Washington Redskins: Where Are the Playmakers?

Risk taking is as important a part of the game of football as any other. Two weeks ago, we saw a prime example of what this. Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo is down 10-7 to the Redskins. It's late in the game. Both defenses have been stifling. Romo drops back, looks right, sees his favorite target, Jason Witten well covered close to the goal line.

He looks left, hesitates for just one moment, as he sees that his second read on the play is also very well covered. Rookie tight end Martellus Bennett is covered like a blanket by fellow rookie, Redskins' safety Chris Horton.

But Romo throws the ball anyway. A little behind Bennett, and a bit too high. But Bennett turned, lept in the air, and made the catch as Horton struggled to adjust to the ball. Touchdown Cowboys. Game-winning touchdown.

This is such an excellent example because given the exact same scenario, Jason Campbell likely doesn't throw the ball at all. He may hit a check down, or scramble for decent gain, but there's no game-winning touchdown.

Rookie wide receiver Malcolm Kelly had an opportunity to "make a play." With about 13 minutes left in the third quarter, Campbell threw a pass he probably shouldn't have. Kelly was running down the left sideline with a defender in tight coverage and a safety on the way to help.

When the ball got there, both defenders missed it, and the ball reached Kelly's hands, and went right through them in bounced off of his chest. Incomplete. Another play NOT made.

It's not just the "skill" players who are NOT making plays when their needed. The offensive line, once the strength of the Redskins, seems to have become a liability. Is it their age? There are many linemen who play well into their 30s, so maybe not entirely.

Is Campbell simply not the answer at quarterback? Many critics would say that he is nothing more than your typical "game manager" type of quarterback. What that means is that he will play well as long as everyone around him is also playing well. But he won't "make plays." He won't raise the level of play of his teammates.

There are other possibilities of course.

The Redskins' struggles of late could simply be that their "playmakers" are all nursing some type of injury. The offensive line's best player and leader, Chris Samuels, has been nursing a bad knee for several weeks and hasn't participated in practice during that time.

Moss has been trying to recover from a pulled hamstring and Portis has been fighting with a sprained knee and countless other "minor" ailments. With the slow development of Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly within the passing game, there have been few alternatives for Campbell.

So is the end of what has been an unexpectedly good run early in Zorn's tenure? The Redskins should get no less than two more wins, that would leave them at 9-7 in Zorn's rookie year. In March, I will likely look back at that number and feel good about the team, Zorn, and the future.

But right now, as December approaches, I am just wondering: Where are the "playmakers?"

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