Bleacher Report - Articles by Craig Garrison Sr

It's Gut-Check Time for the Washington Redskins' Ownership and Fans

Craig Garrison Sr — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:15:15 -0400

First, a quick history lesson: Dan Snyder bought the Washington Redskins from the estate of Jack Kent Cooke in 1999 and quickly made a name for himself as a "meddlesome" owner. Following the signing of several aging big name free agents, the firing of head coach Norv Turner in the 2000 season while the team held a 7-5 record, the stage was set for a tumultuous era for the Redskins.

Assistant coach Terry Robisky would take over as interim head coach, the Redskins lose two of their final three games, miss the playoffs. Change becomes the name of the game in Washington.

Following an up-and-down season with Marty Shottenheimer leading the franchise, Steve Spurrier would be given his shot, only to see his "fun and gun" offense fail miserably in his second season, causing him to walk away.

Enter Joe Gibbs.

Most fans had visions of a return to glory. With fans clamoring for stability, for owner Daniel Snyder to let "football people" run the team, Gibbs would go 30-34 in his second stint as head coach and bring "stability" to the franchise.

When Gibbs retired following the 2007 season, owner Daniel Snyder stated the he wanted to create as much "continuity" and "stability" as he could for the franchise. Echoing the criticism that fans and football pundits had been voicing for years, he said he would give the new head coach plenty of time to turn the team around, and stay on course.

Enter Jim Zorn.

Many fans and football people around the league questioned his hiring, with no coaching experience beyond the assistant level, Zorn was an unknown quantity. Mr. Snyder stated that he felt Zorn would be a fine head coach, and that Zorn would be given the time get it done.

While skeptical, most fans claimed to be prepared to allow Zorn the time to fail or succeed. The opportunity to implement the changes that most fans, media people, and football analysts around the NFL claim they wanted from the owner.

Now, here we are. Present day. The day following an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions. A team that had lost 18 straight games. Never mind the fact that the Lions are not the same team that went 0-16 in 2008. Never mind the fact that the Lions had a very real opportunity to beat the now 3-0 Minnesota Vikings in Week Two of the season.

Never mind the fact that the Lions held the NFL's best running back to under 100 yards, or a future Hall of Fame quarterback to only 155 yards passing. No, don't think of any of that.

Let's instead clamour to fire Jim Zorn. Yeah, that's it! Lets go back to instability. Let's go back to constant change. Let's have another interim head coach who can fail just as miserably as almost 100 percent of those put in the same position do. Let's blow up the whole team, and start over. AGAIN!

Let's bench the ninth rated quarterback in the NFL. Let's forget that the seemingly instant success for new coaching staffs seen in recent seasons in Atlanta and Baltimore are rare at best. Let's not understand that the norm for this type of change is more commonly like that being lived through in Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Miami (yeah, they were great last year, 0-3 this year), New York (Jets, they had to change it all again didn't they), Cleveland and numerous others throughout the NFL's history.

Yeah, let's go that route.

We can hire Bill Cowher (one Super Bowl victory in over 10 years as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers), or Jon Gruden (one Super Bowl victory in his first year in Tamp, none since) or Mike Shannahan (two Super Bowl victories with John Elway, none since) or any number of "other" guys to come in and do what? Change. That's the only thing that would absolutely, positively happen. There would be change. Nothing else is guaranteed.

Or we can actually do what the fans and media and football pundits have said we need to do for many years. Maintain stability. Offer the players and coaches the opportunity to play through the difficulties and experience some form of continuity.

The opportunity to learn and grow as a group without constant upheaval. We could actually NOT "blow it all up and start over", and find out just how good or bad Jim Zorn really is. NFL history is full of examples of coaches who "fail" in their first efforts as head coach, to be fired early on, to only return later and show what they learned from the first time.

I say let's try to be patient. Let's try supporting our team through a rough spot and see what kind of team comes out the other side. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But firing Zorn now only accomplish two things: another losing season, and another major change.

