Vision Quest: Have QB Controversy, will travel

Billy Kilmer vs. Sony Jurgenson, Sonny Jurgenson vs. Joe Theisman, Jay Schroeder vs. Doug Williams, Mark Rypien Vs. Stan Humphiries, Gus Ferrotte vs. Heath Miller, Brad Johnson vs. Jeff George. The only thing the Redskin fans savor more then a QB controversy is a win over Dallas. Well the Redskins have one of their wishes and oddly enough it is on the eve of their chance to get another.

After relieving Patrick Ramsey during the first game of the season the day many Redskin fans saw coming happened. Mark Brunell has replaced Patrick Ramsey as the starter. A year ago it looked as Brunell was washed up and unable to play the game. Honestly, I am not so sure he is much better. But Ramsey has not progressed in 4 years with the team and so he is out and Brunell is in.

But that is not the only changes going on here at Redskin Park. Antonio Brown, after being touted as not only the return man for the Redskins but a candidate for the third WR spot has been released after fumbling last game. Brandon Noble is looking at possibly season ending knee surgery, again. Jon Hall strained his quad, again, and we signed a rookie kicker to possibly replace him.

What the ****Censored by Spence**** is going on at Redskin Park?

Look I understand the Ramsey benching. Hell I even agree with it. And despite what many fans are saying, Gibbs gave Ramsey every chance to improve and he didn’t. He went out and got small fast receivers to run deeper routes to take advantage of Ramsey’s arm. He installed the shotgun formation specifically for Ramsey, as the more mobile Brunell and Campbell don’t need to use it.

But Ramsey continued to stare down his primary receiver, throw silly interceptions, and Hold onto the ball too long. Coach Gibbs must have been silently eating his words proclaiming Ramsey to be the anointed starter this year. This shows with the Campbell selection in this year’s draft and Ramsey getting the hook faster then a mime on “The Gong Show”. Joe is a Christian and I know for a fact he never wished for Ramsey to get injured, but I think part of him is relieved it happened because it gave him his excuse to switch to Brunell.

This is a simple decision for Coach Gibbs. Start Ramsey and with that you have the possibility of interceptions as well as great plays. Or Start Brunell who brings experience and offers mistake free unspectacular play. With Ramsey you have to worry about resigning him after next year. With Brunell you can look forward to him retiring and easing Campbell into the starting job.

Our defense is so good that Brunell might be the smart choice. We only need to look at the Ravens and Trent Dilfer for proof that a team with a stellar defense, decent running game and a sub-par but mistake free quarterback can make the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. And Brunell may not make many plays but he won’t throw interceptions in the end zone on a consistent basis either.

My only real criticism of the move is a case of hindsight being 20/20. However the criticism itself is strong enough to warrant consideration. If Gibbs did not like Ramsey from the very start why did he keep him? It is very clear now that Gibbs never wanted Ramsey to be the QB in DC. He should have taken the first round pick offered by Miami for Ramsey before the 2004 season. Now league sources are indicating Ramsey’s trade value being no more then a 6th or 7th rounder.

For now I trust in Gibbs and hope Brunell is recovered from the hamstring injury from last year. I also hope Betts and Portis are limber and ready to go. Before the season is over we could run the wishbone with Cooley as the third back.

Dallas Week is here!!!

Only a QB controversy can push the Dallas game to the second headline. But then again a hurricane has moved the game itself to an also-ran on Monday Night.

What has happened to this rivalry? It was once the penultimate of grudge matches. The match-ups during the 80’s and the 90’s always were about playoff positioning and setting up your season for a run at the title. Future Hall of Famers, and should be HOFers (Art Monk thank you), were on both teams. The overall series was even and master coaches were on both sidelines.

Right now only thee master coaches part ring true. An unfortunately the Redskins are to blame for most of this. With only one playoff year in 12 seasons the Redskins have not been a competitive rival. At the start of the 1996 season the Cowboys lead the Redskins in the overall series by 40-33-2. Not bad for a rivalry. One team with a slight edge but the other very respectable. The Redskins then lost 14 of the next 15 games. 8 long years on inadequacy. The last victory? A meaningless victory during Spurrier’s rookie coaching year. The series now stands at 54-34-2. How bad is that? France’s army looks at that winning percentage and says “Sacre bleu that is a bad!”

Is this the year we are going to turn it around? I don’t know. On paper we are a better team. We have a great defense; the Cowboys are struggling with the transition to the 3-4. Our offense, believe it or not, is better then theirs. We should win this game, but in my mid we should of won the last 14 out of 15 as well. We always find a way to lose.

And the last year was no exception. Our first game Mark Brunell played one of his finest games leading the Redskins to an 18-18 tie with 4:30 to go. However Dallas’s next drive took up all but 21 seconds and they kicked the go ahead field goal. Rod Gardner caught (yes I said caught) a desperate 46-yard pass to get to the Dallas 21 but could not get out of bounds and the Redskins had no timeouts. Game over.

Then there was the second game. Leading 10-6 with 55 seconds to go the Redskins were looking to not only win against the Cowboys but the possibility of a playoff spot on the line. However Patrick Crayton left wide open scored on a 39 yard pass from walking zombie Vinny Testaverde. It left the Redskins listless and most fans with a pit the size of Parcell’s head in their stomach.

Dallas is so assured of a victory they have decided to hold their “Ring of Honor ceremony at halftime. They are going to honor Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and others ****Censored by Spence****’s when we come to play them, their supposed rivals. This is their NFL equivalent of the “Homecoming Game” and we are Ball St. This is a slap in the face and the Redskins should be mad as hell. I would pay real money for Lavar to come charging out of the tunnel at halftime and talking Troy Aikman off the podium knocking him out of the ceremony.

Now, early in this season, is a must win game for our Redskins. They need to win this game, not just because of the Rivalry. Not just because of last year’s losses. Not just because they need to settle their QB situation. They need to win it because of us, the fans. Because we need a sign that this season is different then the last 8. They need to send a message to the rest of the NFL that this is the first step at returning to glory of our past.

And most of all to regain our honor and glory that once was the Washington Redskin Football team.

Keys to Winning against the Cowboys

As usual here are my 5 offensive and 5 defensive keys to winning the game.

