‘Skins Win In OT vs. Jags, 20-17

Rex Grossman came though again this Sunday to lift Redskins past the Jaguars, sorta. Grossman did just enough to not hurt the Redskins this past Sunday against the Jaguars. In an efficient, yet, effective manner, Grossman systematically moved the Redskins up and down the field and provided just enough Offense to beat the depleted Jaguars. Now lets not forget that the Redskins themselves are depleted. A bit more than the Jaguars. But, the injuries never really seemed to affect the Redskins, but just a few injuries affected the Jaguars and made them look like an average team Sunday against the Redskins. Now with the Redskins improving to 6-9, what’s next?

 

This coming Sunday is the season finale for the Washington Redskins as they play host to the N.Y. Giants. The Giants (9-6) really need to win this game to keep their slim Playoff hopes alive. In their last meeting, that New Jersey wind and the N.Y. Giants whipped up on the Redskins something kind of fierce. It was an embarrassment of sorts. The Giants were playing with their #3 and #4 WR’s and the knew that their only chance of winning was running the ball against the Redskins. And wouldn’t you know it, the Giants ran early and often. In the end the Giants won 31-7. But if you ask me, the Giants have been nothing but mediocre since then. The Giants are a 1-2 over the last 3 games, which includes a 45-17 drubbing at the hands of the Packers this past Sunday. The Giants seemed poised for a Playoff run, but now we are not so sure. In the meantime Washington has a lot their plate as the NFL Scouting Combine, Free Agency and the NFL Draft are all right around the corner.

Well it really looks like Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth will not be returning to the Redskins next season. At this junction, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Shanahan’s are right out the door behind them. McNabb, whom the Redskins gave up a 2010 2nd Round Draft Pick and a 2011 4th Round Draft Pick for, looks like he will be getting away for nothing in return. It seems to the common theme in the past 10 years. Jason Campbell and Jason Taylor come to mind immediately, as it relates to guys the Redskins brought in, did not groom, and let get away and are doing well for the Raiders and Jets respectively. So where do you think McNabb and Haynesworth will land? I think McNabb will be in Arizona or Minnesota, and I think Haynesworth will land in Tennessee, Oakland or Kansas City. What about Clinton Portis? Is Portis coming back? If am the Redskins, I would Franchise tag him and pray that I either get trade offers before Week 6 of next season, or he doesn’t get hurt.  Otherwise, with Draft Picks in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th Rounds, with multiple picks in the later Rounds.  Can you see the Redskins drafting a QB and RB this April?

As the season winds down, there are a ton of question that need to be answered.  There are holes in the Defense, specifically the fron 7 in the 3-4 Defense at Defensive Line and at one Outside Linebacker spot.  There is going to be a huge void at QB and may set the Redskins back another few years.  If Malcolm Kelly can't go next year, the Redskins will be back in the draft for a big bodied WR.  The Redskins may need another Center, and there may be a hole at Running Back.  It seems like with all of the Offseason moves that the Redskins have made over the past years, they just haven't quite got it right yet.  We have nothing to build on again this Offseason.  I have said it numerous times, anyone can sign big name Free Agents and look like a genius in the 1st, 2nd and even the 3rd Round of the NFL Draft.  But, if you want to impress me, go find another guy like Anthony Armstrong in the Free Agent pool.  Find another stud late in the Draft like Marko Mitchell, whom the Redskins never gave a real shot.  Implement and Offense and Defense that is around for 8-10 years.  We can't keep pissing in the wind and hoping things will go well.  Because again, if we don't get it right, our fans may start sporting the brown paper bag to our games with the words "Fire Dan Snyder" enscribed on it.

Late FG Just Lifts Cowboys Past Redskins 33-30

So I was really pissed off about the Redskins benching Donovan McNabb. That was the ultimate disrespect for a guy who has been nothing but a class act in the NFL for the past 11 years. Manning, Brady nor Favre would have been done like that. At least the Packers told Brett ahead of time that he was being phased out by Aaron Rodgers. Favre was still offered a starting job in two other places after Green Bay. But McNabb is at the point of his career where he needs to put his foot down and tell someone to kiss his ass. And after all that, the Redskins had a game to play. Not just any game though. It was a game against Dallas. You know the D.C. natives get up for the Cowboys every time we play them. This particular week was very weird. The Cowboys were an afterthought. More was being made of the McNabb benching. And it showed in the first half of the game as Dallas mounted a 20-7 lead.

Santana Moss' 8 catches, 72 yards and 2 TD catches were not enough to help the Redskins Sunday.

I am just as shocked as anyone that team with so much talent is only 5-9. Everyone had Dallas slated to go to the Super Bowl and play the game at home. That sounded great but someone forgot to tell the Cowboys that they have to play at least 18 games to get a shot at playing for an NFL Championship. A team that boasts talents such as Bradie James, Michael Jenkins, DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Felix Jones, Dez Bryant and Mr. Hollywood himself, Tony Romo should be 12-2 at this point of the season. But when you have coaching problems and injuries you will find yourself in a similar situation. And Jon Kitna is the perfect backup QB. There is no surprise that Kitna played the way he did Sunday. The Cowboys narrowly escaped with a win, 33-30. But considering that Marion Barber, Roy Williams and Tony Romo were all out Sunday, Dallas played well enough to come away with a win. But as much as the Cowboys were happy to come away with a win, Washington was just happy to be competitive.

Rex Grossman has developed into a viable backup QB. Grossman is the ultimate pro and is a good locker room guy for any NFL squad. The problem is, Grossman is starting for Washington. That alone should explain the trouble that Washington is in, and the trouble ahead for GM Bruce Allen. Now where do you go next year? Does McNabb come back? Do you draft a QB in the 2011 NFL Draft? Do you bring Grossman back as a starter? Does Albert Haynesworth come back? Do you trade Haynesworth? Do you bring back Kyle Shanahan? Hell, do you bring back Mike Shanahan? With all of this going on in D.C., it is amazing that Washington was able to play a game and be competitive Sunday. To be honest with you, I really didn’t care if we won the game or not. I was more interested in how Grossman would play. And in the first half, it was gross man!!! There were blown assignments, bad reads by both Grossman and a couple of Wide Receivers, and INT’s. But in the second half Grossman did a great job of moving the ball and putting up points. So much so that Washington had a chance actually win the game, but as usual, Washington couldn’t come up with the big stop when they needed it and Dallas marched right down the field and kicked what would prove to be the game-winning FG. Now at 5-9, the Redskins have to gear up to play the Jaguars next week.

In case you haven’t noticed, David Garard has the Jaguars playing well this year. And with young talents like Marcedes Lewis and Mike Sims-Walker on the same team with guys like Maurice Jones-Drew and Rashean Mathis, the Jags are a very tough outing. Now how do you concentrate on the Jaguars when you have so much turmoil going on in your backyard. McNabb gets moved to the #3 QB on the depth chart. Haynesworth is suspended, Safeties LaRon Landry and Chris Horton are on the IR list. And the fans in D.C. are turned off by the latest happenings. If I am a Redskins player, I am already planning my vacation. I want to get as far away from Ashburn, VA as I can. I don’t want to talk to a reporter until training camp opens next year. As a matter of fact, I may not even do an interview until training camp next year. What do I have to talk about? If I have to answer on more Albert Haynesworth, Kyle Shanahan or Donovan McNabb questions, I just may punch someone in the head. And after the way this season has gone for the Redskins, could you blame me? Next stop Jacksonville.

Redskins Lose To Bucs; Lose Shot at Playoffs

It was almost as if fate was toying with the emotions of the fans. Ryan Torain in his first game back from injury, was running roughshod through the Buccaneers Defense. Torain posted 158 yards in the first half. He was clearly on his way to a 300-yard record-setting performance, right? WRONG!!!! Instead the Buccaneers Defense clamps down and shuts down the Redskins running game. And to add insult to injury, the young QB for the Buccaneers looked like a seasoned veteran in the Second Half as he engineered, albeit ugly, a comeback that was noteworthy. This is Josh Freeman’s 2nd year as an NFL Qarterback. This young man has a bright future. The Bucs fans have a lot to which to look forward. But what about the Redskins fans?

Donovan McNabb couldn’t have played a better game. McNabb completed 22 of 25 passes for 228 yards and 2 TD passes, and more importantly, no interceptions. Ryan Torain finished the game with 173 Rushing Yards, in a stellar performance. Santana Moss redeemed himself Sunday after dropping a game-changing pass last week that resulted in an Interception. Moss had 7 catches for 82 yards and a Touchdown catch on 5th down. Yes, that’s right. That’s not a typo. The Redskins were awarded an extra down on that final drive. And even when they were given an early Christmas gift, they gave it right back, botching the PAT try in the closing seconds. Just when the Redskins fans were about to grip on to the fading NFL Playoff hopes, it slipped right through their fingers quicker than the PAT snap going through Hunter Smith’s hands Sunday. But on the other sideline there was something going on that I can’t ignore.

Raheem Morris has done a good job of turning around the lowly Bucs. What is impressive to me is the fact that, as young as he is, the players respect him. It is nice to see another young Black coach doing well in the NFL. It wasn’t long ago that Black men coaching on the NFL was a rarity. On top of that, there is a young Black QB playing for Morris who caught my eye during the 2009 NFL Combine in Josh Freeman. Freeman only attempted 25 passes Sunday, but he was very efficient and did a good job of managing the game. It wasn’t pretty, but at seasons end, Freeman and Bucs will be in the NFL Playoffs. At this point who really cares how pretty or ugly a win is? Morris has engineered an impressive turnaround of a team that was just 3-13 last year and had to start Josh Johnson, another Rookie (at the time) last year. The best part about this team is that they are extremely talented and very young. Give Morris a few years and the Bucs could be challenging the Falcons and the Saints for the NFC South Divisional title. That is more than we can say for Washington.

