make tackles. Answer this one question. What’s easier to do, make a tackle from 15 yards away, or make a tackle from 25-30 yards away? Don’t worry, it’s not a trick question. What people don’t see is that LaRon is playing Free Safety and is coming from a longer distance to try to make plays. It looks like he’s out of control. But in reality, the fact that he is even able to put himself in position to make a play, considering how far he has to run, is amazing in itself.

What bothers me the most is when I hear people say that he’s worthless. To whom is he worthless? Would it be fair to say that you are worthless if you find yourself in a position trying to fill a void left by your family member who may have passed away? Is it fair to say that you are worthless if your co-worker is either out sick, fired, or quit their job and you were asked to take over their position, responsibilities and all, and you may not know all of what their position requires. It would take some time to adjust right? At this point it doesn’t matter if you are making $40,000/yr. or $4M/yr. You need to check your ego at the door. Take your ass out on the football field for an off-season, regular season, or my personal favorite, the post-season. Walk in their shoes for a second. It may shed light on something that you may not otherwise have known. Let’s ask Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer or Tom Brady to play Wide Receiver. They all know the passing game, are all tall, and they are all smart so they should make the adjustment fairly easy right? They know the playbook. I mean they are millionaires they should be able to make the adjustment right? Well the next time you are watching LaRon Landry play remember that he is not playing his natural position. Just ask Adam Archuletta how hard it is to go from Strong Safety to Free Safety.

And one last note, please don’t give me any crap about Landry celebrating after making a play. I could care less. He’s allowed to express himself well within the guidelines of the NFL rules. He hasn’t broken any rules so it’s a moot point. I’d just like to see what would happen if the Redskins went after a Free Safety in the off-season who was good enough to move LaRon back to Strong Safety. It’s too bad Sean Taylor passed away, they were the perfect tandem. I mean people there is a reason why LaRon, with all of his athletic ability, was moved to Strong Safety in college and was drafted by the Redskins to play Strong Safety along side Sean Taylor. That position, to me, seems to be the perfect fit for him.

Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory

Well the Redskins kicked the kicker right out of the door. Shaun Suisham was released today by the Redskins. Keep your head up man. It will be o.k.


I was so close to being right last Sunday. But in a season where the Redskins have had a string of bad luck, they have dropped another game. And this time it was to arguably the best team in football, the New Orleans Saints. Final score in overtime, New Orleans 33, Washington 30. Personal feelings aside, how big would that win have been for the Redskins? It may not have erased the close, and sometimes stunning, losses from earlier in the season, but it would have showed the heart and determination that our team possesses. I have never seen a season like this before in my life. I have never seen one team endure so much misfortune in a 4 month period. From the injuries, to the unfortunate plays, to untimely mistakes and sometimes, calls not going their way, this team could have packed it in, but again, I didn't see that in them. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am proud to be a Redskins fan.

Chris Cooley, Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas, Ladell Betts, Chad Rinehart, and now Clinton Portis are all done for the season. We may not ever know what could have been, but the Saints know in their heart that they dodged a HUGE bullet. I am not going to spend time rambling on about this past Sunday. We lost, end of discussion. This coming Sunday, we have the Raiders. I would have been apt to believe that the Raiders were an awful football team, until I saw them play the Eagles. Talk about an eye opener. It wasn't pretty, but they beat the Eagles. And now the Redskins are going to take the trip out west play Oakland. This game has the potential to be a shootout. All of a sudden Bruce Gradkowski looks like Jeff Garcia when he was with the 49ers. I knew the potential that Oakland possessed, but it is scary to think about what these players are going to be like in 2-4 years.

Louis Murphy, Darius Heyward-Bey, Chaz Schilens, Zach Miller, Darren McFadden, Michael Bush and Justin Fargas (whose father is Huggy Bear by the way, Mr. Antonio Fargas) are all studs. Don't get it twisted. The Raiders are stacked with talent, and this is only on the Offensive side. On Defense Tyvon Branch, Kirk Morrison, Michael Huff and even a blast from the past Greg Ellis are all on that Defense. But the guy that strikes fear in my heart is their Cornerback Nnamdi Asamougha. Talk about your playmakers. This guy can change the complexion of the game in the blink of an eye. There are a lot of players who can come up with timely turnovers, but when that player can turn that turnover into points, you need to account for them. Asamougha is one of those guys. I do feel that if we play ball control, like we've been doing over the past few weeks, we are going to win hands down. But if the Redskins get behind and we are forced to pass the ball, advantage Raiders. This teams Defense is bad news. They are extremely dangerous and create pressure with their front seven. And although our line has been protecting better, I don't think we can protect against these guys if they decide to start blitzing.