OFFENSE

1.) Take advantage of the new Cowboy 3-4 Defense. I hate the 3-4 defense. I don’t understand the sudden fascination with it in the NFL. It is one of the main reasons the NFC dominated the AFC in Super Bowls during the 80’s and 90’s (the other two are Denver and Buffalo). With only three down lineman a patient and productive between the tackle running attack is more then effective. Run Portis and Betts up the middle and when the LB’s creep in, run a few screens and stretch plays to keep them honest.

2.) Field Goals are not good enough, get touchdowns. Ok this one gets the obvious key of the week. Score more points, duh! But with last week not scoring a TD and only 3 FG’s in a win against the Bears and a possible rookie Kicker in Nick Novak (if Hall remains injured) and a rookie holder in P Andy Groom, we just can’t rely on the FG’s to be good let alone hold up.

3.) Get Cooley going early. Although most of the offensive plays should be run plays, use Coley in short and medium route to keep the linebackers off the line of scrimmage. Cooley is a budding superstar, as well as a stud Cheerleader magnet (it just does not get old). Moving him around in different sets and spreading him out at times will confuse the defense and open running space. Getting a one-on one Match-up on Demarcus Ware who is learning the 3-4 defense after being a 4-3 DE is essential.

4.) Don’t change the Game Plan entirely. We spent the entire off season getting speedy receivers to get downfield. We need to find a way to connect on a few downfield passes. Brunell may not be as accurate over 20 yards as Ramsey but we need to stretch the field to keep Williams from making it a 3-5 defense instead of a 3-4. Send Patten and Moss long on occasion early on.

5.) Game management is key. Get the plays in on time and do not waste timeouts early. In addition try to control the clock by making first downs and running the clock as much as possible. These two things rely on fast decision making and proper route running. If it is 3rd and 4 do not run 2 yard curl routes for heavens sake.

DEFENSE

1.) The QB must go down and he must go down hard. Apparently Vinny Testaverde was too fleet footed for Bill Parcells so he went with Drew Bledsoe. Drew Bledsoe is about as fleet footed as the George Washington monument. Greg Williams lives for this kind of QB. Blitz packages you have never seen before are being thought up right now somewhere in Redskins Park. Watch for all the stops to be pulled out. Corner blitz, safety blitz, delayed blitz, water boy blitz….everything on every play.

2.) Julius Jones cannot get traction. This guy has to be the most overrated young running back in the NFL. He is a decent running back, but not the monster everyone was talking about at the end of last year. The Cowboys are going to try and get Bledsoe some time by running the ball to offset the blitz. The front 4 need to shut down running lanes and allow the safeties and linebackers to swarm and fill.

3.) Don’t Key on Keyshawn, he ain’t that good. This one is for you Taylor. DO not get obsessed with Johnson’s trash talk and forget about your coverage. Keyshawn is a shadow of his former self and one in a long line of former Jet’s receivers who just can not get it done anymore (Hey Coles how is the toe). If you look at the game tape of Crayton scoring Springs is expecting deep help and lets Crayton go, Taylor is over double teaming Keyshawn. Taylor needs to keep Keyshawn in mind but play the whole field, not one bad mouthed washed up receiver.

4.) The Front four needs to create pressure. On the occasions we do not blitz the front four needs to generate some kind of pass rush. Any time we rushed 4 down linemen or 3 down linemen against the Bears we got no pressure at all. Drew Bledsoe is too good of a QB for that and you can not blitz all the time. The front four must get some kind of pressure on its own.

5.) Don’t get complacent. This is Dallas. No lead is safe when they are playing the redskins. The Redskins can not let up even for one second. It will be a miracle if the offense gives you a two possession cushion. And they can’t be counted on for long drives to win the game. The defense must punish the Cowboys on each and every series.

OVERALL

DO NOT PLAY TO THEIR LEVEL. If this sounds familiar it is because it is. The Cowboys are not as talented as our team. Period. We have the edge at everything but QB and defensive line, and the margin there is not that big. We played well against the Bears but should have dominated. We should win this game despite what Vegas or the other experts say. Time to go out and prove it.

Hail Redskins!!!!

Vision Quest: An Open Letter to the Fans at Fed-Ex

Dear Fed-ex Fans,

Thank you.

Seriously, Thank you.

You won the game for the Redskins with an impressive performance late in the game, and on behalf of all those watching our beloved in enemy territory we salute you.

As many of you know I live in Upstate NY. The regional fox station here in Syracuse, NY plays the NY Giants game whenever they are on, and if they are not Philadelphia gets heavy play due to Donovan McNabb playing college here at SU. Even when the Redskins play an AFC team I have to hope the Bills and the Jets are not playing at the same time.

So as you can see I barely get to see a game at home. Unless it is Monday Night, Sunday Night, Thanksgiving or my annual trip to DC (this year November 20th Oakland can’t wait) I am relegated to the local sports bar more often then not. But that is not so bad. There are about a dozen Redskin fans that go there early in the season, and lately only six of us that are dedicated enough to be there at the end also. We get there early and try and get the best TV in the house and oh yeah, we are the loudest and most proud of all the fans in the joint.

This week though we were supposed to be on the TV. Fox, meaning the NFC, had the doubleheader. The Giants were on at 4 and the Eagles are playing on Monday. Bears at Redskins were the national game and I was at home with my Dog ready to watch. I even had arranged for my Wife and 16-year-old daughter who hate football to go school cloth shopping while I watched the game. And as Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey were singing I felt everything was perfect. Everything but Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey singing. (Seriously I know they can both sing and are eye candy to both men and women, but they butchered America the Beautiful. Why can’t pop stars just sing without all this modulation in their voice?).

But then a feeling came over me. The last time I felt it was right before Testaverde threw that long bomb to beat us in the last minute last year. I asked my wife to wait for the game to start because we are a one-car family and I just felt that despite my Cable guide, TV guide and today’s paper all assuring me the Redskins game would be pre-empted. And it was sure enough. The local station decided to play the Carolina – New Orleans game.

So up off the couch I sprung, changed out of my sweats and into some jeans and un-showered and smelly my wife drove me to the local sports bar where sure enough the gang came stumbling in one by one. All with close to the same story to tell. I missed the first quarter of the game thanks to the local station manager’s “FEMA like” decision-making abilities. But then again I missed Ramsey’s interception too so there is a silver lining.

