Vision Quest: The Final 53 Post Patriots Game

The Panic Button.

I don’t know about you but I am a very visual person. When people use the term “Panic Button” I usually envision one of those buttons from 1980’s World War III movies. You know a big red plastic button with a Plexiglas case over it that must be opened with a key so that it can’t be hit accidentally. Once it is pushed all hell breaks loose and the world goes up in smoke.

Well after the New England preseason game yesterday, I am not ready to hit the “Panic Button” but the key has been inserted and the Plexiglas lid is about to come up.

Of course it is only pre-season. And even after a 41-0 loss to New England, that much remains true. This is the time top learn new techniques, try different combinations, play your reserves and hope that you can put together a few winning combinations to build on for the Regular season.

But the fact remains is that the third Pre-season game is the one you use to tune up for the Regular season. The one where your offensive and defensive first strings play the most and build upon that success in anticipation of the regular season. That most certainly did not happen in the shellacking on Saturday night.

However it never really was going to happen that way in the first place.

The very idea that our first strings would play extensively was a false notion. On offense we were missing the lifeblood of our offense Clinton Portis. If you think we are actually seeing what our offense will be come opening day then you are fooling yourself. TJ Duckett has been with us less then a week, and LAdell Betts is no Clinton Portis (otherwise we would not have traded for TJ Duckett). The Defense was in even worse shape. Shawn Springs our best corner was out of the game along with starters Phillip Daniels and Cornelius Griffin.

So it would be simple to just say that the Redskins missing some key starters have given up on the pre-season and are running vanilla offenses and biding their time to get to the regular season. And while that statement would be true, it may be a little too simple as well.

The regular season starts in just a mere two weeks. If the Redskins play the way they did the whole pre-season then…..

Well, let’s just hope that we are all part of a master illusion and the Redskins we want to see will take the field two weeks from now.

5 Things We Now Know

With each Pre-season game we learn a little bit more about our Redskins. This week we learned the following:

.Todd Collins is a true #3 I hope the coaching staff Is done with this fascination with Todd Collins. He is a #3, plain and simple. Sure he looked good against 4th stringers last week, but put back as the #2 he was simply awful. I am not denigrating Todd Collins here, he is as good a #3 as you are going to find. But that is all he is and if he is taking regular season snaps we are pretty far behind.

The punting battle doesn’t matter. Because they both stink. Whether it is Frost or Lonie both are just as apt to shank a ball out of bounds after a whopping 25 yards when punting from our field and punt it into the end zone when at midfield. The Redskins better be looking at the waiver wires on August 29th because I can’t believe there aren’t better punters who might get cut around the league.

Our reserves better stay just that, reserves. I will take our starting lineups against any team in the league any day and twice on Sunday. I have reservations about our reserves though. It just does not seem like our depth is as good as a team like New England’s. But then again whose is? Still it seems as if we are remarkably shallow and already injuries are starting to take their toll.

We are going to miss Shawn Springs immensely His loss may be bigger then Portis, and of longer length. Not only will Carlos Rogers be forced to cover the opponents #1 receiver, but Kenny Wright or Mike Rumph will be brought in to cover the #2 and #3 receivers. GW may compensate by dropping our safeties and linebackers into coverage and not blitzing which will affect the pass rush. The domino effect could be significant. And with Springs likely to miss the first three games of the season and receivers like Koren Robinson, Terry Glenn, Terrell Owens, and Eric Moulds coming up it could be a very big issue indeed.

Joe Gibbs and the Redskins just treats the Pre-season differently from the rest of the NFL This is the third Pre-season in the Gibbs II era and it is the same thing every time. Vanilla offensive calls and apparent lackluster play abound again. The argument is that Gibbs is using the pre-season to evaluate talent more then build momentum, and that does have merit. We have to hope that this slow start will not ease into the regular season/

The Final 53

Three pre-season games down and now 1 more to go. However the first cut down date is upon us. On Aug 29th.a couple dozen former Redskins will be cleaning out their lockers and looking for other teams. The remaining 75 players face the final cut down on September 2nd. A lucky 8 players will go to the practice squad the rest will go onto other teams or fall back on their college degrees. Those on the “Outside Looking In” are my best guesses at who will be cut on Tuesday.