See lost in the game Sunday was Jason Campbell's best performance of his career. Regardless of what anyone thinks, this is our guy. He showed what he can do when you give him time. And please don't repeat the dumbest line that I have ever heard, "He doesn't do well when he's pressured!!!" WHO THE HELL DOES??!! Jason Campbell can't block, read, throw and catch all in one play. Give the man a break. I hope wherever he is next season, he does well. I am glad that no one has questioned his intelligence. That seems to be common theme these days. Either the QB is stupid or lazy. He's neither. People want him to be fiery, he's a cool customer. People want him to complain, but even after taking a pounding, he remains even keeled. I love the guy. I met him right after he got drafted, and the guy I met that night is the same guy that I see to this day. Very down to earth, and humble. I am hoping that he can finish this campaign with a 4-game win streak. It's the least that could go right in a season that's gone all wrong. And this Sunday, I predict that if the Redskins win, Jason Campbell will get the game ball. I see another good performance in his future. I'll go out on a limb:

Washington 24, Oakland 13.

In Every Season There Is A Defining Moment....

... a moment that gives you a glimpse into the future. Some of these moments leave you asking the question, “Why can’t we get this all of the time?” In other cases these moments are a turning point in some lucky team’s season. Well the former may be true this Sunday at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. The Washington Redskins are playing host to the New Orleans Saints. Yes, these are the same Saints that just dismantled the Patriots 38-17. Drew Brees looked like someone pissed him off pregame and he wanted to prove a point. Well point well taken Mr. Brees. But I think the outcome of this coming Sunday is not going to be good….. for the Saints. I am calling the biggest upset of the year. The Redskins will beat the Saints this coming Sunday.

The fact of the matter is the Saints are the best team in football. I hate to break the bad news to Indianapolis, but the Saints can go toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow with you. The only difference is, the Saints Defense is better. Not necessarily better players, just a better scheme for their personnel. Thank Greg Williams and Dan Snyder. Remember Dan Snyder fired Greg Williams, and after a lackluster year in Jacksonville, he landed in New Orleans. Good for him. I am happy Greg Williams found a job. And I am biased when it comes to Defensive Coordinators. I love the bright Defensive minds like Dick Lebeau, Rex Ryan, Tony Dungy, Jim Johnson, and Greg Williams, who were and are the best in the business. And lets take a look at the Offensive Line, the Running Back tandem of Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush, and the outstanding group of Wide Recievers. I already knew Devery Henderson was good. I watched Robert Meachem at Tennessee and knew he was good. Marques Colston slipped through the cracks and basically landed in New Orleans’ lap. And quite frankly he’d scare me in a one-on-one match up. He is 6’4” and can fly. But the guy that seemed to be Brees’ favorite target is Lance Moore. I don’t know where he came from but that dude can ball. And the man running the show should have won the MVP last year, but the media has their collective heads shoved so far up Peyton Manning behind they can't see anything. How can a guy throw for over 5,000 yard and be passed over for the MVP award is beyond me. But with all of that said, I still think that the Redskins are going to beat the Saints.

I have played on that grassy turf surface before. It is a very fast surface. And playing indoors shields you from the elements. So watching them in the Superdome is like watching the second coming of the Greatest Show On Turf. But I am curious as to how they will play outdoors. Hell the Dolphins almost beat them in Miami. But this isn’t Miami and our team is hungry and desparate to prove a point. And, when I watch the Redskins play now I don’t see a team in the midst of turmoil. I see a team who is tired of being kicked around. I see a team who is really starting to fight back. These are the most dangerous of teams to play, because they feel as though they have nothing left to lose. Expect about 40 degree temperatures, snow flurries, 92,000 fans and 53 pissed off players, because everyone has the Redskins losing in double-digit fashion. But I think that is funny. Has anyone watched the Redskins play in the last few weeks? This is not a bad team, and I will keep preaching it until they start proving me right. And I don’t even care if that is next season. This is a team that could easily go 11-5.

I respect the Saints and their Offensive prowess. It’s not everyday that a team dismantles a Bill Belichick team. And to be frank, this was the team that I was expecting to see in 2006 and 2007, but it just didn’t work out that way. And now that they are clicking on all cylinders, they are ripe for the picking. See the Washington Defense can create pressure now with their Offensive Line. And the Linebacker corps is actually good now. Our weak spot on Defense is our Defensive Back group right now. I don't believe that they can shutdown the Saints’ Wide Receivers, but it's not 4-on-4, it's 11-on-11, and our front seven will cause the Saints problems. Our Offensive Line may not be good at Pass Protection, and our Running Backs may not have break away speed and are average at Pass Protection. Jason Campbell is not, nor will he ever be Peyton Manning, and no we don’t have the best Wide Reciever corps in the league. But this game is at FedEx Field, outside exposed to the elements. This team had to endure the loss of Clinton Portis, Randy Thomas, Chris Samuels, Chris Cooley, Ladell Betts, Chris Horton, Albert Haynesworth, DeAngelo Hall, Mike Williams and Chad Rinehart at various points this season and yet, they found themselves in every game this year. This is a team that is on the verge of surprising a lot of people. Why? With all of the negative surrounding this team. They have remained unified.