Zorn can't get better if he isn't here to do it. The team can't grow if we rip up the roots again.

Let's just try it. For a change.

Washington Redskins Need to Let Zorn Play it Out, But Let Blache Go

Craig Garrison Sr — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:39:45 -0400

Just my quick two cents: Blache needs to go.

I see a lot of talk of "Fire Zorn," but very little about how badly this defense is playing. This should be a big-play defense and they still can't get it done. Blache explains that "it's the scheme" that has the corners playing off, while there is supposed to be pressure on the opposing quarterback. Sounds good, but if the quarterback has an easy outlet because his receivers are open for the first two seconds of their routes, what difference does pressure make?

Firing Zorn now won't help anything, because who would they get to take over the team at this point?

If Zorn has the control Dan Snyder claimed he has when he hired him, then Zorn needs to make a change and make it now.

Who takes over the defense? Kirk Olivadotti is my suggestion. Yes, he has never been a coordinator before, but he has been around some of the best defensive minds in football during his long tenure in Washington, give him a shot, I really don't think it can get any worse.

Zorn obviously also needs to make some changes in the way he is preparing these players. If execution is such a problem, then it is time to change the way the players are being taught the plays and the way they practice them.

No more excuses, just fix it Coach.

Redskins Try to Tame The Beast

Craig Garrison Sr — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:26:56 -0400

As the Washington Redskins head to Detroit to take on the Detroit Lions, their goal has grown beyond just winning a football game and has reached an all out fight to prove themselves.

Redskins' head coach Jim Zorn has spent the past week fielding questions about his job security, his playcalling, his quarterback, and his ability to coach at the NFL level. In order to avoid being devoured by the pressure building around Redskin Park, it's time for Zorn to tame this beast and be done with it.

Following an ugly 9-7 win over the lowly St. Louis Rams in week two of the NFL season, the Redskins' failures in the red zone led to boos from the home crowd and sharp attacks by fans and some media members. Zorn's offense was unable to score a single touchdown against the Rams, a team that lost in week one 28-0 and looked positively inept in most every football category.

The red zone issues began with the Redskins' second possession of the game. Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell marched the team to the Rams' three yard line only to see second year wideout Devin Thomas unable to handle a Campbell pass in the endzone. Campbell had done a fine job of keeping the play alive under pressure in the pocket and finally found Thomas come open. Failure number ONE.

On the Redskins' next possession, following a Rams' punt, Campbell again guided the team down field. Looking sharp and decisive, Campbell also used his legs to keep the drive going and reached the Rams' eight yard line. Running back Clinton Portis lost two yards on a first down run, moving the ball back to the 10. Then the dropsy's surfaced again. On second and goal from the 10 yard line, full back Mike Sellers found himself uncovered in the middle of the field at about the five yard line. Campbell fires an easy touchdown pass into his chest and Sellers simply lets it bounce off of him. On third and goal, wide receiver Antwaan Randle El gets tied up with Rams' cornerback Ron Bartell...no flag on the play. Failure number TWO.

At this point, Zorn's frustrations reach their crescendo and leads me to what I think is the root of the Redskins' offensive woes. In an NFL Films video, Zorn can be heard saying into his headset(NFL video), that he's just going to run the ball in the red zone from now on, because of the dropped passes. All of the attention has been paid to the red zone failures, Zorn's playcalling in particular, but very little attention has been given to why.

Zorn showed me that he didn't entirely trust his players in the season opening loss to the New York Giants. I expected Zorn to loosen it up a bit against the Rams, and he did. With more passing on first down and seemingly trying to use the passing game to open up the running game, Zorn gave his players the opportunity to make plays. He showed some trust in them. But with two dropped passes that would have been touchdown, Zorn was consumed by the beast again, and reverted to conservative plays the next two trips into the red zone. These again resulting in field goals rather than touchdowns.