Here is how I see it at this juncture:

Quarterback
Allotted Roster Spaces: 3
Projected Starter: Mark Brunell
Projected Backups: Jason Campbell, Todd Collins
Outside looking in: Casey Bramlet

Despite looking rusty Brunell is the undeniable starter and our season rests on it. Campbell is impressive but will need at least one year as #2. Todd Collins is a decent #3 QB but not much else. Casey Bramlet, the bell tolls for thee on Tuesday.

Running Back
Allotted Roster Spaces: 4
Projected Starter: Clinton Portis
Projected Backups: TJ Ducketts, Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright
On the Bubble: Jesse Lumsden
Outside looking in AJ Harris, Johnathan Combs

Yep I changed the allotted Running back roster spot after the TJ Duckett’s trade. Why? Because Joe Gibbs said he is keeping all four running backs. Portis’ injury and the trade for TJ Ducketts will necessitate a change. Jesse Lumsden will probably survive the first cut, but is still a long shot at making the practice squad and forget about the roster. AJ Harris and Johnathan Combs were training camp fodder that never got a chance to earn a roster spot.

Full Back
Allotted Roster Spaces: 2
Projected Starter: Mike Sellers
Projected Backup: Nemo Broughton
Outside looking in: Manny White

Mike Seller is going to be the main fullback and his role should not be diminished with the Duckett’s signing. Nemo will probably make the team as the backup fullback. Manny White will probably be cut Tuesday, if not he will get one last shot to unseat Nemo, but it is doubtful.

Wide Receiver
Allotted Roster Spaces: 5
Projected Starters: Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd
Projected Backups: Atwaan Randle El, David Patten, James Thrash
On the Bubble: Mike Espy, Steven Harris, Richard Smith
Outside looking in: Jimmy Farris

Nothing has been surer then the top 5 wide receivers all season long. No one has made a case to crack the top 5 and no one will. Mike Espy’s stock has fallen and is looking like a Practice Squad addition each day. Harris and Smith are fighting in case the Redskins keep 2 WR on the practice squad. Farris is out of PS eligibility and most likely will be given the opportunity to latch on with other teams.

Tight End
Allotted Roster Spaces: 3
Projected Starter: Chris Cooley
Projected Backups: Christian Fauria, Robert Johnson
On the Bubble: Buck Ortega
Outside looking in: Calen Powell

Cooley and Fauria’s jobs and roles are set in stone. However Robert Johnson’s injury could open the door for Buck Ortega. The problem with Ortega is his weight and the Redskins may decide to put him on PS to give him a year to bulk up. Johnson will need to get healthy enough for the final game though.

Offensive Line
Allotted Roster Spaces: 9
Projected Starter: Chris Samuels (LT), Derrick Dockery (LG), Casey Rabach (C), Randy Thomas (RG), Jon Jansen (RT)
Projected Backups: Mike Pucillo (G/C), Spencer Folau (T), Ikechuku Ndukwe (G), Tyson Walter (T/G/C)
On the Bubble: Keli Lefotu, Jasper Harvey, Jon Alston, Chris Pino
Outside Looking In: Jim Jones, Jim Molinaro

Ndukwe and Harvey are more then likely fighting for the 9th OLine spot. The advantage goes to Zeke who has played well but is out of roster eligibility. Harvey can go to the PS and be there for next year. Keli Lofuto and Jon Alston will probably fight it out for the last PS spot. Chris Pino may hang on for the last pre-season game, but Jim Jones is probably not so lucky. Jim Molinaro will most likely be another 2nd day draft choice I complain about next year.