Usually in situations like this, teams are starting to point fingers and fall apart. Look into the eyes of the Redskins players. They genuinely respect each other and are going to war for each other. No they will not be in the Super Bowl this year, much less the Playoffs. They wont be remembered as one of the best teams in 2009. Hell I find it funny that the Redskins garnered so much attention in a season where a team that was 13-3 last year, started 0-6 and had little said about it. There are organizations such as the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders who absolutely stink. But the general consensus is the Redskins are the worse team in football. Go figure. Well they will put all of that to rest this Sunday. The Redskins will beat the Saints this Sunday and shock the football world. By all accounts the Saints should be in the NFC Championship game this year against the Minnesota Vikings. But there will not be any undefeated teams this year and one of them will be going down Sunday. Don’t let me down boys.

Final score Washington 20, New Orleans 17.

Can’t wait to say I told you so.

Close... But No Cigar!!

It wasn’t easy to watch, but the Redskins put up a fight Sunday against the Eagles in a losing effort, 27-24. I still stand by what I said earlier, in that we have an 10-11 win team. But, when you have Albert Haynesworth, Clinton Portis, DeAngelo Hall, Jeremy Jarmon, Chad Rinehart, Mike Williams, Chris Cooley, Ladell Betts, Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas and even Mike Sellers either get hurt was already hurt coming into the game, you are going to have some problems. It would be en vogue to blame the owner, blame the playcalling, blame the GM and blame certain players, but we are supposed to have enough veteran leadership to counter all of that.

I have watched our Defense, which was ranked in the top 5 going into yesterday’s game, have communication breakdowns, resulting in long TD catches. DeSean Jackson got loose again yesterday. You can’t blame Carlos Rogers for that one folks. It is funny though. People who claim to know football can’t really explain what happened on those long TD’s. I don’t claim to be an expert so I wait for explanations on certain things before I open my mouth. And yesterday’s long TD catch by DeSean Jackson looked like, and for the most part, sounded like there was a breakdown in communication again. I couldn’t really tell if we were supposed to be in Man or Zone. Anyone care to chime in and let me know what the assignments were? I would like to know. In the meantime, I will tip my hat to Donovan McNabb, again.

I know people don’t like him. I know people don’t think that he is smart. I know people think that he is not accurate. I know people think that he is not a Franchise QB. I know people think that he needs to run more. I know people want him to sit in the pocket more. But what people don’t know is that I would like you all to SHUT UP!!!! Donovan wins games, PERIOD!!! I have never in all of my 25 years of watching football heard one player get scrutinized more than Donovan McNabb. Michael Vick and Vince Young gets scrutinized just as much, but not more. I’ll say it again. Philly is still missing key pieces of their team in TE Cornelius Ingram, and LB Stewart Bradley. This is one dangerous team. But the guy that is running the show, who finally has enough talent around him to make some noise is Donovan. I am not going to take away from his win yesterday by saying we gave them the game. Donovan did what he needed to do to win the game. If this were Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning or Peyton Manning, they would be getting praised so I am praising Donovan McNabb.

Yesterday’s game shed light on a lot of things. First of all, Jason Campbell should have received a Roughing The Passer penalty call on the last Redskins' play. Had that been Tom Brady or Peyton Manning they would have made that call. And don’t anyone dispute it, because we watched a guy trip near Tom Brady, not even touch him, and get called for Roughing The Passer. Jason Campbell got slammed, what’s the excuse? But I digress. As bad as everyone claims the Redskins are, they have not been getting blown out of games. People are asking for Washington to be competitive, and for the most part they are. This team has a lot of heart. I have only been frustrated with Washington one time in all of my years of watching football and it was the 1993 season where I felt we underachieved big time. I feel that if we can re-sign Jason Campbell, draft a Left Tackle, draft a Free Safety (moving LaRon back to his "natural" position), sign/draft a CB, sign/draft a backup QB, use Ladell Betts a bit more, higher a new GM and keep the coaching staff in place, we, again, have an 11-win team on our hands. I know everyone disagrees, but riddle me this. Aren’t the Tennessee Titans the same team that went 13-3 last year? The only person that they lost was Albert Haynesworth. Are you going to tell me that the Titans have more talent than the Redskins? If so, why are the Titans 5-6? What changed? Could it be that the QB that they were looking for was one that was already on the roster? Just something to think about. For right now, the Redskins are 3-8, but I am going to say it again, this is not a 3-8 team by any stretch. Keep your head up fellas.