Washington is just looking for their first winning season and NFL Playoff appearance since 2007. What can be done? What is/are the next move(s)? Is LaRon Landry going to be o.k. for next season? Is Albert Haynesworth going to be traded? Are we going to stick with the 3-4 Defense? Which Linebackers are going to be cut/traded? Are the Redskins going to go after another Wide Receiver? Are the Redskins going to Draft/sign any Offensive Linemen during the Offseason? Is Donovan McNabb going to still be in Washington next year? All of these questions will be answered by July 2011 when the Pre-Season kicks off. But for right now, at 5-8, Washington can only hope to finish at .500 and not lose their fans yet again. But after watching Washington lose to the Texans, Viking, Buccaneers, Lions and Rams, can you really blame our fans for turning on us?  There would have to be a huge turnaround next season for the fans to show any hope.  Because at this point, most people are selling their season tickets.  That would have never happened during the Joe Gibbs era.  It might be time for Snyder to re-evaluatae his coaching decision yet again.  Don't surprised to see another coaching change in 2011.

Giants Embarrass Redskins, Haynesworth Suspended

It wasn’t much of a game from the start. The Giants and that New Jersey wind blew Washington away, 31-7. So many little things happened in that game that bothered me and should bother any other Redskin fan. The Giants had a basic game plan and executed it to perfection. Run the ball down the Redskins’ throat and dare them to stop it. Well the Redskins stopped it alright. They stopped it in the Second Half when the score was already 21-0. Kinda late at that point don’t you think? But maybe there was more going on with the Redskins than we knew about.

You can’t have internal issues going on and wonder why you are not putting out a good product. The Redskins have a big issue to take care right now, maybe two by seasons end. For all we know, there might be a third. Issue number is Albert Haynesworth. Is Albert really the problem? Here we have a talented player who is unhappy. Is this another case of Terrell Owens or is this a Josh McDaniel-type issue? Whose ego is really out of control? It may surprise you, but I actually think that both are to blame. Coach Shanahan is trying to impose his will and Albert wants to be successful doing the exact same things that he was doing in Tennessee. Haynesworth has somewhat closed himself off to learning anything new. Some of that has to do with him feeling like he tried it “their way” and it didn’t work and the fans were booing him. Now he is reluctant to try any other new thing because he has lost trust for the Redskins and the organization. If you have played sports on any level, you know first hand, sometimes coaches can be assholes. And to a man, we all wish that we could have told one of our bosses to kiss our asses. It just so happens that Haynesworth’s feud is being televised. But he is not entirely to blame.

Coach Shanahan has to come in and establish authority. There is nothing wrong with that. But when does it becomes an issue of ruling with an iron fist, and just being disrespectful, then all bets are off. I don’t care what anyone says, the “Conditioning Test” was a form of torture. How many times is someone going to run 300 yards on one play? If he made Albert do the conditioning test one time before practice then I would have understood. But Haynesworth had to run it numerous times. I don’t care what kind of shape that you think you are in, that is one hard ass test. Secondly, Shanahan brought in Joey Galloway and penciled him in as a starter. But Galloway was rarely, if ever, used. And to add insult to injury, Galloway gets released in the middle of the season. We wasted that man’s time. Third, and most disturbing to me, is we made the move for Donovan McNabb and have yet to take care of McNabb like the Hall Of Fame QB that he is. Our Offensive Line is bruised and battered again. No surprise there. Who doesn’t have injury issues on their team? But don’t deactivate one of our best Offensive Linemen (Derrick Dockery) and wonder why the guy that is playing out of position in Dockery’s place is struggling. Donovan, statistically is having one of, if not, the worst season of his career. McNabb has never thrown more INT’s than TD’s in any season in his career. He is on pace to do it for the first time in his career this year. And to make matters worse, we have been having the case of the drops lately. That is why the Shanahan regime looks like a hot mess right now. No wonder the Giants steam rolled the Redskins.

I am not going to take anything from the Giants. The were down like 3 Wide Receiver’s and a couple of starters on their Offensive Line, namely Dave Diehl and Shaun O’Hare. Their only option was to run the ball. They did that and then some. Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks were both hurt. Mario Manningham was the No. 1 WR and did very little Sunday. Yet, the Giants were able to put up 31 points. Now you tell me, is that talent or coaching? The Giants, over the past 6 season have just done a good job of taking care of business when the need too. That is a direct result of coaching. Yes, Tom Coughlin is a rock solid asshole, but his players respect him. Right now, Shanahan is on the verge of losing his entire team. He has to do something to turn it around or his head will be on the chopping block. Has he forgotten who his boss is? Look up impatient in the dictionary and Daniel Snyder’s face will be right next to it. But if the plug is pulled on Shanahan, would this be a bad move by Snyder?

Shanahan was 24-24 over the last three season in Denver. That is hardly impressive if you ask me. Coach Zorn went .500 in his first year in Washington. Am I missing something here? Right now the Redskins could realistically be staring down the barrel of a 6-10 season. With games against Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Dallas and the N.Y. Giants remaining, this could be a very ugly finish. I think the ironic thing is everyone was quick to blame Jason Campbell last year. Do you still think Campbell was the problem? He looks like a completely different QB in Oakland right now. I wonder why that is. I’ll use the example that I always use when discussing QB’s. QB’s are like children. Children are a direct reflection of what is going on at home. If things are bad at home, the child will be completely lost and not know where to turn for support. Even if their siblings have it together, the chaos starts from the top and will affect everyone to some degree. But even if you are in a dysfunctional house, if there is even an attempt at normalcy and there is an inkling of support from the parents, the kids just might be o.k. The former describes Donovan McNabb. As good as he is, he is not in a good situation, again, and it is a direct reflection of what is going on with Washington right now. It wasn’t Campbell’s fault last year and it is not McNabb’s fault this year. The later describes Jason Campbell and the Oakland organization. As bad as Oakland is, and even though their QB situation isn’t settled. The coaches like all of their QB’s so whether it is Gradkowski or Campbell, the Raiders are just getting it done. And the games that I saw Campbell playing, Campbell looked liked a very confident QB. Just ask the Chiefs, the Chargers and the Broncos if they think that Washington made a mistake in letting Campbell go. This is not the Raiders of old. Campbell has a very bright future in Oakland.

At 5-7 Washington, and the Shanahan’s are in trouble. Only finishing 9-7 could make this a respectable season. Otherwise, the Shanahans and McNabb could be looking for a job by seasons end. There is no reason why Washington shouldn’t be 7-5 and fighting for a division title. But as it has been 12 of the last 15 seasons, we just didn’t quite get it right. I guess we’ll have to wait for next year, right? Wait just a second. Maybe not. As long as we have #5, we still have a chance. This is the same guy that took an 8-7-1 team to the NFC Championship game just a couple of years ago. But in order for that to happen, some adjustments have to be made. And adjustment number one has to be an attitude adjustment by the Head Coach. Start their and the rest will fall into place. Just ask Josh McDaniel. He ran Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler out of town traded Peyton Hillis away to Cleveland. McDaniels is in the unemployment line right now. Who will be next?

The Old Man’s Still Got It…..

Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings came in to FedEx Field and stole a victory from the Washington Redskins on Sunday. Never mind the fact that the Redskins have had a ton of injuries. And never mind the fact that Adrian Peterson went out of Sunday’s game with an injury. Washington had plenty of opportunities to put this game away and just couldn’t quite do it. And the old man, Brett Favre, being the veteran player that he is, knew how to take advantage of the Redskins’ mistake and come away with a 17-13. Now what?

The Redskins are now 5-6. The last time that Washington was in this position, it was in 2007 where they won four straight games to sneak into the playoffs. At that particular time Washington was a dismal 5-7 and people were ready to bury Jason Campbell. Enter Todd Collins after a Campbell injury, and he gets the Redskins to the Playoffs. But Seattle quickly sent Washington home with a 35-14 loss. Well guess what people. Todd Collins is not in Washington anymore. Neither is Jason Campbell for that matter. So who’s to blame this time?

Let’s take a look at Sunday’s game. Minnesota wasn’t losing for lack of talent. It was a lot of stuff going on behind closed doors. I mean Vishante Shiancoe has been around for years and has always been a talented Tight End, but Brett Favre loves throwing to his Tight Ends and Shiancoe benefited from that last year. Now everyone knows who he is and trust me, the Redskins Linebackers were well aware of his whereabouts Sunday. Sidney Rice has always been a talented Wide Receiver but just never had a chance to show it on the big stage. He got his opportunity last year. Percy Harvin is just a stud. And trust me, if you think you’ve seen everything from that young man… you haven’t seen anything yet. Harvin is going to be a Top 10 Wide Receiver in the NFL in the future. And do I even need to say anything about Adrian Peterson? Minnesota also boasts one of the best Defensive Lines in the NFL. Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Ray Edwards and Jared Allen provide a solid Pass Rush for the Vikings and allow them to do a lot on the back end of that Defense. Antoine Winfield is probably one of the best Cornerbacks in the NFL, but you don't hear anything about him.  Nothing Minnesota did Sunday surprised me. A lot of what Washington did, did surprise me. And I see parallels between the Vikings and the Redskins.