Why did I decide to write an open letter thanking the fans at FedEx for the win? Well with 7:38 left in the Fourth quarter and the Redskins up 9 to 7 the Chicago Bears were driving for the go ahead score. It was 2nd and 13 on the Washington 37. The Bears just needed 10 yards to assure the go-ahead field goal. But the crowd came alive. First the offensive tackle Fred Miller false started. 2nd and 18. The crowd got even louder. Then the other offensive tackle committed a false start. 2nd and 23. The crowd roared with RFK like frenzy. Then the offensive Guard Reuben Brown committed the third false start in a row. 2nd and 28. In three plays the 12th man killed the best chance Chicago had at coming back. Fired up by the crown Demetric Evans sacked Kyle Orton making it an impossible to convert 3rd and 28. A feeble pass to Muhammad fell incomplete and the Bears had to punt.

So Fed Ex. I chalk this win up to you. It reminded me of the days I would see RFK’s stands shaking with excitement and frenzy. You got the guys up in Syracuse fired up and showed that 90k people cheering as one can actually will a team to win. And you guys did it. I can’t wait to join you in November.

Pass or Fail

Saturday I listed five offensive and defensive keys to winning the game. Each week I will try and re-examine them giving the Redskins a simple Pass, Fail or incomplete.

Offensive Keys

1.) Ramsey INCOMPLETE
Sure he threw an interception early and was kind of ineffective, but he went out too early in the game to give a complete grade to. I am not sure if he will be back against the Cowboys this week. Gibbs isn’t either. He did pass for more yards and a better comp % then Brunell, but it seemed like Brunell made better decisions.

2.) Clinton Portis needs to get started early and often FAIL
Portis may have finished strong but he surely did not start that way. In the first quarter he had 7 attempts for 10 yards. It is a testament to how he finished the game that he ended up with 21 carries for 121 yards. However his slow start kept us from moving the ball early and establishing a dominant lead.

3.) Moss, Patten, and the other small guys need to establish the ability to gain separation in both short and long routes. PASSED
The receivers consistently got open on short and long routes. The problem was the QBs didn’t get it to them. However when the passes got there the receivers had running room. Moss was the A student here. He owned the field and showed why we traded him for Coles (by the way Coles had 6 catches for 66 yards, Moss 4 for 96. Get used to that 10-11 YPC average Jets fans…I still say we got the better in the trade.).

4.) Offensive line must protect Ramsey. FAIL
Ramsey was under constant pressure. It may have been his fault, and it may have been the anemic running game under him. However before he went down to injury he was under constant pressure. Brunell seemed to move better and the line picked up the blitzes, but for Ramsey for whatever reason, the protection was not there.

5.) Run Screens to keep Urlacher at bay. FAIL
I did not see one screen all day long. A couple of dump passes to Patten do not count. When the Redskins run the screen they open up running and passing lanes, period. They didn’t so it this game and that is why we scored 9 points.

DEFENSE

1.) Introduce Kyle Orton to the Turf. FAIL
Only 2 sacks on the day, but Orton was not under constant pressure. Many times Williams rushed only three guys and they rarely got near Orton. The front four needs to generate more pressure on the QB and the blitzes have to be more effective.

2.) Be Aware of Mohammad but do not lose focus of other receivers. PASS
The Redskins always seemed to be around the receiver when they caught the ball. There were a few miscommunications but with no reception over 22 yards, the secondary did the job. Especially when you consider the little pass rush they had to work with.

3.) Do not let Thomas Jones get started. PASS
Jones had 15 rushes for 31 yards and the 1 TD came courtesy of Antonio Brown (more on him later). In addition Benson had 3 rushes for 10 yards. The Redskins shut down the run all day and controlled the line of scrimmage. Defenders flowed to the ball and gang tackled the runners. It was the most effective part of the defense.

4.) Daniels needs to show up. PASS
Daniels only had two tackles but he had a couple of QB hurries and occupied blockers to allow LBS to fill and stop the run. I give him a passing grade, but just barely.

5.) Let Lavar loose. FAIL
For whatever reason the Redskins are still playing Holdman more then Lavar. The regular season has started, time to stop the bringing along slowly plan. Lavar had only 1 tackle in the game. He was somewhat effective rushing the passer but not nearly enough. Bringing Lavar in on passing downs allows opponents to game plan for him. Keeping him in there all the time will not allow opponents to keep an eye on him all the time. I know Holdman had the tip that set up the Lemar Marshall interception; still Lavar needs to start and play 90% of the snaps. It is what we pay him for.

OVERALL POINT: Do not play to the level of your opponent. FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!
Disgusting. They did it again. Chicago should not be even in our league. Starting a 4th round rookie QB we should have been all over them. This should have been 28-0, not 9-7. Stupid mistakes and a lackluster offense once again lead to a win but barely to a team that is not our equal talent wise. Next week we got a big test in Dallas. We need to come with our A game. If not it could get ugly next week.

Goats and Heroes

OFFENSE

HERO: Clinton Portis GOAT: Patrick Ramsey
21 carries for 121 yards 6/11 105 YDS 1 INT 1 FUM

Clinton Portis may have gotten off to a slow start but he absolutely showed up for the rest of the game. The 41-yard run when the Redskins were backed up against the end zone at the end of the third quarter was nothing less then a game saver. Ramsey though was responsible for two turnovers even though one was a result of an uncalled illegal hit. However when you are the anointed starter you have to come up better then that.

DEFENSE

HERO: Marcus Washington GOAT: The Referees
7 tackles n/a

Marcus Washington once again showed why he is the only pro-bowler from last year’s squad. He may go down as the best free agent signing Snyder has had so far. He was all over the field and even applied pressure several times. I know it is early to start complaining about officials but I have never seen so much holding not called since Cooley’s cheerleader fiasco. If this keeps up, whoever is our QB should pull an Adam Sandler and start drilling Zebras left and right. As a bonus the Cooley Pass interference call was pure ****Censored By Spence****. Last time I looked when the contact happens after 5 yards and it is initiated by the Defense, which it was, it is either incidental or defensive pass interference.

SPECIAL TEAMS

HERO: John Hall GOAT: Antonio Brown
3/3 Field Goals (40,43,19) 2 Punt Returns 2.5 Avg.
1 KO Return 16 YDs
Lost Fumble

Hall might have been the offensive MVP to. I hope his quad pull will heal because we need his strong leg next week. Otherwise Chandler better not move to Sweden. Antonio Brown could be looking at losing his roster spot here. Gibbs intimated that Betts might be the guy to take kickoff returns from now on. If Brown does not show some offensive abilities he could be in trouble.