Redskins-Cowboys Recap

Another chapter in the storied rivalry was written Sunday. The Redskins-Cowboys game is always epic. It doesn’t matter what the records are, these two teams come to play. I was a bit disturbed about one thing. Had the Redskins won that game, would the fans have been happy? I mean, if Shaun Suisham would have hit one of the two Field Goals that he missed, would the Redskins fans have been happy with a 9-7 win? I seem to remember earlier in the season when we won a game 9-7 against the Rams, the fans were up in arms. So why is it that a 9-7 victory over Dallas is acceptable, but not over the Rams? Aren’t they both wins? Does it matter what the score was? Wouldn’t you trade in a win for loss right now? I am sure that the Cowboys fans are happy with it.

I can talk all day about Shaun Suisham missing two Field Goals, but the fact of the matter is, our Offense should have been able to score at least one TD Sunday. Now had we put some points on the board on Offense, Suisham missed the Field Goals, and then we lost, I would entertain the thought of him costing us the game. Dallas’ potent #4 ranked Offense couldn’t find the end zone with a map. The playcalling for the Cowboys was very spotty. But the Washington Redskins Defense needs to given some credit. They played a near perfect game. I mean if you hold a team who averages 27 points at home, to only 7 points, you should win that game right? Well not if you only put up 6 points yourself. We all know that the Redskins have had to endure injury after injury. But, I am pretty confident that our team is good for more than 6 points. I know fans of other teams don’t want to hear it, but the Redskins are much better than they are playing right now. And Sunday, was just another game of us not playing up to our potential on Offense. So please don’t blame the kicker.

The Cowboys are loaded with talent, but for some strange reason, in recent years, have not put it together this season either. Don’t get me wrong 7-3 is good, but not good enough for them to think that the have made it. After watching the Cowboys lose to the Packers last week, and barely escaping the Redskins Sunday, I am not impressed with them. But I understand it is all about matchups, and the Redskins and Cowboys are evenly matched, whether you believe it or not. Some would say that Miles Austin pulled a disappearing act. I say that with the play calling and the fact that Miles is a focal point now, the Redskins strategically took him away, until the last drive of the game for Dallas. This is the time for Roy Williams to step up right? WRONG!! He actually sold Tony Romo out a few times. If it were not for Marion Barber, Miles Austin late in the game, and Martellus Bennett, Dallas may have not even scored Sunday. I think Dallas may have given up too much for Roy Williams. But, the other players on the team can pick up the slack. After watching Williams cower going across the middle in fear of being hit by LaRon Landry, I’d be pissed off at him if I were his teammate.

The Redskins Offense, on paper, should have been thoroughly dominated by that Dallas Defense. But the lowly Redskins and their Offense moved the ball quite well all day. What killed us Sunday is what has been killing us all year…. PLAYCALLING!! Especially when we get deep into the other teams territory. But Sunday shed light on something that every football fan should be aware of. Any given Sunday, you can be beaten. And although Sunday was not the day for the Cowboys, I would not be surprised if the Redskins-Cowboys matchup later in the season ends with a Redskins win. As poor as our Offense is supposed to be, they should me heart and fight Sunday. I mean the Redskins have lost 3 Offensive Lineman for the season and are down two Running Backs, but can still remain competitive enough to give themselves a chance to win a game. I guess that Offense is not that bad after all, huh?

I will give Dallas credit for one thing. Their Defense did play a good game Sunday. And their Defense kept them in the game long enough for them to have a chance to win the game at the end. And they did what any good team would do. They took advantage of opportunities, or in this case, an opportunity. They won a game that was left on the table for them to win. Right now, Dallas is sitting in 1st place of the NFC East. But, I am looking forward to their games against Philadelphia and the second game against the Redskins. These are always great matchups. Who ever wins the NFC will end up in the NFC Championship Game this year. Bank on it. For right now, I will try to accept the fact that my Redskins lost a game that they dominated for 57 minutes. The 7-6 loss was reminiscent of a 9-7 loss about 5 years ago when Stephen Davis fumbled inside the Cowboys 10 yard line in the closing seconds. And just like that season, we were left wondering how many more ways can we lose games. I hope I don’t have to find out.

The System Vs. The Player

I have this discussion all of the time. Do you get players to fit your system, or do you adjust your system to fit the players that you have? Most coaches/recruiters/trainers are not willing to adjust their system to fit the talent. Is it ego? Is it the fear of failure? Is the fear of the unknown? Stepping outside the box to see what happens can be scary. The unknown may turn out to be a place of success. But, the unknown may also be a place of failure. Do you take the chance? Or do you stick to your guns? Which is the right answer? The System or the Player?