Washington has just as much talent as Minnesota.  But just like Minnesota, Washington is not playing up to their potential right now. Washington has the talent on Offense to be able to score points on anyone in the NFL. I have seen McNabb do more with less talent on Offense. There were years in Philadelphia where McNabb only had Brian Westbrook and he was still able to win 10 games a few times. Anthony Armstrong is a welcomed surprise this season. Santana Moss is still a talented Wide Receiver. Chris Cooley and Fred Davis are probably the best Tight End tandem in football. But, the injuries have killed the momentum. The Offensive Line is banged up yet again. And if that is not enough, the Redskins are not turning the ball over. Takeaways were the name of the game in the beginning of the season. But, Washington had five dropped passes Sunday, one of which resulted in an Interception within their own 20 Yard Line. Minnesota didn’t make those mistakes Sunday so that is why they were victorious. That is why they were a Playoff team a year ago. Is Washington a Playoff team? Right now, I’d have to say no. The are staring down the barrel of an 8-8 season yet again, but after finishing 4-12 last season, it would be an improvement.

Sunday shed light on a few things that have not really been addressed from last year. At this point of the season everyone has at least one or two key injuries. It is how you weather the storm that separates the Playoff teams from everyone else. Right now, it seems as though an ego or two is holding back the Redskins. So what we have Offensive Linemen out. So what we have Defensive Backs out. So what we have a couple of Linebackers out. So what we have two Running Backs out. Do what you have to do to win games. Even if it means scrapping some of the usual plays in your Offensive and Defensive Playbooks and calling plays to benefit your personnel. Otherwise, load the team with talent during the Offseason. But looking back at the Redskins’ track record, has stacking talent worked? Has it worked for any team? I think the Shanahan’s need to go back to the drawing board. Otherwise, if you think the fans at FedEx were ruthless last Sunday, you haven’t heard anything yet. We have some of the most passionate fans in the NFL and they will tell you about yourself. So Mike and Kyle, get it together. This is not the place where you’d want the fans turning against you. It ain’t Philly, but it ain't the Ice Capades either.

It Was Ugly But, A Win Is A Win

The Washington Redskins have to be one of the luckiest teams in America. There is no way they should have left Tennessee Sunday with a win. But, some how, some way, they pulled it off and came away with a 19-16 Overtime win versus a very good Tennessee Titans team led by Vince Young and Chris Johnson. The AFC South has to be one of the toughest division in the NFL and the NFC East has been struggling against them. But Washington and Lady Luck showed up in Nashville Sunday to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, thanks in part to the Redskins Defense who has showed up more times than not and, they did it again this past Sunday.

Let’s get one thing straight, Tennessee is a very good team led by Vince Young who looked good for the most part Sunday, Chris Johnson who is a TD just waiting to happen on every play, Kenny Britt who was injured and couldn’t play and Randy Moss who the Redskins took away from the Titans Sunday. Give that team some time to gel and we could be easily looking at the AFC Conference Champions. With all of that being said, Washington did a great job of keeping that potent Offense off of the field, but sustaining drives and running the ball. Washington dominated the clock with Time of Possession (T.O.P.) 40:09 to 26:34. Usually when your opponents have the ball almost twice the amount of time that you’ve had it, the results are not good. And although Chris Johnson had 130 yards on 21 carries, he never once crossed the goal line. How many teams can say that? The Redskins fought like a team clinging to their Playoff hopes. But even though the Redskins won, they lost a lot of players.

In all seven players were either hurt or injured. Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Clinton Portis, Rocky McIntosh, Kedrick Golston and Anderson Russell who started in place of the injured LaRon Landry were among the players who left the game with various injuries. There is a concern about the long term affects of Sunday's game. LaRon Landry, Ryan Torain and Carlos Rogers were already hurt going into Sunday's game and one can only hope to have them return by next week. The one thing that Washington has been able to do is avoid the injury bug. Well, it bit the hell out of them Sunday and they were still able to win. The sad thing is Vince Young seems to be trudging down the same winding road that Redskins’ QB Donovan McNabb had to go down.  And it looks like his ride will be a bit more bumpy than Donovan McNabb’s.

Vince Young will never be appreciated for what he brings to the table in Tennessee. It was just last season in which the Titans started 0-6. Insert Vince Young, the Titans finish 8-8 and one game out of the Playoffs. Right now the Titans are in the thick of the AFC South divisional race and Young has played well for the most party. He struggled against the Redskins and was greeted with a course of boos from the home crowd. I guess people thought that the Redskins’ Defense wasn’t good. Well I don’t know what tape they were watching but this Redskins Defense, talent wise, can swing with any team in the NFL. And certainly one game should not be an indictment on the young man, but I’ve come to realize that there are a different set of rules as it relates to Black QB’s. Just ask Donovan McNabb.

It was just three weeks ago, the “experts” had Donovan on his way out of D.C. and suiting up for either the Minnesota Vikings or the Arizona Cardinals. The Chicago Bears were even thrown around for good measure. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the stadium for Donovan last week. He signs a 5-year, $78 Million contract. Now some speculate as to the terms of the contract and how the Redskins can get out of it with minimal risk(s). But with all of that being said, it says something about their plans for Donovan McNabb. A guy who was never really appreciated by the “experts,” and even some Eagles fans. But I’ll tell you one thing, McNabb finds ways to win games. He doesn’t get style points for pretty wins, but he does win. Brett Favre gets a free pass for a lot of things, but let’s not act like Brett has as many rings as Tom Brady. Brady, in my opinion, should be the standard for QB’s. He just wins games, and Super Bowls. Granted Brady is 3-1 in Super Bowls, but that is 4 Super Bowl appearances in 10 years. Peyton “the Great” has only 2 appearances in his 13 years, and one win, and Brett has 2 appearances but both were over 10 years. In a league that asks, “What have you done for me lately,” how is it that Favre gets a free pass? McNabb, with very little talent around him for the most part, has 5 NFC Championship appearances, one NFC Championship and Super Bowl appearance, just never seems to do enough. But after watching him in Tennessee this past Sunday, I’ll take a guy that wins games any day of the week over a guy with records. Because at the end of the day, and a career, people only remember Champions, and if McNabb can win one Super Bowl before he retires, should he not be mentioned with the Manning’s (both Eli And Peyton), the Favre’s, the Marino’s, the Kelly’s, and the Tarkenton’s?

Eagles, Rain, Storm D.C. as Vick Set Records

Hurricane Michael touched down in D.C. Monday night. The damage was severe. This natural disaster was televised and was very ugly. As a lifelong Redskins fan, I have seen some ugly games, and lopsided wins. But last night was something out of Hollywood. I mean it was only two years ago that people thought that Michael Vick would never play QB in the NFL again. And now Vick is on the cusp of NFL history. There are seven games left in the regular season and Vick is positioning himself and the Eagles for a Playoff run. And even though the Eagles are in the Redskins’ division, as long as Vick is starting, I hope the Eagles go to, and win, the Super Bowl.

There were people, even Eagles fans, who were upset that Vick was signed to their team last season. Comments were made that were borderline offensive and racist. People made references to his intelligence, or lack there of, on a regular basis. But, it’s funny how all of the critics are on vacation while Vick is ripping through the NFL. And people wonder why Black people are still crying racism, in sports and America. The All-American boy, Peyton Manning, faced off against Vick last week and lost. The Golden Boy, Tom Brady (no disrespect to Brady, I love Tom, and I think he is still a Top 3 QB in the NFL), will get his opportunity at some point as well and my guess is the results will be the same. Vick is playing at a Super Bowl level right now and he took it out on my boys Monday night. I tried to get upset with the Redskins, but I was too happy for Vick. I had to put my loyalties for the Redskins aside and honor my loyalties as a Black man to Vick.

The NFL is on old organization. Many guys have played QB for teams in the NFL (and even the AFL), but Michael Vick became the first player in NFL history to have 300+ Passing Yards, 50+ Rushing Yards, 4+ TD Passes and 2+ Rushing TD’s in one game, which turned out to be the greatest performance by a QB on Monday Night Football, ever. Talk about winning the game all by yourself. Vick’s 80 Rushing Yards moved him to #2 All-Time behind Randall Cunningham for Most Rushing Yards by a QB. I really want to be upset about the Redskins losing the way that they did, but, if anyone deserved to have the spotlight on them and was due for that kind of performance, I am glad it was Vick. Say what you will about the man, but Vick deserved a second chance and I am glad he got it.

Donovan McNabb worked his ass off to be the most balanced QB that he could possibly be. And still, McNabb gets no respect. Carson Palmer is stinking up the joint in Cincinnati, but people blamed Chad Ochocinco, and are now blaming Terrell Owens. Jay Cutler has not won a playoff game yet, but Lovie Smith is on the hot seat. David Garrard was being blamed for Jacksonville’s woes, but can you name me one of Garrard’s Wide Receivers? I’ll give you one, Mike Sims-Walker. Do you know who that is? My point exactly. Michael Vick had Roddy White and Michael Jenkins in Atlanta, but at the time they were not producing. Now White is having a career year in Atlanta. Where was that when Vick was there? Vick carried that Falcons for years, yet he was being blamed for lack of wins, even though, he had very little talent around him. Vick wasn’t supposed to be able to come back to the NFL and play, let alone start. But with his second chance in football, but more importantly, life, Vick is taking full advantage of it and I can’t think of one person in the NFL who deserves it more.