That's it. I will have keys to beating Dallas next weekend. Until then dream of Cowboys being scalped.

Vision Quest: The “P” Word

The start of the Regular season is upon us friends. Some of the Washington faithful are lucky. They are headed to Fed Ex field to watch the Redskins in the opener. And some of those faithful are very luckier since they get to attend the hR official tailgate. Other fans out of the area, like me, are lucky as well since the Redskin game is playing as the National game on Fox. And then there are the poor souls in enemy territory that will have to slink on down to the local sports bar and sit there rooting for our team while others look at you strangely and send snide comments your way.

But really all of us are lucky. Football is back. The last time we saw our Redskins play a game that mattered they handed the Minnesota Vikings a devastating loss around the turn of the year and ended their season 6-10. In January we watched other teams, many less talented then ours, vie in the playoffs. In February we watched the Eagles lose to the Patriots in Super bowl and mulled over our free agent decisions. In March watch as we traded some players, waived goodbye to others and brought in a few fresh faces during. April brought the Draft and we game planned and debated about the few picks that were supposed to reshape our roster. May brought OTAs and the taste of football. But then in June and July we had nothing to do but debate how many year’s Sean Taylor may go to jail for. Finally August came and the start of training camps. Preseason followed shortly after that as well as roster cuts and position battles.

But now…Now it is September. Now we have football back and the games will start to count. And what has all this time taught us about the Redskins? What has all the changes added up to? What has all the analysis and media reports talked about? Can we sum up the Redskins? Well I can sum up the Redskins in open word.

Potential.

For the last few years we have talked about this word a lot. But this year more then any I can remember the “P” word is key. This team has all the potential it can handle. The question will they live up to it or will they once again break our hearts. The list of potentials this year are almost too numerous to count.

Will Ramsey live up to his potential and finally be a reliable NFL QB, or will he continue to make bad choices?

Will the offensive line live up to it’s potential and provide needed protection for our QBs and open wide holes for our RBs or will they continually get called for penalties and make our QBS crap their pants when dropping back to pass?

Will Clinton Portis live up to his potential as an explosive game changing back or will he continue to go down on first contact?

Will our speedy wide receivers live up to their potential to spread defenses and provide instant easy points or will they be manhandled at the line and drop too many passes?

Will Lavar Arrington finally live up to his potential and be the dominant line backer he so desperately wants to be or will he just be another good linebacker who gambles and gets burned?

Will Carlos Rogers live up to his potential and make us forget who Fred Smoot was, or will he continue to struggle lat in games?

Will the defense live up to it’s potential to be one of the scariest jockstrap messing defenses we have ever seen, or will they let down from last year?

All those questions are good ones and we will get answers soon. This Sunday in fact. The Redskins host the Bears at Fed Ex. Football is back and it is time to see if all those potentials turn out to be true.

Keys to beating the Bears.

I have an Achilles’ heel. Actually I have a few. Gum drops and fatty foods are up there. But as a football fan the Redskins are my Achilles’ heel. I refuse to believe my skins can lose a game. I know logically that no team can win every game. However when I look to the match up on the Schedule I just can’t imagine my guys losing.

So long ago I decided I can not make game predictions when it comes to the Boys in Burgundy and Gold. It will break my heart even more if they lose. SO instead I have decided to give 5 offensive keys and 5 defensive keys to winning the game each week. So in all humbleness here are my keys to winning the game on Sunday:

Offense

1.) Ramsey. Might as well just pencil this in as the top key for the rest of the time he is starting. We all know the criticism. Happy feet, stares down primary receiver, poor progression through all available options, turnovers in the Red Zone, crappy hair cut (ok that last one is mine). Our hopes rest squarely on his shoulders. We don’t need a stellar performance. Just 250+ yards 2 TDs and 1 INT will service nice. The other guys will do the rest.

2.) Clinton Portis needs to get started early and often. Last year CP got 171+ yards against the bears and ran seemingly at will. He needs to get many touches early in the first quarter. Establishing the run will allow the new Smurfs to get down the field and catch balls.

3.) Moss, Patten, and the other small guys need to establish the ability to gain separation in both short and long routes. It is not enough to be able to outrun the opponent’s secondary on 40 yard post patterns. We need separation on the 7 yard curl routes. And for God’s sake please, on 3rd and 5…run 6 yard patterns. I am tired of the 2 yard routes on third down.

4.) Offensive line must protect Ramsey. Alex Brown, Adewale Ogunleye, and Tommie Harris are all capable of double digit sack season. Running CP well and often could keep them from pinning their ears back, but the line needs to protect Ramsey in passing situations. This is a tough assignment, but many believe our line is one of the best in the league. Time to show it. Put them on their back and often to keep our offense going.

5.) Run Screens to keep Urlacher at bay. Chicago’s MLB may be the most overrated player in the NFL. But he did sleep with Paris Hilton so you have to give him some props. Overrated or not, he is still a good LB and loves to be in the backfield disrupting the pass and run. Throw a few screens to keep him off balance.

DEFENSE

1.) Introduce Kyle Orton to the Turf. Kyle Orton says he thinks he can handle the blitz packages Gregg Williams will be throwing out there. Oh you do Kyle? Well Lee thought he could march his troops in a straight line under heavy artillery for a mile of open land at Gettysburg. How did that turn out for him? Williams needs to do an eleven man blitz right off the bat. Hey Kyle, welcome to the NFL.

2.) Be Aware of Mohammed but do not lose focus of other receivers. Muhsin Mohammed is their stud WR but youngsters like Mark Bradley are up and coming receivers. Don’t let Taylor focus on one receiver like he did against Dallas last year. Stay true to coverage and let the blitz’s put Orton down.

3.) Do not let Thomas Jones get started. The Defensive line needs to stuff the gaps to keep Jones from getting a head of seam. The linebackers must stay true to their pursuit because Jones can cut back and gain a few yards where none was thought to be. Controlling the running game will force Orton to pass, and that is the key to winning the game.

4.) Daniels needs to show up. Phil, remember this is the team that dumped you almost two years ago. They said you were washed up. Time for pay back. Get into the backfield and earn the contract The Danny gave you last year.