I ask this question because of the issues that the Washington Redskins have had this 2009 season. But if you look around the league there are other teams who have a bit of an issue with this topic as well. Vince Young or Kerry Collins? Shaun Hill or Alex Smith? J.P. Losman or Trent Edwards or Ryan Fitzpatrick? Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson? Bruce Gradkowski or JeMarcus Russell? Josh Freeman or Josh Johnson? Jay Cutler or Kyle Orton? I mean I’d love to see if Matt Hasselback could play outside of the West Coast Offense. If you ask me, Hasselbeck has been average at best, but for some reason he gets a pass. Please don’t give me any crap about Hasselbeck making the Super Bowl. He didn’t win it. I mean Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman made the Super Bowl too. So, if Hasselbeck get’s a pass so do they. Could Peyton Manning play in the West Coast Offense. Hell if we switched Petyon Manning and Matt Hasselbeck what would the results be? Would Jim Mora switch to a Spread Offense to suit Peyton? Or, would Peyton have to learn a new system. That should be easy for him right, I mean the general consensus is Peyton Manning is smart, so switching Offense’s should be easy for him right? Does Seattle have the parts around Peyton for him to be successful? I certainly think that Indianapolis has everything for Matt Hasselbeck to be successful.

Let’s look at Michael Vick and Matt Schaub. Remember Matt Schaub played well when Mike Vick got hurt? Well the reason why Michael Vick didn’t do so well in that system is because he had to sit in the pocket. If any bright ass was watching Vick at Virginia Tech, we all know that Vick NEVER sat in the pocket. This to me is poor coaching. You can make the point that Vick never studied. Point well taken. But isn’t this the same guy, whom we just established never studied, that later ran the Spread Option Offense with Warrick Dunn and basically ran his way into the record books? This is also the same guy that went 12-4 in 2004 and was one game away from the Super Bowl. But for some strange reason people believed that Matt Schuab was better than Michael Vick. Imagine if Michael Jenkins and Roddy White didn’t leave their hands in the locker room all of those years. This may have been one of the most potent Offenses in the league. Matt Schaub has since moved on to the Houston Texans. I do see why people were high on him. He is a solid QB, but he hasn’t won anything folks. And truth be told, he actually has more talent in Houston right now, than he did when he was in Atlanta. So why is he not winning? Was it the system? What do you think? You make the call.

I had a guy run me down one day. He is an Eagles fan, but for some strange reason doesn’t like Donovan McNabb. My initial belief was that he thinks Donovan can’t win big games. But after delving deeper into the situation, I was amazed at what I heard from this guy. He believes Donovan is not accurate. He also believes that Donovan can only throw the deep ball. So I asked a dumb question, “Is the degree of difficulty higher the longer/deeper the pass?” I then asked him to name his top 3 QB’s in the NFL? Keep in mind, this is like 2 years ago. He says Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Fair enough. I then asked him to give me another 3, he then says Phillip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Eli Manning. At this point I am livid. At this particular time, Carson Palmer was stinking up the joint and so was Eli Manning. So I asked him about his own teams starting QB, and he says that his teams QB (Philadelphia Eagles – Donovan McNabb), was not in the Top 10. Now I don’t claim to like him, but even Tony Kornheiser thought that people should recognize Donovan as the #3 QB in the league. I mean isn’t this the same guy who ran the hell out of the West Coast Offense with #2 and #3 WR’s for like 4 straight years? Do we remember what happened when he actually got a playmaker at WR, in Terrell Owens? What was Carson Palmer’s excuse? He was in the same system with two legit #1 WR’s (T.J. Houshmanzedah and Chad Ochocinco [then Johnson]), and never matched McNabb’s production. The only difference is Donovan was in the right system with the wrong pieces. What was Carson Palmer’s excuse? He had the right pieces, was he in the wrong system?

I brought all of this up to talk about a guy that I think is unfairly criticized, Jason Campbell. He is more suited for a Power Running game. Sure he ran the West Coast Offense in college, but in which system was he most successful when he got the NFL? We can talk about the owner, the V.P. of Football Operations, and the General Manager all day, but the guy that I think tried to do the right thing, but reverted back to his old ways was Coach Jim Zorn. He had the right idea last year and trying to combine a Power Running game with the West Coast Passing Game. I understand we suffered some injuries on the Offensive Line, but why do you think the Redskins started 6-2 last year. People tried to say it was film, but it doesn’t take 8 weeks for any NFL team to figure you out. Trust me people, it really takes about 2-4 days before any NFL coach can figure out what you do. People knew what we were doing, they just couldn’t stop it. Coach Zorn adjusted the system to fit the players, that’s why he was successful. Why is/was he struggling towards the end of last year and the beginning of this year? He tried to make the players fit the system. The reality is, everyone has injuries at this point in the season. And although we have had our fair share of injuries, the Redskins played one of their best games of the season against the Broncos. If you were paying attention, the play-calling was something straight out of the book of Joe Gibbs, minus all the motioning pre-snap. Imagine what happens when/if the starters come back. Although Ladell Betts had a great game, just remember the guy that he replaced had 1,487 Rushing yards last year. He got 1, 000 of those yards in the first half of the season in 2008 before injuries got a hold of him and the Offensive Line. But we also stopped doing what was working. So we will never know if it was truly the system or the personnel. So to answer the original question, is it the player or the system. It is a combination of both in some cases, but you have to be open to going either way.