Defensive Line
Allotted Roster Spaces: 8
Projected Starter: Andre Carter (RE), Phillip Daniels (LE), Cornellius Griffin (DT), Joe Salave’a (DT)
Projected Backups: Renaldo Wynn (DE), Demetric Evans (DE), Anthony Montgomery (DT), Cedric Killings (DT),
On the Bubble: Kedrick Golston, Karon Riley, Joe Sykes, Vaka Manupuna, Chris Mineo
Outside looking in: Ryan Boschetti, Nic Clemons,

The most likely group that loses a roster space due to the addition of another running back is the defensive line. With the versatility of Evans and Wynn it makes sense. However with the injury history of Griffin and Daniels it is still a risk. Golston may have got himself a PS spot by actually playing on Saturday. Battling for PS with him are Riley and Sykes. Manupuna and Mineo most likely will be bodies in camp and in the last game. Nic Clemons will likely join his brother Chris in the unemployment line and onetime hopeful Ryan Boschetti will join him.

Line Backer
Allotted Roster Spaces: 7
Projected Starter: Warrick Holdman (WLB), Lemar Marshall (MLB), Marcus Washington (SLB)
Projected Backups: Rocky McIntosh (OLB), Khary Campbell (MLB) Jeff Posey (OLB), Spencer Havner (OLB)
On the Bubble: Kevin Simon
Outside looking in: Robert McCune

The top 6 linebacker spots are not really in doubt. Holdman, Marshall, and Washington will start, McIntosh will wait in the wings, Campbell will play special teams and Posey will be used in various 3-4 packages. Kevin Simon has not been able to get on the field all year and most likely will result in a lost of a roster spot. Spencer Havner seems to get the 7th LB spot by default. McCune’s recent injury likely will result in his release.

Defensive Back
Allotted Roster Spaces: 9
Projected Starter: Shawn Springs (CB), Carlos Rogers (CB), Sean Taylor (S), Adam Archueletta (S)
Projected Backups: Kenny Wright (CB), Ade Jimoh (CB), Reed Dougherty (S), Pierson Prioleau (S), Mike Rumph (CB/S)
On the Bubble: Dimitri Patterson, Christian Morton, Kenny Battle, Antuan Edwards
Outside looking in: Curry Burns, John Eubanks, Aric Williams, Curry Burns

IF Kenny Wright saved his job last week, he could have lost it this week. However no one else stepped up either. Reed Dougherty played better but when you give up 41 points quite honestly no one played all that well. The best thing that can happen for this group is for Shawn Springs to attend a faith healing convention.

Specialists
Allotted Roster Spaces: 3
Projected Starter: Derrick Frost (P), John Hall (K), Ethan Albright (LS)
On the Bubble: David Lonie (P)
Outside looking In: Tyler Jones (K)

Last week I wrote that there was a possibility watching Frost punt may kill me,. I am upgrading that too likely. Please, please, please scour the waiver wires on Wednesday and find someone, anyone who can understand you punt it out of bounds when you are trying to pin your opponent within the 20 and boom it when punting from your own 20.

Practice Squad Predictions:

DT Kedrick Golston: Sorry Lumsden fans but with 4 active RBs and 2 FBs there is no need for another runner on the PS. Golston is healthy finally and can be on the PS in case he is needed because of injury

OL Jasper Harvey & Keli Lofotu: Harvey and Lefotu can get a year of experience on the PS and be ready in case of injury on the OL.

TE Buck Ortega: Another U guy on the squad will make Moss and Portis happy. If Ortega can not unseat Johnson here he will find himself.

DB Dimitri Patterson & Christian Morton A repeat of last year. They will be ready to be activated if there are any more injuries to the backfield.

WR Mike Espy: I still like the kid and think this is his destination. But a really poor showing and he could be in trouble.

LB Kevin Simon: He may get an injury settlement or go on IR. If not he will end up here.

LB Philippe Gardent : I wonder if he knows any French soccer players who can tryout as a punter.

I identified 16 players that could get cut on Tuesday but the Redskins are only required to cut 13. Look for them to keep players in areas where there are injuries and they need to get through the next week.

Up next are the Baltimore Ravens. It will be interesting to see just how much the Redskins play their first stringers in an attempt to build momentum going into the regular season. It will also be a good way for us to see how far we have progressed since the scrimmage earlier this month.

Until next time Hail to the Redskins!!!!

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