Michael Vick’s action should have gotten him in trouble, but two years in Leavenworth was over the top. Just like my post last week, I can hear Bob Marley strumming his guitar singing his famous track “Redemption Song.” And Vick is getting his redemption now. I personally hope Vick wins the NFL MVP award this year, and the Super Bowl MVP. Can you imagine how pissed some people would be? I’ll bet the “N” word will be flying freely at that point. It doesn’t matter, Vick is doing his thing and has quieted his critics showing that he is and NFL QB, and quite possibly a Superstar. If you don’t like it, change the channel. The most electrifying player in the NFL is back. I am just glad that the Redskins don’t have another regular season game against Philadelphia. Otherwise we might be seeing a repeat performance.

A SONG OF REDEMPTION: TWO VERSES, ONE ENDING!!

It was years ago, a man from Jamaica recorded a track call the Redemption Song. The sound of his voice moves me to this day. Bob Marley was a great musician from my family’s native country of Jamaica. The song wasn’t in your face, it was smooth and soothing. Almost as if he knew something others didn’t. I could hear that song playing in my head Sunday as I watched two Black NFL Quarterbacks guide their teams to victory in such a smooth and calm manner. Almost as if, they knew that they were going to win. Jason Campbell and Michael Vick are two examples of what can happen when you feel as though you have support when you are backed into a wall. I want to say to both of them, "Keep playing the music my Brotha’s. Keep playing the music." Everyone may not want to listen to it, but they do hear it.

Jason Campbell was casted off by my hometown team Washington Redskins. To a man, I didn’t like it. I figured why not fix the issues around him and then let’s see what’s good. Well everyone thought the problem was Campbell so off to Oakland he went, almost for next to nothing. I think Oakland made out in this deal. Watching the game Sunday was great for me. Jason Campbell look as poised and as smooth as ever. He never looked like he doubted the outcome of the game at all. The signature play came in overtime as Campbell completed a pretty floater to Jacoby Ford for a 47 yard gain which set up the game winning Field Goal in Overtime. I can remember a time when Campbell would have driven all the way down the field only to throw an Interception to end the game. It doesn’t make him a bad QB, because the great Brett Favre has thrown more Interceptions than anyone in NFL history. It just says to me it wasn’t his time to make those plays. The fact that Campbell could move his team in the clutch spoke volumes to me. But who am I? I will tell you who I am not. I am not an idiot. The average fan is smarter than management/ownership gives them credit for. We know when smoke is being blown up our asses. And the fact that Jason Campbell was blamed for the Redskins’ issues was a bunch of crap. Don’t believe me? Ask Donovan McNabb what he thinks right now.

Jason Campbell has the fans in Black Hole going crazy. And I, being a Redskins fan, am very excited for Campbell. Oakland is in the thick of the AFC West Division race and Jason Campbell had to fight back from injury to win back his starting job. As it stands Oakland is 5-4 and Campbell is poised for playoff run. Good luck Jason. We here in Washington are secretly pulling for you.

Another guy that I can’t wait to see how things shape up for is Michael Vick. As much as I’d hate to admit it, I want Michael Vick and the Eagles to make the NFL Playoffs, only because Vick is starting. I remember days in Atlanta when Michael Vick was all that Atlanta had to offer. By his own admission, Vick never took playing QB seriously. What didn’t help was hearing his highly touted WR Roddy White say that he too didn’t take playing WR in the NFL seriously. That bothered me considering that the ultimate pro, Warrick Dunn, was on that team as well. Although Vick made the NFC Championship Game one year, people didn’t respect his game. And after the drastic fall of Vick, which included him going to jail in a maximum security prisoin like he was a serial killer, he was given another opportunity to play football… in Philadelphia. I was happy and mad at the same time. We all knew that Michael Vick was the blueprint of what the QB’s of the future were going to be like. But, what if Vick learned how to play from the pocket and use his athletic abilities only when needed? Well we have been getting the answer to that question this season. And you know what, it is scary.

Vick went head to head with Peyton Manning this past Sunday. Guess who won? What is surprising is Vick didn’t stop running. Vick has learned when and how to use his athletic ability. Vick is undefeated so far this season and has yet to throw an INT. What is scary is Vick has young WRs who are very mature beyond their years. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Macklin are a great 1-2 punch. And when Brent Celek and Cornelius Ingram get on the field at the same time with LeSean McKoy, Vick will be surrounded by the most talent he has ever had. Philadelphia is in position to win the NFC East this season, but it will not be easy. But watching Vick Sunday made me think, “Wow, it can happen!”

Michael Vick is making throws from the pocket. Vick is moving around in the pocket to avoid sacks and is still looking downfield to make throws. For all of you Mike Vick haters, Vick’s accuracy is deadly now. Vick can avoid sacks by making moves only seen by RB’s such as Barry Sanders. And when all else fails, Vick is still one of the fastest players on the field. I remember some geniuses saying Vick should be converted to a Running Back? Why? Because of his athletic ability? Do you still think that people? Do you still think that Michael Vick is not an NFL QB? Because his stats tell another story. Take a look for yourself:



7- Michael Vick (QB) Philadelphia Eagles
Passer Rating - 105.3 (Leads NFL), that's right... Michael Vick leads the NFL in Passer Rating.
Completions – 76
Attempts – 125
Completion % - 60.8% (Career High)
Yards – 1,017
Average Yards – 8.1 (Career High)
Touchdowns – 7
Interceptions – 0

Jason Campbell and Michael Vick both have a long way to go to gain mass appeal because everyone wants them to be the next Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. But Brady and Manning can’t do what they can do either. Black QB’s just have a different flavor that they bring to the game. The NFL is not really ready for it. Can you imagine if Michael Vick was the face of the NFL? Donovan McNabb was about as close to crossover appeal as Black QB’s were going to get in this era, but when McNabb was poised to take over… SOMETHING ALWAYS HAPPENED. I just hope Vick and Campbell take that much needed step forward in appealing to the masses. Just keep in mind that their appeal has nothing to do with their abilities. And then maybe on day, we can hear the great Bob Marley off in the distance strumming his guitar singing his song with such warmth. Almost as if he were trying to say, “Everything will be o.k.” Everything will be o.k. people, because regardless of ethnicity/color/race/creed, these are still football players. As long as they can play the game, everything else shouldn’t matter. But secretly I’ll be playing Bob Marley’s song over and over in my head. I can hear him singing that song now for Vick and Campbell.

REDEMPTION SOOOOONG!!! REDEMPTION SOOOOONG!!!

WILL THE REAL WASHINGTON REDSKINS PLEASE STAND UP??!!

Were you surprised? I wasn’t. The Detroit Lions are not a bad team, and to add insult to injury, I believe that the Lions just have the Redskins’ number right now. In the last three games between the Lions and Redskins, the Lions are 2-1. And the game that they lost was a close one. There was no surprise that my pick for best player in the 2010 NFL Draft, Ndamukong Suh, was going to play well. There was no surprise Calvin Johnson would play well. Calvin is the other Johnson (Andre) that has been playing well, but gets overlooked because of where he plays. Kyle Vanden Bosch didn’t surprise me with how well he played and neither did Cliff Avril. The Lions Defensive Line just whipped the Redksins at the point of attack all game. Not even the play of Redskins return man, Brandon Banks surprised me. What did surprise me was how poorly the Redskins pass protected. And the icing on the cake was that McNabb seemed to be getting most of the blame.

 

See when you bench Derrick Dockery in favor of Cory Lichtensteiger, he’d better perform well. Because if you haven’t noticed is, Dockery is the most consistent Offensive Linemen that the Redskins have had over the past few season. Even the Rookie, Trent Williams, who draws the toughest assignments week after week, is playing better than Lichtensteiger. And let’s not even get started on the right side of the Offensive Line. It is down right Offensive. I am wondering how anyone expects Donovan McNabb to get anything done when he is constantly looking up at the sky before he gets to finish his drops. Now if Donovan starts running again, people will say that he is not getting it done from the pocket. If he sits in the pocket, especially behind this line, his wife will have to make sure that their insurance policy is all paid up. Sorry Roxy (McNabb), they put Donovan in a tough spot. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Coach Shanahan benches Donovan. His explanation was weak at best and it could make for a sticky situation in Washington.

See Coach Shanahan, if you are going to talk to the media, make sure you are consistent. First you say Rex Grossman understood the 2-Minute Offense better than Donovan. Then you said Donovan had nagging injuries that would have slowed him and hindered him running the 2-Minute Offense. And last, but not least, and my personal favorite, you eluded to the fact that Donovan might not have, as you put it, the “cardiovascular endurance.” Don’t blow smoke up our asses as fans. Just say that you think McNabb was out of shape. Give me a break and talk straight to us. There are fans out here that have played and/or understand football a bit more than you all give us credit for. And, right now, you ego might be pissing away the Redskins’ playoff chances. I love Donovan McNabb, but just one time I want him to go off and tell someone to kiss his ass. Just once D-Mac. I know that is not you, but I can dream can’t I? Shanahan needs to get a grip, or we will be drafting in the Top 10 yet again in April.