All Betts Are On, All Day!!

I know, I know. I am the biggest Redskins fan there is and I didn’t pick us to beat the Broncos yesterday. Tar and feather me!! I did, however, know that Ladell Betts would have a good game. Partly because our Offensive Lineman, although two are fill-ins, were all playing their original positions. This kind of helps a bit. But Betts has filled in for Clinton Portis before and had over 1,000 yards in only 9 games. Most people, myself included, had been blinded by Betts’ inability to hold on to the ball lately, but yesterday we were quickly reminded as to how good this guy is and why we liked him in the first place. He had opportunities to go elsewhere, but he said that he loved being here, he loved being a Redskins. Although he is a football player, we could take note of his unselfish attitude. Why? Because like everything else, attitudes like this are contagious.

Matthew Ladell Betts grew up an only child in Kansas City, KS. While in high school, Betts was a track star, but was widely known for his accomplishments on the football field. His Senior year in high school, Betts not only led his team to a 10-1 record, but he was also named USA Today’s Missouri Player of the year. He garnered All-State and All-Metro honors on the gridiron. He also won the Thomas Simone Award, which usually goes to the best high school player in the Kansas City area, and was named a Parade and Super Prep All-American. The foundation was laid for Betts to be a very selfish player. But he was not highly recruited coming out of high school so he attended the University of Iowa. Some would consider this a humbling experience. After winning a team MVP award, as well as making All-Big Ten 2nd team, Betts was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 2nd Round (56th Overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft. Again, this is enough for people to develop the “ME” attitude, but Betts never showed any signs of being that way.

Talk to his teammates, talk to reporters, talk to the Coaches, they all share the same sentiments. Betts is the consummate professional, a great teammate and a great locker room guy. This is a Joe Gibbs kind of player. If you bust your ass during the off-season, bust your ass during training camp, and bust your ass in practice, you will not be surprised at what happens in the game. So what Ladell Betts did yesterday (26 carries, 114 yards, one TD) versus the Broncos was something that I have come to expect from him. It was good to see a good guy get a great opportunity, albeit unfortunate circumstances. About three years ago, I envisioned using him and Clinton Portis as a 1-2 punch, but that never materialized. And at the end of the 2006 season, Betts could have gone anywhere in the NFL as he was a Free Agent. But, he chose to stay here in a backup role. Why? Because, he enjoys being a Redskin. In an organization that is in turmoil, it is nice to see and hear a story like this one.

Now at the ripe old age of 30, standing at 5’11” and weighing in at 225 lbs., he may be considered small, but when it comes to heart, there are very few who can match Ladell’s heart in size. I wish him nothing but the best because guys like this don’t grow on trees. Players like this aren’t born everyday. And teammates like this only come by once in a Blue Moon. Although, people are quick to say Clinton Portis is finished, people have to consider the fact that Portis and Betts are pretty much the same size and height [Betts 5’11”, 225 lbs.; Portis 5’11” 221 lbs.]. The only difference is, Betts (30) is about 2 years older than Portis (28). So if you think Portis is done should you not think the same thing about Betts? I mean we all have heard that Portis is “old and slow.” But, Betts showed yesterday that age is just a number. I know what you are going to say, "Portis has been banged up for the past two seasons." That might be true. But don't you also hope that Betts can continue to produce the way he did yesterday. Who knows!! If Portis is able to return again this season we have a pretty good Spell Back in Betts. And if we keep this particular line in tact we could be looking at two 1000-yd. rushers. But until then….. RUN BETTS, RUN!!!

He's Moved On, But Have We?

Anyone that knows me understands that I am very biased when it comes to Defensive Players, especially Cornerbacks. I think it is extremely hard to draft Cornerbacks. I also think that it is extremely hard to find a cornerstone at Cornerback. I am really a fan of bigger, more athletic Cornerbacks. Nnamdi Asamougha, Al Harris, Ike Taylor, Cortland Finnegan, Mike McKenzie, Antonio Cromartie and Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie are all favorites of mine. But I am leaving one guy out, and it hurts me to admit this, but it’s been about 5 years now and I still miss him. I am selfish, I wanted him to stay and work it out. I know we got Clinton Portis in the trade, but if you ask me, I have always said that Denver got the better end of that deal.

Roland “Champ” Bailey was not your average Cornerback. This was the guy that any franchise would have used a 1^st round draft pick on. I would venture to say that he could have easily gone #1 overall in just about any NFL Draft, but thank goodness he went #7 to the Redskins. Standing at 6’0”, weighing in at 192 lbs., he may not be a giant, but he is big enough to cause some problems for the other teams passing game. His blazing speed (4.28 40-Yard Dash Time) and ridiculous vertical (44”), made it extremely hard for the Redskins to pass on him. And, although I hate the damn test, he scored a very impressive 25 on the Wonderlic (a good score for a Cornerback is an 18). I guess you can be athletic and smart after all huh? But all of the workout numbers pale in comparison to what he as done on the field.