This shows up in Campbell's numbers, 23 of 35 for 242 yards. But Campbell didn't attempt another pass in two more red zone penetrations. How different a game would Zorn have called if Thomas and/or Sellers had made the play that was there to be made? Obviously, we'll never know, but the video only re-enforces my impressions of the Redskins' offensive problems. Zorn is trying very hard to minimize the potential for big mistakes with relatively conservative playcalling. His lack of trust in his players has consumed him, and his offense.

The beast to be tamed? Distrust and fear. Zorn needs to use his "whip and chair" in Detroit on Sunday or it could cost him dearly. If Zorn cannot overcome his distrust and put the game in his players' hands, another ugly win is likely, and a horrendous loss is possible. And with either of these scenarios, his job the Redskins' future will remain in doubt.

Tame the beast coach, tame the beast.

Redskins Moving Forward

Craig Garrison Sr — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:51:09 -0400

Yes, it's been quite a while since I wrote anything, I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that while I've been busy, I haven't stopped following football, and the Washington Redskins in particular.

Like many Skins' fans, I was not particularly impressed with the performance with which the team opened the season. I do however believe there are some very good things to be taken from it.

While I very much expected the Redskins' offense to struggle, I didn't expect the defense to struggle, and that bothered me. I know, the defense only gave up one touchdown, but their play in the defensive backfield was appalling. The defensive front applied a fair amount of pressure on Giants' quarterback Eli Manning with only one sack to show for it. With the Redskins' corners playing so far off the Giants' receivers, Manning had easy decisions to make on a regular basis. And it showed in several long drives for the Giants offense.

Kudos to the Redskins for playing so well in short yardage situations, the Giants were only able to accumulate 103 yards rushing, at a 3.3 yard average, that's good line play from the Redskins' defensive front. A very good sign.

I will be surprised if Redskins' defensive coordinator Greg Blache allows his corners to play 8-12 yards off the ball again. With the defensive front the Redskins can supply, there must be some effort to interrupt receivers' routes at the line of scrimmage, or the many upcoming quality quarterbacks on the schedule will enjoy the same type of success Manning did.

Offensively, Clinton Portis was held very much in check(along with the running game in general). Aside from Portis' opening run of 34 yards, his average of under 1.9 yards per carry is bad enough to ruin any offense. The Giants defense obviously played a major role in the Redskins' inability to run the ball, but the running game needs to remain a strength for the Redskins.

Pass protection for Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell was better than respectable, and this leads me into one of the positives I got from this game. Only allowing three sacks in a game in which they played from behind from beginning to end against the Giants' defensive front is not a bad thing.

Aside from Campbell's bonehead interception, he played well. Throwing the ball only 26 times, completing 19 for 211 yards, I felt he threw the ball decisively and accurately. The Giants' defense focused on preventing big plays, but Campbell was able to find the holes in the Giants' defense and take advantage of them. Campbell's performance should serve as a confidence builder for himself, the offense as a whole, and for Zorn. Because of this, perhaps Zorn won't be so reluctant to throw the ball more in the future.

The Redskins' offense has suffered from defenses challenging the line of scrimmage to stop the run, and has not been able to make defenses pay in the passing game. I see signs that this is about to change. With second year wide receivers Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas coming on, veteran Antwaan Randle El playing the slot as well as any receiver in the NFL, this offense has true potential to be tapped.

Obviously, time will tell, and it starts with the St. Louis Rams, a team the Redskins should handle easily. Jim Zorn should be able to use this game as an additional confidence builder, and be able to get Thomas and Kelly more involved. Once the passing game is productive, the running game will open up again. The Redskins should have handled the Rams easily last season as well, but found a way to lose anyway.

I don't think that happens again on Sunday, and we'll see a bit more of what this Redskins' offense can become.

That's my take, the positive one, if all of what we saw against the Giants becomes habit, I'll be writing about that too, but for now, I'll be looking for positives.

What's Wrong with the Washington Redskins? Well, I'll Tell You...