The Redskins have two good Wide Receivers, two good Tight Ends, and now, two good running backs. The problem is, I think that they only have three good Offensive Linemen. One is inactive (God only knows why), one is playing his Rookie ass off, and the third is on IR. The Bye Week better a time in which Washington goes back to the drawing board or they will finish a dismal 2-6 down the stretch again. Trust me, teams like Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Minnesota will kick ass if we go into those games doing the crap that we’ve been doing over the past 8 weeks. I said from the beginning of the season that Jacksonville and Tennessee are not good matchups for Washington, and right now, they would blow the Redskins out if they were to play one another. Fix the Offensive Line and give Donovan some time, and we will right the ship. Otherwise, you will see fans wearing brown paper bags over their collective heads. Do you really want that right now Danny Boy?

Colts Top Redskins, But……..

…. is this loss really devastating? The great Peyton Manning was supposed to carve up the Redskins Defense and run away with the game Sunday night. Well, Manning looked good for the most part, but even Peyton the great showed signs of being human. He’s not the second coming of the creator people. Peyton Manning is a man just like everyone else. And Sunday night, Washington had enough opportunities to win that game because of Manning’s mistakes. Note to every other team in the NFL: YOU HAVE TO MAKE MANNING PAY FOR HIS MISTAKES OR YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WIN AGAINST THE COLTS, PERIOD!!!

I had to record the game and watch it over myself. In all there were about five opportunities for interceptions to end drives, maybe even shift the momentum. But the opportunistic Redskins Defense just couldn’t quite come up with the momentum changing plays that were needed at certain points. Again, Carlos Rogers had two opportunities for interceptions and put both of them on the ground. Now I can’t be mad at him. Rogers is a solid Cornerback. If he catches half of the picks that he drops, he’d be considered a top Cornerback in the NFL. But, remember this people: If Rogers is dropping picks that means the other teams Receivers are not catching those passes. Kareem Moore even dropped what would have been a timely interception. The opportunities were there and aplenty. It leads me to believe one thing. Once this team gets used to the 3-4 Defense this will be one of the best teams in the NFL.

For once the roster and the scheme are close to being on the same page. You can’t ask Jason Campbell to be Peyton Manning behind David Carr’s Offensive Line. You can’t expect the Redskins to be the Patriots when you have the stability of the Raiders. And just in case you haven’t noticed, the only reason why Washington was even in the game was because of Donovan McNabb. McNabb just needs a little help from the Defense, and a little help from Kyle Shanahan. Kyle was killing me with the playcalling at certain points. You have to know when to go for a kill shot and when to let the other team slowly bleed. Early on in the game Washington had a chance to cut the Colts lead to 3 points, but on a 3rd and 1, we got the hairbrain idea to run a toss sweep with Ryan Torain. Unless you have Adrian Peterson or Frank Gore or even my new favorite running back Arian Foster, why the hell are we running a toss sweep on a 3rd down and 1 with Ryan Torain? DUMB!! DUMB!! DUMB!!!

Manning really wasn’t pressured as much I expected and he got some time to make plays. The smartest thing that the Colts did was to run the Hurry Up Offense and stop the Redskins from substituting. That was a great game plan. Manning was very affective at running the Hurry Up and I was surprised that Washington wasn’t prepared. If they were, I couldn’t tell. Although Manning played well, he gave Washington opportunities to change the outcome of Sunday’s game and I am embarrassed to say the Redskins did not take advantage of it.

As a fan, I can easily say Washington gave away the game against the Colts. The Colts are not as good as I thought they were, and Washington is better than I thought they were. There was a time early on in the season where Washington was getting the bounces and the calls were going their way. Now it seems as though the Redskins are running out of luck. At this point you have to start creating your own luck and scrap and scrape for everything. Washington has the personnel to win 13 games this season. In reality Washington may only win 9 or 10. But after a 4-12 campaign last year, I’ll take a 9-7 or a 10-6 season. One thing is for sure. The AFC South is a tough division and I am not looking forward to playing against Jacksonville or Tennessee. Washington is going to have to win the out of Conference games to give themselves a shot at the playoffs. Because let’s be honest, the NFC East is going to be decided by like the 3rd, 4th, or eve the 5th tie breaker and one of those is going to be the out of Conference games.

ALL HAIL DIRTY 30!!!

Aside from Aaron Rodgers being beaten to pulp yesterday, he looked good.  But, Donovan McNabb should be given props for sticking to it and pulling out an ugly win against the Green Bay Packers this Sunday. I am not happy with him having to throw the ball 49 times, but if I want someone to throw the ball that much, he is one of very few I would trust. But I want to talk about a player who everyone had something negative to say about last year. I heard people call him worthless and a waste. Some comments walked a fine line of criticism and racism. Those I wont acknowledge in my space. But I am one of very few who knew that LaRon Landry was being played out of position for the past 3 years and always said, move him back to Strong Safety and let’s see what happens. Um, are you seeing what’s happening? Landry is tops in the league for tackles. So much for him taking bad angles and/or being a poor tackler.

Sean Taylor, for one season, had to play Strong Safety and looked like a fish out of water. You are closer to the line to the line and lot of things happen so fast that you can’t really react the way that you’d like. That is, if you have never played that close to the line before. The next season, although shortened by his untimely death, was arguably the best of his career. Why? He was moved back the position that he is best at playing, Free Safety. Now we can utilize his intelligence, range and speed. All of which are his strengths. Enter LaRon Landry, STRONG SAFETY!!! It is true that Landry has all of the physical tools to play Free Safety. But if you have ever listened to this man in an interview, he couldn’t care less about an interception. Landry wants to hit. Find ways to utilize is talents. Thank goodness for Jim Haslett, otherwise Landry would have probably gotten away from us in Free Agency or a trade and that would have gone down as one of the top 5 Boneheaded moves in NFL history.

Where are all of the people who claimed that Landry was a bust? Where are all of the people who said that Landry was worthless? Where all of the people who claimed that Landry was a bad tackler? Show your faces and claim your madness. Landry through Week 3 of this season was Top 5 in tackles. Through two weeks of football he led the league in tackles. Am I a genius or is it that I pay attention to details. In one of my earlier posts I had a player spotlight on LaRon Landry go read it here (Player Spotlight: LaRon Landry). This was from last season. And just so you know, I wrote that blog on December 10, 2009. Tell me what you think about that article. But I digress. Landry currently has 52 tackles after five games, which currently ranks him #2. No, that is not a typo people!! And Landry came up with a timely Interception to give the Redskins a chance to win against the Green Bay Packers. This brings me to a point that I stressed last season and I will continue to stress until I am blue in the face. Good Defensive Backs don’t grow on trees. You’d better have a staff in place that knows how to coach them up or you can have a stud and not know what to do with them.  I mean Charles Woodson got away Oakland and looks fantastic playing for the Packers.  Same player, different coaching staff, different results.

People are still going to have a problem with Landry, but stats don't lie.  The man is a beast.  He's always been a beast and soon enough he'll be a Pro Bowler.  If he keeps playing the way that he has this season, it will be this year.  I really don't like acknowledging stupid comments, but when those comments are as harsh as what I heard about Landry, it is very hard to ignore.  Most of the people who made those comments never played organized sports let alone football, at a high level so I should have just taken it with a grain of salt.  I hope now people will pay more attention to deails as it relates to the ins and outs of football.  But, I guess that 's a pipedream, huh?  In any event, LaRon Landry is making a case for himself to be considered the best Safety in the NFL.  I am sure Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu will have something to say about that, but they will be the only two.  Hey if Landry is considered third that's not bad considering there are 64 starting Safties in the league.  That would make Landry pretty good.

IT WASN’T PRETTY…. BUT THE REDSKINS WON!!!

Donovan McNabb has a knack of attracting attention even when he tries to drift off into the background. This Sunday was unavoidable. In his return to Philadelphia, McNabb didn’t have the best passing game, but when you score more points than the other team, do you really care? In the first two possessions of the game, the Redskins scored. The best play between those two drives might have been Ryan Torain’s monster Touchdown. Poor Quinton Mikell took the brunt of that collision. But Donovan McNabb had a pretty floating Touchdown pass to Chris Cooley that put the Redskins up 14-0 early in the game. But things got really interesting after that.

If you ask me, had Michael Vick not gotten hurt, the Eagles may have sneaked away with a win Sunday. Kevin Kolb is a good QB, but doesn’t present the same problems that Michael Vick does. And Vick was making most of his plays from the pocket. That is something that we haven’t seen in all his years in the NFL. The Redskins Defense, who we have seen struggle in the past 2 weeks, came up huge in shutting down the very explosive DeSean Jackson. Jackson was a non-factor, but LeSean McKoy took over with 12 catches for 110 yards. How is that for McKoy who is a Running Back? Jeremy Macklin was also nonexistent. Brent Celek, Philadelphia’s stud at Tight End, was completely taken out of the game as well Sunday. This is where Michael Vick’s legs would have made the difference. Some of the play that Kolb ran for First Down’s, were good, it’s just that Vick would have gotten more yards on those plays. That may have been the difference. But for the Redskins the difference was made in the Offensive Backfield, by a virtual unknown, Ryan Torain.