Just look at what Champ’s done in his career. He has 547 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 43 Interceptions including a season in which he had the fewest passes thrown at him, but he led the NFL with 10 INT’s. He is also a 1998 Branko Nagursky trophy winner (awarded to the best college Defensive player in the nation), 8-time Pro Bowler, 3-time All-Pro 1^st team, and 3-time All-Pro 2^nd team selection. Probably one of the most decorated Cornerback in NFL history. And probably the closest thing you are going to get to a “Shutdown Corner” (a term that I hate because it is impossible to completely shutout any Wide Receiver). If you can’t see why I was heartbroken when he left, you don’t know football.

Don’t get me wrong, I am biased but, I am also greedy. I wish that it was some way that we could have gotten Clinton Portis without giving Champ Bailey. Can you imagine that? But I know we had to give something to get something. And although I love Clinton Portis, I still say that Denver got the better end of the deal, because we have yet to replace a guy that would have been a cornerstone for years. Well this Sunday he comes back to FedEx field for the first time since the trade. I know he is filled with anxiety and anticipation. But he will also be a bit nostalgic. For a long time I thought he wanted to leave. Well the story was, that the free spending Daniel Snyder, who usually never spares any expense, didn’t want to pay Champ Bailey. I am no scout, I am not even close to being considered an expert, but I know one thing. This is one guy that I would have been locked up in a contract for a VERY long time. There is no way Champ would have ever left. In any event, I will enjoy seeing him come back to FedEx field, even if it with another team. I will always remember the time that he played here in D.C. I can look like an expert right now stating the obvious, that Champ Bailey was, and probably still is a Top 5 Cornerback. But use your own two eyes in evaluating talent, especially the young men coming out in the draft. Tell me if you think that guys like Champ Bailey grow on trees. I can sure as hell tell you that they don’t and this is one mistake Daniel Snyder will always have to live with. Imagine if you will, for a minute, a starting lineup featuring:

Brian Orakpo – Defensive End

Jason Taylor - Defensive End

Cornelius Griffin – Defensive Tackle

Albert Haynesworth – Defensive Tackle

London Fletcher – Middle Linebacker

LaVar Arrington – Weakside Linebacker

Marcus Washington – Strongside Linebacker

Sean Taylor – Free Safety

LaRon Landry – Strong Safety

Sean Springs – Cornerback

Champ Bailey – Cornerback

I know it is a fantasy, but you can’t blame me for thinking it.

He Was Doomed From The Start

I have been biting my tongue for so long now, it is about to come off. I can’t do it anymore. I heard the most preposterous, most insane, most ridiculous solution to the Redskins problems the other day, and I just about lost it. “Bring back Mark Brunell!!” What in the world was this person smoking? Don’t get me wrong, I loved Mark Brunell, but do people have selective amnesia? Wasn’t Mark Brunell replaced by Jason Campbell? Hell wasn’t Mark Brunell replaced by Byron Leftwich in Jacksonville. And this is what people call a solution to the problem? Are you kidding me? I am going to ruffle some feathers, but some of Jason Campbell’s problems stem from him being a Black QB. Prove me wrong on this one, and I’ll stop posting.

I have been watching football for a while now. Do you recognize these names? Names like Vince Evans, Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Doug Williams, Daunte Culpepper, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Vince Young, David Garrard, Byron Leftwich, Kordell Stewart, Aaron Brooks, Seneca Wallace, Dennis Dixon, Charlie Batch, Andre Ware, Troy Smith, Chris Leake, Josh Johnson, Josh Freeman, Andre Woodson, JeMarcus Russell, Pat White, Quincy Carter and countless others. There are other Black QB’s who were asked to change positions in the NFL in order to continue their careers. Do you recognize names like Michael Robinson, Josh Cribbs, Hines Ward, Brian Mitchell, and Antwaan Randle El? By no means am I saying that all of these guys were great, but are you meaning to tell me that not one of these guys were good enough to be considered a Franchise Quarterback? Not one of them? Are you kidding me? See when you have people like Mel Kiper telling you that Ryan Leaf will be better than Peyton Manning I don’t know how much I want to listen to him. Or when I hear Tim Couch is the best player in a draft that featured Daunte Culpepper and Donovan McNabb, I tend to scratch my head. And if you ask me Jason Campbell was doomed before he started.

