The Chopping Block: 10 Things We Know Now After Buffalo

Ok kids it is that time again. Time to discuss what we learned from the Redskins Pre-season game against Buffalo.

1.) Zorn is not your Father’s Head Coach. Whether it is going for it on 4^th and 1 on the goalline to get your first touchdown or calling a screen pass in the Red zone to get your second touchdown, Zorn showed he has some gamble in him. Will this continue in the regular season, only Zorn knows that. But You have to like seeing this after the last 4 years of Gibbs playing not to lose. Zorn plays to win.

2.) The First String offense is ready to go now. Right now the first string offense is crisper and more stable then at any pre season in the last 5 years. The only Caveat I give is that Spurrier looked good in the pre—season as well. However this group is much more talented than the Spurrier group and is running a real NFL offense. The line looks solid & the wide receivers look in shape and focused. Cooley looks to be on a terror and Jason Campbell is fulfilling his first round promise. And once Portis and Betts are given a At the very least I doubt we will be struggling to score over 18 points on a consistent basis.

3.) This defense needs Laron Landry to really hum. Coach Blache seems to understand his defensive players a lot better than Gregg Williams, but one thing they have in common is they need a dynamic over the top safety that can make the difference on third downs. Landry is that guy for Blache as Taylor was the guy for Williams. This defense needs him back on the field and ready to go.

4.) And McIntosh too. Same here, arguably two of the more dynamic cogs in the defense last year were McIntosh and Landry. McIntosh can play sideline to sideline and blitz on occasion. Khary Campbell is a suitable backup but he is just that, a backup. Luckily both Landry & McIntosh are expected back by start of the season.

5.) Marcus Mason is human. Well it had to happen. Mason had to have a bad play sometime, and unfortunately for him it came on the very first play of the game. Mason is going to have to prove he can contribute on special teams and fumbling an opening kickoff is not going to help. However he remained poised and continued to run very well in the second half. He hurt his shot at making the roster as Rock was out last night, but he is still in the running.

6.) And so is Colt Brennan. Colt looked every bit like the project he is on Saturday. He didn’t throw horribly but he was not a game killer. Still he has to be the odds on favorite for that 3^rd qb spot. I would like to see more of Derek Devine though, just in case.

7.) Forget Mix, Billy McMullen is the dark horse Wide Receiver candidate. With mix going down for a week with an injury, McMullen has got a great shot at the 6^th WR spot. All McMullen does is catch balls. He is getting open and with the rookie WRs still having trouble getting on the field he will continue to have chances to shine. I like his chances

8.) Sean Springs will be a safety soon. Just not this year. I am sure he will play it in certain situations, but not on a full time basis in 2008. But next year look for Landry to move to SS and Springs to FS as Rogers gets healthy and perhaps we go after a corner in the draft or free agency.

9.) So Derek Frost can punt. Besides the one that was returned for 45 yards, Frost put on a decent display of getting balls down inside the 20 last week. Brooks is still the guy to beat here, but Frost did not roll over.

10.) Sean Suisham can kick also. Suisham showed off why we like him at K with a nice go ahead 46 yard FG in the third quarter. He still needs to be more consistent, but more often then not in pressure kicks he has come through. His kickoffs continue to be excellent as well, high and deep. Still would like competition next camp if only to rest his leg, but for now the job is his and his alone.

And now a quick look at my roster predictions:

Qb (3) Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Colt brennan

Rb (4) Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright, Marcus Mason

FB/TE (4) Chris Cooley, Mike Sellers, Fred Davis Todd Yoder

WR (6) Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle-El. James thrash, Malcom Kelly, Devin Thomas, Billy McMullen

OL (9) Chris Samuels, Pete Kendall, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen, Stephon Heyer, Chad Rinehart, Andrew Crumney, Jason Fabini

DL(8) Jason Taylor, Kedric Golston, Cornellius Griffen, Andre Carter, Erasmus James, Demetric Evans, Anthony Montgomery, Lorenzo Alexander

LB (7) Rocky McIntosh, London Fletcher, Marcus Washington, Khary Campbell, HB Blades, Matt Sinclair, Alfred Fincher

CB (5) Shawn Springs, Fred Smoot, Carlos Rogers, Leigh Torrence, JT Tryon

S (4) Laron Landry, Reed Doughty, Kareem Moore, Chris Horton

Spec (3): Ethan Albright (LS), Sean Suisham (K), Durant Brooks (P)

Practice Squad (8) Derek Devine (QB), Jason Goode (TE), Maurice Mann (WR), Tavares Washington (OL), Justin Geisinger (OL), Curtis Gatewood (LB), Materal Richardson (CB), Rob Jackson (DE)

That’s it for now. As always until next time, Hail to the Redskins

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