I love finding guys like this. Ryan Torain is a guy that was brought in with no fanfare. This offseason Torain was brought in because Coach Shanahan signed him in the Denver before taking a break from coaching. Torain has been a hard worker. Torain is consistent. Torain is dependable. And when Clinton Portis was unable to go, Ryan Torain came in and not only finished runs, but finished the game. Torain only had 70 yards on 18 carries and one Touchdown, but the way Torain was running was something that has been missing. Portis runs hard, but in the past, there was a drop off when he came out the game. Now you have a guy behind Portis who runs just as hard, maybe harder, now you don’t have the drop off in the running game. Now Donovan McNabb doesn’t have to throw 50 times like the genius Eagles used to have him do. How big is it to give McNabb a running game? How big is it to have a talent like McNabb not feel like he has to do it all by himself. Slowly but surely, the pieces are falling in place. Washington might have the type of team to make a Playoff run.

At 2-2 this early in the season, there is a glimmer of hope. I am cool with a 9-7 season. It will mean that the Redskins have finished with a winning record for the fist time in 3 seasons. It will give the organization something to build on going into the 2011 season. Anything after 9 wins is huge. Anything after 9 wins may mean a Playoff birth. And the Post Season is something for which Donovan McNabb has a nose. Dare I say that Washington could sneak into the Playoffs this year and steal a win or two? We will see. They have a tough test this Sunday against the very good Green Bay Packers. Which Redskins team will show up? I would like the Defense from this past Sunday, to join the Offense from two weeks ago. If that happens, the Green Bay Packers are in trouble. But I think this game will be a close one. Who will win is anyone’s guess. But for the Redskins sake, this is a must win, because you need some momentum going into your showdown with the great Peyton Manning in two weeks.

Do We Panic Now??!!

Last weeks game against the Houston Texans was hard enough to watch. After blowing a 17-point lead and losing in Overtime, I couldn’t find the words to write a blog last week. But this Sunday’s loss to the Rams hurt just a bit more. I think everyone bought into the hype that the Rams were not good. What game(s) were you people watching? I saw all sorts of trouble from the Rams and some of them manifested themselves this Sunday. I can’t understand for the life of me how anyone can assume any NFL is not good. Even the worse teams in the NFL have great players on them. And I saw one this Sunday that impressed me again. One Sam Bradford is better than Matt Stafford like I thought last year and he proved it this Sunday. But it only magnified an issue that the Redskins have to deal with. A lack of a pass rush from the Defensive line.

Never mind the fact that the Redskins found themselves in a 14-point hole within 5 minutes of play. They fought back, but left points on the field. There were 2 drives that ended inside the Rams 10-yard line that the Redskins only came away with 6 points. This has happened every game this season. Sure one game resulted in a win, but even that game it almost cost them in the end. We all have to remember that the new scheme does take time to pick up. You don’t just switch to a 3-4 Defense and expect to take over the world. If it were that easy, everyone would switch to the 3-4 Defense. You have to have the right personnel to run that scheme. There are only a handful of teams that run it, and fewer run it well. Maybe the Redskins will be one of those teams, but right now, the Defense is average at best. Not for lack of talent, but for lack of chemistry. This is the pressing issue on both sides of the ball, but Defense concerns me a bit more. If we can’t stop the other team, it is pointless to have a potent offense. The problem can be solved up front.

Albert Haynesworth was given spot duty. Why is our best pass rusher not being given more snaps? I really hope that it has something to do with Haynesworth not being up to speed. Because, without a pass rush, Mardy Gilyard and Brandon Gibson are the least of the Redskins problems. The Rams played most of the game without their top Running Back Steven Jackson, so there was almost no threat of a running game. The Redskins challenged the Rookie Sam Bradford to beat them throwing and that is exactly what he did. It was reminiscent of last weeks loss to the Houston Texans. The Redskins actually worked to take Arian Foster out of the game, and the Man Beast Andre Johnson went bananas. I expect Andre Johnson to do that, I don’t expect Mardy Gilyard and Brandon Gibson to give us problems at this stage of their careers. To add insult to injury, Donnie Avery, the Rams top receiver is out for the season with a knee injury. Imagine if Avery had played Sunday. You can cure a lot of the problems on Defense by swallowing your pride and putting Albert Haynesworth in the starting lineup. Hello!!! Are you listening Coach Shanahan?!!

The problems continue on Offense as the ground attack started well, but the Redskins got away from it. Clinton Portis is due for a break out game and I expect it to come next week against Philadelphia. McNabb cannot get rolling like he wants to if we don’t establish a ground game. PERIOD!! It should be apparent as Donovan McNabb threw for over 400 yards last week and in a losing effort. In that exact same game, Clinton Portis had 33 yards rushing. What is wrong with this picture? Your ground game eats up some clock and wears down the other team. The Redskins are not a pure West Coast Offensive team. We do not have the personnel for it. They have to find a middle ground that will allow for running game to be worked and take some of the pressure off of McNabb. Otherwise, they will be 1-3 in a flash.

Is it too early to press the panic button? Yes. Should your finger be on the button in the ready position… YES. I didn’t imagine a scenario where the Redskins would be 1-2 and that win would be against Dallas. Some weird things have been going on. Philadelphia has a young guy at Quaterback that reminds me of a guy I once saw in Atlanta. They are both left handed, very athletic and have a cannon for an arm. The difference in the two QB’s is the guy in Philadelphia has all of the same physical abilities, but is becoming a good (and dare I say, great) pocket passer. If he plays the same way next Sunday against the Redskins, like he did against the Jaguars, the Redskins will get blown out. Next Sunday is a winnable game, but we are going to have to play a lot better than this past Sunday. Oh by the way, the young man playing Quarterback for Philadelphia is named Michael Vick. I think he going to be good. What do you think?

Big "D"..... Big Deal!!

What a way to start off the 2010 NFL season for the Redskins. You have to play your biggest rival in prime time at home. Talk about pressure!! Although it was a low scoring game, it was quite entertaining. Amazingly, had Dallas not run that dumb ass play right before Halftime, the score would have been the exact same as the first meeting last year, when the Redskins loss 7-6 after shutting out the Cowboys for 58 minutes of that game. A good win, but hold the presses fellow Redskins fans. There is no way we can beat the Houston Texans playing like we just did Sunday night.

Some positives that came out of the Cowboys-Redskins game were the play of the Defense. particularly our Linebackers. They did a good job of not giving up big runs once the Cowboys Running Backs got to the second level of our Defense and they pretty much took one of the best Tight Ends in the NFL, out of the game. Our Linebackers also did a good job of getting pressure on Tony Romo. We still had to deal with my man Miles Austin torching us for 146 yards on 10 catches, and one TD. But his performance aside, Dallas’ offense did much of nothing. They may have bigger problems than previously thought. I still say that they are the favorites to win the NFC East, but they wont be for long if they continue to play the way that they did Sunday. You could not really expect to Pass Protect when you have an all new Offensive Line. It just doesn’t happen overnight like everyone thinks. But, if I know one thing, Dallas’ GM will address that problem by any means necessary.

Another positive that came out of the game was the fact that Donovan McNabb looked like he was getting comfortable within the Redskins’ offense. It is going to take a while. Sure it is still the “West Coast Offense,” but our version is slightly different than the version McNabb ran in Philadelphia. Santana Moss and Chris Cooley both had 6 catches apiece. Something that I don’t think I have seen in a Redskins game in a while. Anthony Armstrong got early playing time, which tells me that the coaching staff has confidence in him. Trent Williams did a good job of slowing down DeMarcus Ware, who is probably the best DE/LB in the NFL. Ware still had his moments, but the Rookie handled himself admirably. DeAngelo Hall the ballhawk is playing better. It is amazing that people will say that he is not a good cover corner. Maybe not, but if you have a guy like that on your Defense that is always around the ball, does it matter? Brian Orakpo looks good so far. He may not have gotten a lot of sacks, but his pass rushing still caused Pass Protection problems for the Cowboys. LaRon Landry is back at his natural position and looks good. You have Safeties who like collisions. You have Safeties who like to play the pass, and you Safeties who likes to do both, and some do neither. Landry likes collisions. So put him in a situation where you can use his skills. Carlos Rogers did a good job of covering this past Sunday. Know how??!! You did not hear his name mentioned. That’s why!! When you ask your players to play their strengths, amazing things can happen. Hey, he still can’t catch a cold, but I rather have him defense a pass than give up a TD.

Some negatives were Haynesworth not being used on passing downs enough. He has a right to be pissed. I would have been mad at Haynesworth if he was not mad. Casey Rabach was getting his ass handed to him by Jay Ratliff. It is not a surprise since Rabach is kinda small so we have to call pass protections to help him out. Oh wait… That’s his job. I hope we correct that problem soon, because the 3-4 Defense is something that the Redskins are going to face a few times this season. Dez Bryant’s only issues was that Romo did not get enough time. That kids is the truth. Great pick up for Dallas. Clinton Portis had no running lanes. A problem that needs to be corrected and quick. There were too many dropped passes. I’ll let this one go since it was the first game of the season, but this had better not happen next week. And McNabb looked a little jumpy. Maybe it was Dallas. Maybe it was the prime time game. Maybe it was him wanting to play well. If he does not settle down, he is going to have issues next week.

I know I should be happy that we won. Yes, we beat Dallas. We needed it for a morale boost, and it was good to get a division win, something that did not happen last year. But let’s be real people. That game really came down to about 5 plays that if one or two of them were different, Dallas would have won. So please keep things in perspective. This does not mean that Washington is going to Super Bowl this year, but it is a step in the right direction.