Craig Garrison Sr — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:04:04 -0500

As the last six weeks of NFL football have passed by, we have watched a very promising season for the Washington Redskins pass right on by along with it.

After putting together one of the NFL's best rushing teams, the NFL's best team in regards to turnovers, a quarterback with a rating over 95, and a defense in NFL's top five, the Redskins have absolutely imploded.

Sure there have been injuries, but they had injuries last season as well and still finished strong. Sure, there is the whole "defenses have caught up to Zorn" thing. Jim Zorn is the Redskins rookie head coach, rookie play caller, and aside from the title, he's the head man on offense.

There were harbingers of this collapse of course. Everyone saw it coming. Some of us hoped that "the corner" they would turn was the one towards the road upward rather than the one downward.

The offense's scoring was lacking significantly even when they were dominating every other phase of the game. And offense is certainly the root of their problem now. But what exactly is THE issue with the offense?

Is it quarterback Jason Campbell? Maybe. But he has thrown the ball well and handled heavy pressure pretty well. He has thrown the ball to his "play makers" at wide receiver.

Santana Moss is supposed to be the "go-to" guy. The guy your quarterback can just throw it up there and finds a way to come up with the catch. Well, it hasn't worked out that way.

Moss has largely disappeared from the offense over the last five to seven weeks. Where did he go? He suffered a minor hamstring pull against the Detroit Lions and hasn't been the same since.

How about the guy who was the league's leading rusher only two weeks ago? Clinton Portis had carried the ball more often through 11 games than any other back in the NFL, and at five yards per carry, he was easily the best back in the league. But the pounding, not just from carrying the ball, but also from how physically he plays the game without the ball in his hands, have taken it's toll. Portis hasn't practiced more than parts of the Friday "walk through" in over a month.

Speaking of missing practice, the Redskins have had as many as 13 starters sit out practice during the week recently. That number included three offensive linemen, two running backs, a starting wide receiver, two starting defensive tackles, the starting middle linebacker, a starting safety and a starting corner back. Maybe that had something to do with the problems?

Maybe not. What stands out the most is this: the Redskins starting offensive line entered the NFL as one of the most experienced and they have become simply one of the NFL's OLDEST.

In a matter of only a couple of weeks, the long and physically taxing season of NFL football rendered the Redskins' offensive line just plain old. At least three of the five starters have looked slow off the ball, slow to adjust, slow with their feet, and most disturbing of all, just plain TIRED.

The Redskins' offense hasn't played with "energy" in six weeks. With the offensive line not opening spaces for Clinton Portis to run through, defenses have done things the easy way, attack the line of scrimmage on every down, and, if it's a run, make the tackle, and if not, hit Campbell.

The problem is that this simple game plan has been too easily carried out.

Pro-bowl left tackle Chris Samuels has loose cartilage in his knee. It's painful, makes the knee very stiff, and generally hinders one's ability to move quickly, and to "drive" with the effected leg.

Left guard Pete Kendall has two bad knees and never was the best run blocking guard in the NFL anyway.

Center Casey Rabach has actually had a pretty solid year. But even with that, his mental errors have been easy to see and come far too often this season.

Right tackle Jon Jansen has come back from a serious lower leg injury to play "relatively" well. But he has also shown the signs of slowing down, and his pass blocking skills have been eroding for years before his last major injury.

Right guard Randy Thomas has also achieved a come back from significant injury. Last season Thomas tore his left tricep, tried to return late in the season, and re-injured it. The arm injury didn't hurt Thomas, but apparently, the year off did. Thomas was once one of the best "pulling" guards in the NFL. Not so anymore. In fact, Thomas has been largely removed from the "pulling" portion of the Redskins' running game.

So there is my answer, the issue is that the offensive line, the same line that perhaps as many as 75 percent of all Redskins' fans had been "beating the drum" to upgrade during the offseason, the same offensive line that for about seven weeks to start THIS season was one of the best offensive lines in the entire NFL, grew old in the matter of a couple of weeks.