5.) Let Lavar loose. We have nursed him all off season and through camp and the pre-season as well. I don’t care if he starts; I just want to see #56 on the field the Majority of the time chasing down RBs from the backside and turning QBs into piles of mush. A whole year of frustration is waiting inside him. Let the beast loose and let him warm up for some Cowboys next week.

One last general note to the whole team. Stop playing to the level of your opponent!! This is one of the most frustrating things about being a Washington Redskin fan. For the last 10 years redskin teams have played to the level of their opponent and by doing so they have lost games they should have won. This Bear’s team is not that good. We should beat them if we have any shot of going to the playoffs. Let’s go out and show the entire NFL that the Redskins are a team to reckon with.

Hail Redskins!!!!!

hR Special Teams Preview

What a difference a year makes. That is the old expression right? Well for the Redskins it is more apt to ask what a difference 5 months make. Around draft time this year we were looking to upgrade our special teams from last year’s uneven performance. During the draft we selected 4 players Manny White, Robert McCune, Jared Newberry, and Nehemiah Broughton were drafted specifically for their special team’s ability. Jeff Chandler was retained to battle with Jon Hall for the kicking duties. It seemed every job on special teams was open to that of competition, except for Tom Tupa the veteran and able legged punter.

Flash forward 5 months. Of the four 2nd day picks that focused on special teams, only Nemo remains on the roster. Manny White is on IR, Robert McCune is on the practice squad and Jared Newberry was released early and is up in New England now. The Competition between Jon Hall and Jeff Chandler fizzled as Hall has returned to his old form and easily retained his spot. Tupa however ended up on IR and young Andy Groom, brought in as Training Camp fodder, has a chance to be the Redskins punter for not only this year but the next decade if his punts continue to boom down the field.

Now that the final roster is set the Redskins are looking for consistency. Last year the special teams were indirectly affected by all the injuries. As starter’s were injured on offense and defense the replacement starters were taken off special team’s duties to prevent injuries there. This was a constant challenge to Danny Smith and his staff had to make do with a Gerry-rigged special team squad almost every week. The injuries were not just limited to regular position players; John Hall was injured through out the year forcing the Redskins to find a replacement kicker not once, but twice. Ola Kimrin earlier in the year took over and then went back to Sweden. When He could not come back because of immigration problems (I blame George W. Bush after all he is from Texas) Jeff Chandler came in and was serviceable. The Redskins hope to have a more stable year this time around.

Kickoff Coverage Unit
They have some dedicated special teams players like James Thrash, Rock Cartwright, Ade (grumble) Jimoh, Khari Campbell, as well as newcomers Omar Stoutmire, Pierson Prioleau, And Nehemiah Broughton to populate the various teams units and their experience should lead to improvement. Most of those players will be on the Kickoff Coverage team. John Hall’s return to this unit will definitely have a positive effect. Last year the replacement kickers did not get the ball long enough or high enough. Hall’s leg is live and rested and will definitely result in better coverage.

Punt Coverage Unit
With Tupa on IR this becomes one of the most worrisome units of the whole Special teams. Some would argue that with last year’s poor offense Tupa was our offensive MVP. Andy Groom has big shoes to fill, however we already know he has got a huge leg to do it. If he can learn to directional kick and get some decent hang time he could be in Burgundy and Gold for the next Decade. James Thrash and Omar Stoutmire will probably be the gunners. Thrash is excellent at this downing many punts inside the 5 last year.

Field Goal Unit
Redskin fans are hoping to see the John Hall of old return and if the pre-season is any indication they will. His kicks have been long and true. He may not be the most accurate but any time we cross the opponents 40 we are in range of Hall’s leg. Ethan Allbright is the long snapper and again just perfect. Groom will be the holder and he is not very experienced, but he did well in the preseason and if the chemistry gets going between these three the Redskins will be just fine.

Return Units
Antonio Brown is the main return guy on punts and kickoffs this year. He took over the return duties mid –season when Chad Morton went on IR and then won the job outright in the off season. He is ultra fast and has some decent moves. However he has had some hand issues in the past as evident against Dallas last year where he fumbled a punt return that could have helped us seal the game. Ladell Betts is a great 2nd return man for Kickoffs and will serve as an effective "lead blocker” for Brown.

So here is hoping that the special teams will be just that this year, “Special”. And not short yellow bus “Special”. But “Special” as in a building block to the playoffs.

Vision Quest: A Reaction to the Final Cuts

As you know I have focused the VQ articles for the last 5 weeks on the final 53 players that will make up our Redskin team for the 2005-06 season. This could change over the next couple of days as the Redskins scour the waiver wires looking for an unpolished gem that some other team didn’t want. So here are your 2005-06 Washington Redskins:

QB’s (3) – Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell
RB’s (4) – Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Nehemiah Broughton, Rock Cartwright
WR’s (5) – Santana Moss, David Patten, Taylor Jacobs, James Thrash, Antonio Brown
TE’s/H-backs (4) – Robert Royal, Chris Cooley, Mike Sellers, Brian Kozlowski
OL (9) – Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen, Ray Brown, Jim Molinaro, Cory Raymer, Lennie Friedman
DL (9) – Renaldo Wynn, Brandon Noble, Cornelius Griffin, Phillip Daniels, Joe Savale’a, Demetric Evans, Ryan Boschetti, Nic Clemons, Cedric Killings
LB’s (7) – Lavar Arrington, Marcus Washington, Warrick Holdman, Lemar Marshall, Zak Keasay, Chris Clemons, Khary Campbell
CB’s (4) – Shawn Springs, Walt Harris, Carlos Rodgers, Ade Jimoh,
S’s (5) – Sean Taylor, Matt Bowen, Ryan Clark, Pierson Prioleau, Omar Stoutmire
LS (1) – Ethan Albright
K (1) – John Hall
P (1) – Andy Groom

No real major surprises but there are some interesting notes.

Zak Keasay beats out Robert McCune. Zak’s wonderful training camp culminated in a roster spot. He is an example of every UFA’s wish. TO come into camp, play hard and make the final roster. The reason this is a surprise is because of the man he beat out for the last spot was drafted in the 5th round (oh you know I am going to be talking about the Redskin’s late draft pick’s later). McCune will probably make the PS but you have the Redskins have to hope that he is still around. In 24 hours we will know whether or not the Redskins will lose out on this draft pick to another team. If so one will have to wonder the decision to keep Keasay and not McCune. There is no doubt that Keasay would be signed to the PS and McCune would be on the squad. With neither expecting to play much or even be active on game day, this is an interesting gamble at least.