Player Spotlight: Carlos Rogers

It is my pleasure to write about my favorite group on the football field. The Defensive Backs. This is the group who, in my estimation, has the second hardest job on the football field. The hardest position is, by far, Quarterback. These are the only two positions where you are naked. Your mistakes are the most obvious. You cannot blame too much on anyone else. These are also the positions that you must have a short memory. A lot of things are going to go wrong, you had just better get over them quicker. You do not have time to sulk. Defensive Backs are responsible for defending the other teams pass catchers, the Wide Receivers. Make no mistake about it. The Wide Receivers in the NFL are world class athletes. And as a Defensive Back, you responsible for keeping them in check. Anyone who has ever played Cornerback or Safety knows that this is a tall task, as even the slowest Wide Receiver can give you fits. And you must except the fact that part of your day will be spent running backwards. But if you have a good athlete and great coaching, you do not need a lot of speed a Cornerback or Safety. Fortunately for the Redskins, Carlos Rogers does not have that problem.



Look at Carlos Rogers’ measurables coming out of college:

Weight: 199 lbs.
40-Yard Dash: 4.31
20-Yard Shuttle: 3.84
3-cone drill: 6.49 sec
Vertical Jump: 40.5 in.
Bench Press: 15 reps
Wonderlic: 14

In the 2005 NFL Draft, with the 9th pick in the First Round, the Redskins selected, Carlos Rogers, Jim Thorpe Award winning Cornerback from Auburn University. If you do not know, a college player that wins the Jim Thorpe Award is the best player at Defensive Back. So right off of the bat, Roger should be respected. There have been some solid Cornerbacks/Safetys in football who did not win the Jim Thorpe Award. Guys like Darelle Revis from the N.Y. Jets, Asante Samuel of the Philadelphia Eagles, Nate Clements of the San Francisco 49ers, Rhonde Barber of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ike Taylor of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens and a host of other players never won the Jim Thorpe Award. They do not just hand it out people, this award has some merit. And it speaks volumes about Rogers who played in one of the toughest conferences in college football, the SEC (Southeastern Conference). So I can see why the Redskins would draft him. But if you know a bit about football, it is not always about talent. You have to have the right personnel and the right coaches using the right scheme. And in my estimation, the death of Sean Taylor and the early dismissal of Greg Williams did nothing to help Rogers in his development.

Greg Williams, Defensive Coordinator for the Super Bowl winning New Orleans Saints, was here in Washington for four years. And in his four years the Redskins Defense finished with a ranking lower than 8th one time in a season in which nothing seemed to go right. Three of Williams’ four years the Redskins finished 8th or better. Why is that? I mean they had to piece together their Defense for four years until they got the correct personnel to fit the scheme. So is it safe to say that the coaching had something to do with it? I mean I have seen Quarterbacks who are the best in the nation in college go to the pros and struggle. Does this mean that the Quarterback is not good? Can we chalk it up to inexperience? Can we say it has something to do with coaching? Hell the Raiders could get the #1 pick in next years draft and draft the best Quarterback on the board (who will probably be Jake Locker or my personal favorite Tyrod Taylor), does that mean they will win the Super Bowl in 2011? There are so many factors that come into play as it relates to a players performance, and if you have stuff out of whack on Defense, guess which position reflects that the most. Yep!! Cornerback.

Let us just say that the Defensive call for this particular play is 2-Man Under. Do you know what is supposed to happen? Neither do I completely, but I get the basics of this play. From my understanding, the Defensive Lineman are supposed to get upfield and try to disrupt the Offenses play in the backfield. The Linebackers are supposed to play Man-to-Man Defense on the Running Back(s) and Tight End(s). And the Cornerbacks are playing Man-to-Man on the Wide Receivers. But the Cornerbacks are playing a unique technique if you will. They are actually supposed to let the Wide Receivers get behind them, and the Cornerback are asked to trail the Wide Receives in hopes that the Quarterbacks would try to lob a pass over the Cornerbacks. There is just one problem. The Safety’s are supposed to play over the top to take away the lob pass. (I loved face guarding when I played basketball. It is a beautiful thing when everyone is on the same page). Now if your Safety does not get into position quick enough to discourage the lob pass, it will “look like” the Cornerback is getting beat, when in reality it is the Safety getting beat. But you would have to be in the huddle and on the practice field to know exactly what was supposed to happen. My point? This is just one play. Most teams have hundreds of plays to learn, hundreds of personnel packages, audibles, coverages, techniques etc. So how is that people know when a player makes a mistake? By listening to the commentators? LOL.. Half of the commentators never played football. So who do you listen to now?

I personally loved Greg Williams because he maximized his talent on Defense. He never asked any of his players (well maybe Sean Taylor) to do anything outside of themselves. Carlos Rogers had his best years under Williams. Let us not forget, it was in the 2008 season where Rogers, coming off of an ACL, and MCL injury, came back from surgery 3 months early and had his best pro year. That to me shows that, given the right situation, Rogers can be a solid cornerback. If you are like me, and you are at home watching the game, you would have to know how to evaluate a player before you could make a comment on their performance. Do you know how to evaluate a Cornerback? If not, this is what you look for:

1. Man-to-man coverage: How flexible are their hips and smooth are their turns? Do they have a good backpedal? How fast can they accelerate?

2. Zone coverage: Do they show good range? Do they cover a lot of ground? How are they in the deep half? How is their overall awareness and instinct?

3. Closing quickness: Do they plant and drive well? Do they close and get to the ball in the air?

4. Key and diagnose: How well do they read the QB? Do they anticipate well? Do they seem to be in the right spot?

5. Lateral pursuit: Can they get over trash (a pile of players)? How is the movement in their hips? Can they chase sideline to sideline?

6. Tackling: Do they wrap up well? Do they tackle low or high? Are they able to drag down? Do they tackle with power and are they punishing?

7. Pass drop: How flexible are their hips and how smooth are their turns? Do they get adequate depth? Do they show awareness in zone coverage?

8. Pass coverage/hands: Can they cover man to man? Can they match up in the red zone? Do they have good ball skills?

Obviously, no one checks out 100%. The guy that I see in the NFL that comes really close is Darelle Revis. And last I checked, there is only one Darelle Revis in the NFL? So with that in mind, I ask you to re-evaluate what you think of Carlos Rogers.

How many times have you seen a deep ball completed on the Redskins in the last two seasons? What Defense were they in at the time? How many times were the Safety’s out of position? How many times were the Redskins in the wrong Defensive package? How many times were there blown coverages underneath? How much did the Redskins blitz over the past two seasons? How many backs ran for 100 yards on the Redskins’ Defense? I mean, let us not forget, Cornerbacks have to come up in support of the running game too. If you are getting killed on the ground, imagine what a perfectly timed play action fake could do (a team fakes a run, only to drop back and pass). I think you get my point. You can think that you see everything, when in reality, you might see nothing. Unless you are in the Defensive film room, or in the Defensive huddle, you cannot make a judgement call on someones performance. So to say that Carlos Rogers is a bum is a bit of stretch. Even the great Deion Sanders met his match a few times? There is no Cornerback in the history of the football who has not been beaten. As I stated before, the Wide Recievers in the NFL are World Class athletes. I think that they will beat a few Cornerbacks in their careers. There is not a Cornerback in the history of football who has caught every pass thrown to them. I mean if you could have your pick, what would you like from Carlos Rogers this season?

a. Catch more interceptions?
b. Not let a pass be completed on him?
c. Break up a few more pass plays?
d. Make more tackles?
e. All Of the Above

And be honest with yourself. Who in the NFL does all of this on a consistent basis? If you are real with yourself, you will know that to ask any Cornerback to do all of this is unrealistic. So now that you have something to think about tell me what you expect from Rogers this year. Please leave your comments.

In closing, here is my take on Carlos Rogers. Until the Redskins address their OBVIOUS hole at Free Safety, I would never ask Rogers, Hall, Buchanon or any other Cornerback to play Press Coverage. They would have to play 10 yards off of every, and any Wide Receiver. Until then I do not want Rogers trying to go for Interceptions. I want Rogers to play solid Defense and put himself in position to defense/deflect/break up pass plays. I also do not want Rogers trying to make too many tackles. That is not what he is getting paid for. He is getting paid to disrupt the other teams passing game. If he has to choose, I would much rather have him give up a short pass play as opposed to a long pass play. But, this all goes back to personnel. If you do not have the right personnel, you will be exposed. And no other position is a better measuring stick for this than Cornerback. I mean, Darelle Revis has always been a good Cornerback, but when did he have his best year? When Rex Ryan brought in the right personnel for the Jets’ Defense and brought his blue print from Baltimore for a great 3-4 Defense. Now Darelle Revis is a household name. I believe with the right personnel Carlos Rogers can play at a level close to Darelle Revis. But I am not crazy. Revis by far is the best Cornerback in the game, hands down. But, does this mean Rogers could not be one of the good ones too?

Is It All A Dream... Is D-Mac Really On My Team?

This must be dream.  I mean I have been watching football since 1983 faithfully.  My favorite team has been the Washington Redskins since I can remember.  I didn’t know teams other than the Redskins, Cowboys, Dolphins and Raiders existed until the next year when the 49ers faced off against the Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX (19).  From 1984 until now teams have done everything that they could to make sure that their Quarterback stayed with them for the duration of, or at least the majority of, their careers.  Guy’s like Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, and John Elway would not have looked good in other teams’ uniform.  Although we did see Joe Montana go to the Chiefs, and that was just wrong.  It was unheard of for a Franchise Quarterback to change teams, especially in their prime. But this past April I saw something that I never thought I would have seen.  A Franchise QB being traded to another team, not only in the same Conference, but within the same division.  That is why I keep asking myself, “Is this a dream?”  “Or is this a joke?”  Either way, it is the ultimate slap in the face.  And one that is not deserved, but if anyone can handle it in a classy way, Donovan McNabb is that guy.