There is no cure for "old" in the NFL any more than there is for you or me, but there is such a thing as "play someone else". Make a change. If for nothing else, just for the h*** of it.

Make it look like there is some accountability, even from the veterans. And play some younger guys, the guys who can practice all week, the once who know the plays, the protection adjustments, all the audibles, and most of all, maybe they're just little bit hungrier.

So there it is: what's wrong with the Washington Redskins.

Don't you feel better now!

Washington Redskins: Where Are the Playmakers?

Craig Garrison Sr — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:20:24 -0500

As the New York Giants wrapped up the season sweep of the Washington Redskins in Week 13 of the NFL regular season, it became painfully clear what's missing from the Redskins: playmakers.

Santana Moss, Clinton Portis, and Chris Cooley all have steadily become invisible over the past six weeks of football. Clinton Portis get's a bit of a pass. He has sacrificed his body all season and paid for it with a multitude of injuries.

Santana Moss, however, is supposed to be the Redskins' big-play guy. But when the opportunities have presented themselves, he has NOT come through the way other "big play" players do.

This point was brought home to me as I watched Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers make a catch that as close to an exact duplicate of a catch that Moss did NOT make against the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago.

Difficult catch? Absolutely.

But Smith made the catch, and his team went on to win their game against the Green Bay Packers. Moss didn't, and his team lost. By four points.

The Redskins' defense played relatively well against the Giants. Holding them to only 23 points, the defense slowed down the Giants in the first half very nicely, thank you. The stats wouldn't show this, but the scoreboard would.

Giants' quarterback Eli Manning had a career half, with over 200 yards, but only one touchdown. The stat that counted the most in the first half was that the Redskins held the Giants to only 28 yards rushing.

But that wasn't enough, as the Redskins also had difficulty running the ball with only 47 yards rushing. That number included a 29-yard touchdown run on a reverse to rookie wide receiver Devin Thomas. Thomas and Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell would finish the game as the Redskins' top two rushers, with 29 and 38 yards respectively.

The point that finally hit home to me was the fact that the Giants were able to stay completely focused on stopping the Redskins' rushing attack because Campbell and the Redskins could not make plays in the passing game.

I cannot offer definitive "answers" to any of the "questions" facing the Redskins' head coach Jim Zorn and the Redskins' offense, but I can offer my own thoughts. And I ask, very simply, where are the playmakers?

Moss has disappeared. This seems largely due to the fact that there are no other "threats" in the passing game for defenses to worry about. A defense can key on Portis (or whichever back is in at the time) and double Moss. Done. No more to be afraid of.

Sure, Chris Cooley is a Pro-Bowl player. But he's not a "dangerous" player that puts fear into defenses as a guy who can "beat you" with a big play. The Redskins drafted two wide receivers in this past April's draft, they also included an athletic tight end, too.

This move was obviously intended to provide a boost to the Redksins' offense, and offense that's been sleep walking for many, many years. The only real question with these draft picks was: When will they contribute?

Well, they haven't done much to this point. Malcolm Kelly has been sidelined with a knee injury since preseason and is only now getting to see playing time. Devin Thomas was very raw coming out of college, with limited college experience in a very limited passing offense.

Were the Redskins counting on their rookies to make a difference THIS year? I don't know. But I do know that their time has come. Jim Zorn has actually played out the scenario I anticipated this season.

Zorn brought with him the "West Coast offense". This meant that young Jason Campbell had to learn the third offense in his four years in the NFL. Along with a new playbook came many very different philosophies in regards to the passing game as well. Campbell tweaked, adjusted, and re-made his techniques, both physically and mentally.

Most of us expected growing pains from the offense. The Redskins would need to play great defense, keep games close, and hope that the offense would catch up as the season progressed.