Groom beats out Mohr for the Punting position. I really thought Groom would lose out to the veteran, but I am glad he didn’t. When Tom Tupa went on IR and Gibbs signed the Veteran Mohr I thought it was all over for Groom. This could be a young kid that punts for Washington for another decade. I am really excited about this reversal by Gibbs and the coaching staff and it is proof positive Gibbs is looking long term at the Washington Redskins as opposed to a win now at all costs approach. Mohr might have been the safer pick for this year, but Groom, if he learns how to directional kick, will be an all-pro some day. It is nice to see a young kid win out over a vet every once in awhile. In hate seeing Tupa go, but Groom staying almost makes up for it.

Keeping 5 safeties and 4 corner backs. In a very surprise decision the Redskins keep Ade “Sure Thing” Jimoh and cut Garnell “The Dreadlocks That Stopped Moss” Wilds. Wilds should get onto the PS, but with a lot of teams looking for depth at corner someone might take a stab at him. Stoutmire making the team is not so surprising considering the health of Clark & Bowen. Stoutmire absolutely deserved a roster spot playing hard on both special teams and at the second safety spot.

Keeping 9 defensive linemen and releasing Ron Warner anyways. The Redskins decided to solve the Ryan Boschetti vs. Nic Clemons battle by keeping them both. However it appears Cedric Killings also made the squad, and Ron Warner did not. I have absolutely no explanation for this as Cedric is a complete surprise to me. I did not even think he was on the bubble. All I can think is that Noble’s knee worries Gibbs too much. IT is possible that Killings will be waived if a worthy veteran is waived . It is possible that the Redskins will negotiate with Hugh Douglas shortly and then Killings will be sent to smokehouse.

Keeping 4 RBs. Not a surprise if you had been reading my blog (excuse me while I brag a little). By the end of the Steelers game most Redskins fans and reporters were predicting this as well. Keeping Rock and Nemo gives Washington a lot of flexibility, this season and in the future. Betts is the backup for Portis, but if one or both of them go down they have the nimble complete running of Rock Cartwright waiting to spell them. Nemo will see goal line and short yardage duty. Next year Betts will be in his final contract year and perfect trade bait for a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick. Also Rock And Nemo is a great name for a buddy cop show. If neither do anything on the ground at least UPN can fill the Thursday time slot.

Mark Wilson is cut Friedman and Raymer stay. Cory “First In Dirt” Raymer won the backup center spot and should only see the field in an emergency situation. Lennie “Staying Alive” Friedman’s versatility, being able tom play guard, center and TE in goal line formations, allowed him to stay on the team. Mark Wilson was having technique and injury problems and was ineffective during training camp and Pre-Season. His cut is only a surprise because of him being a recent 5th round draft pick. He may come back on the practice squad but he will only get one year to get earn back a roster spot. Otherwise another low round draft pick wasted.

Redskins only keep 4 TE/Hback. On a Joe Gibbs team there are usually more Tight Ends then there are on the Redskin Cheerleader squad. (Insert Snare Drum here) Seriously I would like to thank Chris Cooley for that last joke. (Snare drum again) Oh I got a million of them. This is mainly due to the flexibility of the rest of the Redskin squad. Cooley is the starting H-back and Royal the starting TE. Sellers will backup both and Kozlowski will be the emergency backup thanks to Manny White’s trip to the IR. In case of in game injuries Nemo can also play a little H-back in running situations. And remember Lenny Friedman can play TE in Goal line short yardage situations. By the way, the “Gibbs keeps more tight ends then…” home game is available for all readers of this column for a nominal price. Details to follow soon.

Practice Squad Prediction. If the Redskins sign all their players to the practice squad and don’t skim the waiver wire for others I predict the following 8 players will get resigned to the practice squad: Robert McCune (LB), Garnell Wilds (DB), Aki Jones (DT), Robert Johnson (TE), Mark Wilson (OL), Jon Alston (OL), Rufus Brown (DB), Rich Parsons (WR).

Late Round Draft picks are misfires, again.

It would be irresponsible of this writer thought not to mention the wasted draft picks from this year’s draft. The big knock on the Snyder/Cerrato front office team was never the first day picks, always the second day ones. Since 2000 we have had some remarkable first day picks. Over the last five years the first day selections have almost all had significant Contributions to the team. Lavar Arrington, Chris Samuels in 2000, Rod Gardner and Fred Smoot in 2001, Patrick Ramsey and Ladell Betts in 2002, Taylor Jacobs in 2003, Sean Taylor in 2004 all have had production with the Redskins with the exception of Jacobs. And even though Smoot and Gardner are no longer with the team, only Gardner can be considered a true “bust”.

The second day picks are another matter. Only a few are still with the team., they include Robert Royal, Rock Cartwright (5th & 7th round 2002), Derrick Dockery (3rd round 2003), Chris Cooley, and Jim Molinaro (3rd & 6th Round 2004). If you take out the 3rd round selections of Cooley and Dockery, no hidden gems remain in the group.

This year’s draft pick’s fell along the same line. Carlos Rogers and Jason Campbell both selected in the 1st round are doing well. Rogers will probably start the season opener at CB after a devastating bone bruise in the OTAs. Campbell is the QB of the future and will study and learn the Gibbs offense. However this year's second day picks are almost all a bust. Only one of the 4 second-day picks has made the final roster. Manny White, 4th round, is on injured reserve and did little before breaking his leg in the final game to impress anyone. Robert McCune (5th) and Jared Newberry (6th) were both supposed to amp up our special teams play. McCune was recently cut and may make the practice squad, but Newberry was in the first round of cuts and probably won’t be back. Only Nehemiah Broughton (7th) will make this year’s squad. And he is the saving grace as he will be a large part of our offense.

But this simply cannot continue. Late round selections are used to provide cheap depth and the occasional workhouse starter. To simply have no true finds after the third round in 5 years is not acceptable. The scouting and draft day management must be addressed before next April. The salary cap may catch up with us next year, and the low round draft picks we have will be more important then ever, considering we don’t have a first round.