I remember watching the draft and hearing when Jason Campbell was drafted. I was excited because you rarely hear anything good on draft day about a Black QB. One of the first things that I remember hearing Coach Joe Gibbs saying about Jason Campbell was something that I NEVER hear people say about any Black QB. “He is super smart.” How many times have you heard this about any Black QB? Go ahead and think. I’ll wait. I have all day. I have heard this numerous times regard non-Black QBs. Another term that I hear about average non-Black QBs is, “He has the “it” factor.” To me this is a cop out. The “experts” can’t really find anything to say that will set this guy apart so they make up something. The “it” factor!!! The “it” factor is a bunch of IT if you ask me. See right now, there are a myriad of things wrong with the Washington Redskins that are minor, but the general consensus is Jason Campbell is the biggest problem. Really?

See a couple of years ago when Carson Palmer was stinking up the joint, the “experts” were saying Palmer didn’t look like himself and that he is distracted by his Wide Reciever Chad Ochocinco (then Johnson), and that his Offensive Line was banged up, and that he was still feeling the after affects of his ACL surgery 4 years later. These are all excuses people. Even last year when Peyton Manning was struggling, he got a free pass. “Peyton Manning doesn’t look like Peyton Manning.” Look, just say the dude was playing poorly. Don’t get it twisted, I love Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning is the best QB in the NFL right now (but we all know when he gets healthy, Tom Brady is the best QB in the NFL, hands down). I think he’s a stud at QB, but he gets a free pass. Even Donovan McNabb, arguably the #3 best QB in the NFL at one point wasn’t getting his due respect. Matt Hasselbeck has pretty much done the exact same things McNabb has done, but for some strange reason, Donovan gets most of the criticism. Poor Josh Freeman couldn’t even celebrate his first NFL start and first NFL win in peace before some “expert” said that he didn’t have a great game. Which game was he watching? My point is, it doesn’t matter what Jason Campbell does at this point. He will never be considered good.

He can go win a Super Bowl or two later on in his career and all people will remember is him struggling. He doesn’t get the excuses Palmer gets. Jason Campbell’s line is actually banged up. Jason Campbell is actually suffering from some minor injuries. Jason Campbell has never been backed up by the organization. Jason Campbell has never been referred to as a Franchise QB. Jason Campbell could go to other teams and start. Which teams you might ask? Buffalo, Miami, Cleveland, Kansas City, Oakland, Chicago, Detroit, Carolina, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, San Francisco and Seattle. But all he endures is criticism. I will hear people say that he doesn’t have a #1 Wide Receiver. I will hear people say that he holds on to the ball too long. I will hear people say that his Offensive Line is horrible. I will hear people say that he is playing for a poorly run organization. I will hear people say that the Redskins have no running game. I will hear people say that the Redskins don’t have the personnel to run the West Coast Offense. Well if Jason Campbell has all of these things working against him, why doesn’t he get a free pass? Because, from the beginning no one is really sold on Black QB successfully running any team. They are still looked at as athletes who happen to play QB. No one really thinks Black QB posses the mental capacity to handle a play book or to think quickly and make decisions (thanks to dumbest test in the world, the Wonderlic). And when the chips are down, people will use some very harsh and unnecessary adjectives to describe that particular player. Worthless, stupid, sorry, dumb, and god forbid the QB is a pocket passer, which Jason Campbell happens to be, he is called…. SLOW!!! All of these words ring with racial undertones that give me flashbacks. Face it people. Football is a microcosm of the real world. Guys like Jason Campbell could have a building fall on top of him, and for some strange reason, it would still be his fault.

I am one who believes in looking at players as players, not based off of skin color and I don’t use code words. I talk straight. If you ask me right now, I will tell you that I am sold on Tom Brady being the best QB in the NFL. I will tell you that the owners for New England and Pittsburgh are exactly how an organization should be run. I will tell you that, even though I am a bit biased, Joe Gibbs is the perfect mix between being an authoritarian and a players coach. At the same token I will tell you that the most controversial player in the NFL, Terrell Owens, is still the best player in the NFL. Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady are the only two QBs in the NFL to win on a consistent basis with less than stellar talent around them. The best Center in the NFL is Jeff Saturday. The best players in the NFL floating under the radar are Kyle Orton and Miles Austin. The next guy to be considered the best WR in the NFL is Brandon Marshall. The best Defensive Coordinator in NFL is Dick Lebeau. I am only biased when it comes to Defensive Coordinators. So I am by no means, blindly playing the race card. But, I will call a spade a spade. Jason Campbell is in the worse possible situation right now, and does not deserve the criticism that he is being laced with. We need to rethink our standards of what a good QB is. He is by no means the worse QB in the NFL, but he is the QB in the worse position. You can put Mark Brunell, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, or Tom Brady back there, and they wouldn't do any better. If you know football, New England and Indianapolis got it right. Give your QB a line and it is amazing what they can do. Tom Brady is the perfect example. He won 3 Super Bowls with average Wide Receivers, but a stellar Offensive Line. In my opinion, give Jason Campbell an Offensive Line and a vote of confidence and he will join Doug Williams, hopefully one day, Donovan McNabb, as the only Black QB's to win a Super Bowl.