I watched two starting Quarterback change teams this offseason.  Jason Campbell was traded away from the Redskins for damn near nothing.  Campbell went for a 4^th Round Draft pick in 2012.  That is 2 years from now.  Are you kidding me?  And a 4^th Round Draft Pick?  WOW!!!  With that said, Donovan McNabb’s situation was a bit better, but it was still a low blow.  Donovan was traded to the Washington Redskins for a 2^nd Round Draft Pick.  LOL…  I guess Brotha’s are still expendable.  I understand that a player’s value is what two teams agree upon, but give me a break here.  We are talking about a future Hall of Fame Quarterback.  We are talking about one of the best QB’s in NFL history.  We are talking about one of the best Winners of all time in the NFL.  And for the past five offseasons we were all waiting for the other shoe to drop.  We were waiting on the Eagles to cut ties with the best player in their Franchise’s history.  And that day came to pass on April 5, 2010. 

Maybe as Black people we are a bit too sensitive.  I mean for decades Black people have been slighted and underminded.  We see changes in society, but then we have constant reminders of what America’s ugly past was all about.  People do not want to admit it, but sports are a microcosm of society.  And although we have a Black President now, it does not mean, people’s discriminatory and sometimes, outright racist attitudes have changed.  And no where is this more apparent than in football at the Quarterback position.  Although the number of Black Quarterbacks have increased, the guidelines are still the same.  As a Black Quarterback, you have to be athletic, you must have a big arm and you have to be built a certain way (READ: muscular).  Notice, there is no reference to intelligence, just as long as you are not too smart.  God forbid you are intelligent as a Black QB, you will get Black-balled.  Just ask Duante Culpepper.  He is smart enough to understand NFL contract’s, and is still better then half of the Quarterback’s in the league and the only starting job that he was offered was with the lowly Detroit Lions.  But hey, it’s an NFL paycheck right?  As a Black Quarterback, you just need to be able to pick up the teams playbook and be able to run.  But even if you are intelligent, you will not get credit for it.

Jason Campbell has learned six to seven different Offensive Playbooks in the last nine years.  Do you think that he is intelligent/smart/heady or whatever bull---- term they are using today?  I think that Jason Campbell is very intelligent.  My proof, as a Black Quarterback, if he was not, that would be the FIRST thing in the way of criticism, that you would hear.  But it is not just Jason Campbell and it is not just about intelligence.  Can you imagine what would really happen if a Black Quarterback were really and truthfully groomed?  There is already a fear of the Black Quarterback in the NFL because every other position is dominated by Black players.  There is a note of athleticism, but couple that with intelligence and, “Houston we have a problem!!”  Maybe there is a fear that if Black Quarterbacks are given a fair shot, that the NFL will be completely Black in the next decade.  I mean, look at the NBA.  There is a conscious effort to slight Black Quarterbacks.  There is this subtle message to change positions, to avoid the "criticism."  Some are even told that they are “too athletic” to play Quarterback.  What kind of garbage is that?

How long do people expect Black Quarterbacks to endure criticism without lashing back?  Truth be told, Jake Delhomme would never get another starting job in the NFL if he were Black.  Carson Palmer would be getting death threats and would have been gone a few years ago.  People would be calling for Tony Romo’s backup.  Aaron Rodgers would be a bust.  Marc Bulger would have been gone two seasons ago. Jay Cutler would have been traded for a 4^th-7^th Round draft pick.  Alex Smith would have been released two seasons ago.  Matt Hasselback would have lasted 3 years.  Chad Pennington would have been long gone.  J.P. Losman would be bagging groceries.  Ben Roethlisberger would be staring down a year long suspension.  Phillip Rivers would have been on the hot seat coming into the 2009 season.  And, Matt Schaub would still be a backup in Atlanta.  A Quarterback’s value is in their production on the field and people’s perception of them.  The “it” factor, again, is the backing of an organization.  So when you hear the term, the “it” factor (i.e. … this kid has the “it” factor), know that “it” is a bunch of garbage.  It is a term that is made up just to separate two people when nothing to distinguish the difference is apparent.

This brings me back to Donovan McNabb.  Donovan is the perfect Quarterback.  He fits the description of most Black Quarterbacks, and even the stereotypical White Quarterback.  Here is my scouting report on Donovan:

-Big, strong, athletic kid

-Live arm; can make all of the throws

-Good at spreading the ball around

-Very mobile, especially within the pocket

-Can make plays with his feet

-Great deep ball thrower

-Very smart

-Great leader

Now a lot of people are going to have a problem with this blog.  I really could give a rat’s ass.  Anyone that knows me will tell you that I may be very opinionated and tough, but I am fair.  And the way Donovan McNabb has been unfairly scrutinized and overlooked for the duration of his career is very unfair.  The funny thing is, he is still going to be in Canton, OH in the future, so it makes no difference what anyone says. 

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are great Quarterbacks and are going to be in the Hall of Fame.  Brett Favre is another great, and he too will be in Canton, OH in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  But you would be hard pressed to find anyone else from this era that is well on their way to the Hall of Fame other than Donovan McNabb.  You might be able to make a case for Ben Roethlisberger, but that is about it.  Maybe in a few years, I will entertain conversation about Drew Brees, but one Super Bowl win a Hall Famer it does not make.  Hell, Trent Dilfer and Mark Rypien both have Super Bowl rings, and I do not see Canton calling them anytime soon, if at all.  A Super Bowl ring, although nice to have, only says that you had one good season.  When you get two rings, you are doing something, when you have three like Tom Brady, you are the man.  Now if you can couple those rings with some good seasons then you are writing your own ticket to Canton.  I want you to be the judge of Donovan’s career to this point.  If you are going to get emotional and start spouting off dumbness, do not even bother writing me.  Please respond with some intelligence.  Take a look at this mans career and tell me if you think he has had a Hall Of Fame worthy career:

Year	Games	Games Started	Attempts	Completions	Completion %	Yards	Yards/Attempt	Touchdowns		Interceptions	Rating
1999	12	6	216	106	49.1	948	4.9		8	7	60.1
2000	16	16	569	330	58.0	3,365	5.91		21	13	77.8
2001	16	16	493	285	57.8	3,233	6.56		25	12	84.3
2002	10	10	361	211	58.4	2,289	6.34		17	6	86.0
2003	16	16	478	275	57.5	3,216	6.73		16	11	79.6
2004	15	15	469	300	64.0	3,875	8.26		31	8	104.7
2005	9	9	357	211	59.1	2,507	7.00		16	9	85.0
2006	10	10	316	180	57.0	2,647	8.36		18	6	95.5
2007	14	14	473	291	61.5	3,324	7.00		19	7	89.9
2008	16	16	571	345	60.4	3,916	6.90		23	11	86.4
2009	14	14	443	267	60.3	3,553	8.00		22	10	92.9
Totals	138	132	4,303	2,534	58.9	29,320	6.80		194	90	86.5
Playoffs	12	12	419	249	59.4	2,630	6.26		18	12	80.1

First of all, Donovan has NEVER, thrown more Interceptions than Touchdowns.  Take a look at the things that stick out, that are not on this chart.  McNabb has five NFC Championship appearances and one Super Bowl appearance.  And please take a look at the 2004 Season’s stats.  That is the one year that McNabb had a viable, respectable target at Wide Receiver in one Terrell Owens.  Next take a look at the 2008 season.  Please be advised that it was during this time that Donovan McNabb was benched for he first time in his career.  That season ended in one of Donovan’s five NFC Championship appearances. It was during that season that Philadelphia drafted a young speedster by the name of DeSean Jackson.  Finally, take a look at what Donovan has on his resume as of May 2010:

NFL Records

• Most consecutive pass completions, 24; vs New York Giants, Nov. 28, 2004; vs Green Bay Packers, Dec. 5, 2004
• Least-intercepted Quarterback per pass attempt of all time, (4588 attempts-96 interceptions, 2.09%)
• Second-best Touchdown-to-Interception ratio of all time, (209-96, 2.18) behind Tom Brady (217-92, 2.36)
• First NFL Quarterback ever to throw for more than 30 touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions (2004) [8]
• One of six Quarterbacks of all time to have over 25,000 Passing yards and 3,000 Rushing yards (alongside Randall Cunningham, Steve Young, Fran Tarkenton, Steve McNair, and John Elway)
• Currently the third-highest winning percentage among active quarterbacks (83-45-1, .647) behind Peyton Manning (119-59-0, .669) and Tom Brady (88-25-0, .779)

Eagles records

• Most Career Attempts (4,303)
• Most Pass Completions (2534)
• Most Passing Yards (29,320)
• Most Passing Touchdowns (203)
• Most Single-Season Completions (345, 2008 season)
• Most Single-Season Yards (3,916, 2008 season)
• Most NFC Championship Appearances (5)

I ask you one more time, why does this man not get respect?  Don’t give me garbage about him “not winning the big one.”  Dan Marino, Fran Tarkenton and Jim Kelly didn’t either.  Stop making excuses and start getting real.