Vision Quest: The Position Battles to look for against the Ravens

The first round of cuts have come and gone and the team is left with 73 players on their roster (the 65 allowed and 8 NFL Europe exemptions). This was the supposed easy cut down but still it yielded some surprises. All in all 13 players were cut, ranging from the very surprising to the mildly interesting to the expected consequence of focusing on your off the field life and the expense of your on the field commitment.

I am of course referring to Darnerrian McCants. This ends DMac’s tumultuous and uneven Redskin career and sportswriters across the DC area are removing his first name from their custom spell check. His work ethic, or should I say lack of, and inability to play special teams landed him in the first wave of cuts. I have stated this here before that I think tins may be a good move for both the Redskins and Dmac. For whatever reason Coach Gibbs and Dmac never saw eye to eye and it had nothing to do with Dmac being 6’5” and Gibbs being the size of an oompa loompa. And as I postulated last week the Eagles are looking to sign Dmac according to the nameless one over at ESPN. A smart move for the Eagles who would love a peek into our new playbook, and DMac could sing to TO and hold him tight during halftime.

Three other surprising cuts were Clifton Smith (MLB), our only pure mike linebacker, Billy Baber (TE), and Jared Newberry (LB) our 6th round draft pick. Many people, including this writer, thought Smith would seriously challenge Lemar Marshall for the middle spot. I am especially surprised because I predicted Smith as a starter and this is a hard pill for my ego to swallow, and probably harder for Smith. Smith showed up in OTAs and training camp but did not do much in pre-season games to warrant keeping him. Greg Williams also favors flexibility from his defensive players and the remaining linebackers can all play multiple positions with the exception of McCune.

Billy Baber started at TE on Friday night and played decently, however Robert Johnson got extensive playing time and played better then Baber. Jared Newberry never seemed to find a niche on defense and with the logger jam at LB he just did not do enough to keep his job, despite being a draft pick. I recently projected both Baber and Newberry to be practice squad candidates (although I originally had Newberry making the roster) but I doubt either will be back. Usually the first round of cuts are people you are not interested in for the practice squad. Why give teams that much time to steal a guy away from you? Most likely all those released will not be back, at least this year.

So before I go into the remaining position battles a few thoughts on last week’s game. This is the team that many Redskin fans had hoped to see a few weeks ago against Cincinnati. The first team defense played nearly flawless football and the first team offense ran the ball with dominance. Ramsey continued to improve, but had one horrible read on a blitz that resulted in a TD.

I am still a little worried about Ramsey, but less then last week. His deep balls are under thrown and there is no reason for it. We know that Ramsey has a canon for an arm, so either he is misjudging the speed of our receivers or he is trying to put too much touch on the ball. The interception could possibly be chalked up as a bad route by Thrash, and Ramsey responded nicely by driving the team down the field to get a TD to tie the score. But even the TD throw was a little off and Cooley had to jump in double coverage to bring it in when Sellers was wide open in the flat and would have easily scored.

And you can’t say enough about Rock Cartwright. Last year he limped onto the roster, this year he is fighting for a final spot and I think secured it last week. He showed not just straight ahead running ability but the ability to move and fake in open space on that TD run. Sure 4 running backs in a Gibbs team may be a luxury, but Rock is worth the expense.

The last pre-season game is upon us and the hardest cuts are yet to come. One or two guys we never thought would make the team will make the team. Of course that means one or two vets that we thought were shoe ins will be looking at the end of their Redskin career. Only time will tell and the final position battles that take place tonight will make the final difference in who stays and who goes.

Top Ten Position Battles

1.) Defensive Line: Ryan Boschetti vs. Nic Clemons for the 8th DL spot.. That is what this boils down to. A durable dependable defensive tackle vs. a defensive end that can rush the passer. Noble looked well last week, and if he is healthy Boschetti is in trouble. What it comes down to is whether they want to keep both Clemons and Boschetti or just Clemons. Boschetti still has practice squad eligibility, Clemons does not. But I believe Joe Gibbs when he says the best guy will make the cut. So in my mind it is a coin flip on who will win.

2.) Tight End: This position battle was busted wide open this week. Royals is injured and Sellers is making the case to be the starting TE. Baber got the start last week and was cut so the starting role is in Seller’s grasp. Robert Johnson is trying to make the case he deserves a roster spot. Last week he beat out Baber to survive the first cut. He is hoping Royal’s injury will convince the coaching staff to keep 5 Te/Hbacks instead of four. Plus the kid is huge, did I mention that?

3.) Running Back: I truly believe that both Rock and Nemo have played well enough to assure themselves roster spots along with Portis and Betts. However one mess up could send Rock home or Nemo to the practice squad. So this will definitely be a race to watch.

4.) Defensive back: Rogers is making a big case for opening day starter and Harris is not helping himself by being injured. Also Pierson Prioleau will try and make the case for starting at the 2nd safety with Bowen and Clark both out. But the real battle is for the last spot. The Redskins will probably keep 9 DBs. Battling for the 9th spot is Omar Stoutmire and Ade Jimoh. Stoutmire is helped by the injuries to Clark and Bowen, however most teams carry 5 CBs and Jimoh is a great special teamer. Rufus Brown and Shideeg Shabazz have outside chances but are not likely to make the final 53.

5.) Punter: Tupa is on Injured Reserve and done for the year. Andy Groom has been solid at punter, but Gibbs and company must be a little worried because they immediately signed veteran punter Chris Mohr. Groom’s problem is his age and he has not shown he can do any directional punting. But Mohr is looking shaky in practice according to reports. If Mohr shows he is fine Thursday, he will get the job. If not it will be a hard decision. Even if Groom is kept he is one bad day away from Gibbs bringing in a vet to “visit with” at camp.

6.) Offensive Line: Lennie Freidman played very well last Friday, and that is bad news for Mark Wilson. With both Wilson and Cory Raymer out Freidman not only played Center well but at times lined up as a TE in goal line situations. Wilson looks to be the one on the outside looking in. However Wilson is younger then both Raymer and Freidman, so a good outing could give him a shot at a spot. Otherwise he might get demoted to the PS.

7.) Wide Receiver: This is Dyson’s final shot. He is the only WR that will grab a roster spot beyond Moss, Patten, Brown, Jacobs, and Thrash. Dmac is out of the picture and it is time for Dyson to shine. Ironically anything he does may not matter. It is all about Jacob’s toe. I am sure the coaches will make a decision over the weekend whether or not Jacob’s toe warrants keeping a 6th WR or should they only keep the top 5. Watch for Dyson to try and step on Taylor’s toe sometime during the 3rd quarter.

8.) Middle Linebacker: The starting spot is done. Lemar Marshall is the starter. But who will be the main backup. McCune and Campbell are fighting for that honor. It looks to this writer both will win a roster spot, but if McCune plays too bad he might find himself on the Practice squad.

9.) Quarterback: Ok Ramsey looked better. But Brunell still wants to be the starter and is not done fighting for it. He knows that come the bye week if the Redskins are 0-2 and he had a perfect pre-season the Coach may call his name. Ramsey needs to show better decision making and recognizing the open man. And it would be nice to see more of Campbell this game, as we probably won’t see him again until next year. I am still looking for the reason we gave up so much for him. He should get an entire half to show us.

10.) Outside Linebacker: Lavar Arrington wants his starting spot back and Holdman wants to keep it. I doubt Lavar is going to start the season as a reserve though the way he looked last Friday. Holdman will be the first LB off the bench when we go into situational substitution, but you aren't paying Lavar to ride the pine. Jared Newberry is gone and it looks as if Chris Clemons will not have any competition at the reserve OLB spot.

Updated Projection

If the season ended today here are my projections on who would make the team. The Final 53 are the players who will make the final roster. The Practice Squad are rookies and/or one year vets who will initially be waived by the Redskins but then signed to the PS as additional depth. On the Bubble represents 5 veterans who can push their way onto the active roster. Players in italics and * are changes from my last prediction. Reasons for the changes are at the end.

QB’s (3) – Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell
RB’s (4) – Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Nehemiah Broughton, Rock Cartwright
WR’s (5) – Santana Moss, David Patten, Taylor Jacobs, James Thrash, Antonio Brown TE’s/H-backs (5) – Robert Royal, Chris Cooley, Mike Sellers, Manuel White, Robert Johnson *
OL (9) – Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen, Ray Brown, Jim Molinaro, Cory Raymer, Lennie Freidman *
DL (8) – Renaldo Wynn, Brandon Noble, Cornelius Griffin, Phillip Daniels, Joe Savale’a, Demetric Evans, Ron Warner, Nic Clemons*
LB’s (7) – Lavar Arrington, Marcus Washington, Warrick Holdman, Lemar Marshall, Robert McCune, Chris Clemons, Khary Campbell*
CB’s (4) – Shawn Springs, Walt Harris, Carlos Rodgers, Garnell Wilds
S’s (5) – Sean Taylor, Matt Bowen, Ryan Clark, Pierson Prioleau, Omar Stoutmire
LS (1) – Ethan Albright
K (1) – John Hall
P (1) – Chris Mohr*

Practice Squad (8): Zak Keasay (LB), Rufus Brown (CB), Jon Alston (OT), James Bethea (CB)*, Aki Jones (DT)*, Mark Wilson (OL)*, Rich Parsons (WR)*, Ryan Boschetti (DT)*

On the Bubble (5): Ade Jimoh (CB), Andy Groom (P), Kevin Dyson (WR)*, Brian Kozlowski (TE)*, Cedric Killings (DT)*

Reason for Changes:

Robert Johnson replaces Kevin Dyson on the Final 53. With Royal hurting a 3rd TE will need to be kept. With Billy Baber being cut, Johnson is the man. And what a man he is. At 6’6” he is raw but with a little coaching could eventually turn into a quality NFL TE. Dyson had a poor performance Friday and Jacobs is making decent progress with his toe. So he goes back on the bubble.

Lennie Friedman replaces Mark Wilson on the Final 53. Freidman looked decent on Friday against the Steelers while neither Raymer nor Wilson played. Word is Raymer has the backup C locked up. Freidman can also play TE in goal line situations as well as Guard and Center. Wilson has had technique and may need a year on then PS to re-learn his craft.

Nic Clemons replaces Ryan Boschetti on the Final 53. I keep going back and forth on this one and it continues to be a tough battle. Brandon Nobel looked decent and that is bad news for Boschetti. Boschetti has practice squad eligibility left and that is even worse news for Ryan. Clemons does not have any PS eligibility so he would be lost if cut. I think they opt for Clemons on the final 53 and Boschetti on the PS.

Khary Campbell is added to the final 53. Clifton Smith was cut and his roster spot goes to the forgotten MLB, Khary Campbell. GW loves guys who are versatile and Campbell can play all 3 LB positions. Khary played extremely well Friday manning the mike position the entire 2nd half. He will be reliable depth for a very deep unit.

Chris Mohr replaces Tom Tupa as Punter. Tupa’s back put him on IR ending his season. Odds are on Mohr winning the battle with the young Groom. Groom will be on the bubble though.

James Bethea, Aki Jones, and Rich Parsons make the practice squad. Operating on the presumption that the early cuts of Newberry, Howard, and Spinner means they will not be signed to the PS, these three players now have realistic shots at making the PS. Bethea was on the PS last year and is familiar with the GW system. Aki Jones takes Howard’s spot as the young DL guy with a ton of promise. Rich Parsons is the only WR eligible for the PS and you usually keep one young WR on there.

Brian Kozlowski is back On the Bubble along with Cedric Killings. How has Kozlowski survived the first round of cuts is somewhat a mystery to me. Why cut Billy Baber and not Koz? Koz must have pictures of Snyder and Cerrato in a compromising pose. Seriously the lack of depth at TE and the knowledge from playing in Gibbs system last year is keeping him around. Any other injury and he could make the roster. Killings is also hoping for an injury and an all time performance to get on the squad.

September 3rd, 2005 is the final cut date for the final 53. 8 lucky rookies and first year players will be signed to the Practice squad on September 5th, 2005. This Labor day weekend will be a long one for some NFL hopefuls as they ponder whether or not they will be working in the NFL or pursuing another line of work.

But realistically tonight against the Ravens is the last time for any of them to make themselves heard. Since the Ravens dominated during the scrimmage earlier this year our boys in B&G have to be looking for payback. Not to mention we want to remind Baltimore that this is Redskin country and always will be. Go Skins and for you rookies out there, this is your time to shine.