This is what I anticipated. What I did not anticipate was the absolute disappearance of the so called "playmakers". And with Campbell's apparent unwillingness (whether from coaching or a lack of understanding the offense well, or his own mindset) to take chances, calculated risks, the offense cannot score enough to help the defense.

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?"

Dallas Cowboys: Sick and Tired of Hearing It!

Craig Garrison Sr — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:14:56 -0500

The Dallas Cowboys have already made it to the playoffs and fully recovered from whatever it was that ailed them for five or six weeks. At least that's what all the media coverage would have us believe.

So T.O. had his best game in forever—against one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

Impressive huh? Well, maybe not so much.

This sickening level of coverage has gone so far as to effect the idea of reporting the truth. During FOX Sports' afternoon games this past Sunday, they wrongly showed the Cowboys as owning one of the wild-card spots in the playoffs if the season ended this week.

The 'Boys would, in fact, be OUT of the playoffs if they started this weekend with Tampa Bay and Washington owning the two wild-card spots.

So why would FOX Sports do such a thing? Knowingly show incorrect information during a national broadcast?

Easy.

Money.

They know the Cowboys are media darlings so they do as much as possible to add to the hype.

The funny thing to me is the fact that the 'Boys haven't lived up to any of the hype for years. They haven't won a playoff game since the 1996 season. That's over 10 years for those who can't add or subtract.

One of the truly humorous things is how many Cowboys fans seem to think they somehow DESERVE such treatment. I have tried to understand it, but alas, I cannot. I am sure there will be many reading this who simply think "the writer is just a Cowboys' hater".

And you would be right about that.

But I have given up trying to be fair about it. As a Redskins' fan it's in my blood to hate the Cowboys, but what's everybody else's excuse?

Yes, the Cowboys are either loved or hated, as there seems to be no in between. And the media knows that's a good thing. Cowboys fans add to this with so many overly egotistical attitudes. Bring up things like their lack of playoff wins or late season collapses and they just get mad.

I have heard it all about the Redskins (at least most of it, I expect I'll be treated to a few new ones after this), and have never had any problem with hearing it. It is what it is.

If the Skins are better than what people say, they'll win. It's not up to me, or about me. Mr. Snyder has never once called me for my input on what direction the team should take. Something my wife keeps reminding me I need to do something about - considering I keep telling her what I would do with "my team".

But this week it finally ticked me off. Actually, it wasn't the Cowboys or their fans that got me. It was FOX Sports and their inability to accurately report . As simple as it should have been, they couldn't even do that!

And it wasn't necessary. There is plenty of intrigue over the simple idea that, as of now, the 'Boys are one game out of the playoffs, but could well earn their way in. The Bucs and Skins have some tough games ahead, so all the 'Boys need to do is win and they'll likely get one of the two spots. Isn't that dramatic enough?

Not to mention the many story lines available from this NFL season. Why not reach out to more team's fans rather than only isolating a few? The Giants are rolling. The Titans lost their first game of the season. The Patriots seem to be surviving the loss of Tom Brady pretty well. Rookie head coaches all over the place kicking ass.

There's plenty to talk about, but they find themselves lying to fans. Pitiful really.

Their need to hype the Cowboys led them to misrepresent the truth in such a way as to leave ZERO doubt to their slanted journalism. And that really bothered me.

So there's my little rant, I can move on now.

Can you?

Redskins-Seahawks: Clinton Portis Regains Rushing Lead During Sunday's Win

Craig Garrison Sr — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:36:51 -0500

With a 20-17 win over the Seattle Seahawks, the Washington Redskins keep their precarious playoff hopes alive and find a little rhythm at the same time.

Clinton Portis rushed for 143 yards, giving him the league lead in rushing again, as Minnesota's Adrian Peterson had a subpar day in a win over Jacksonville.

Redskins fans also were treated to a few "rookie" sightings. Rookie wide receiver Malcolm Kelly got his receiving total up to a whopping three catches on the season. Two more than he had entering today's contest.

While his contribution was limited at best, it was a very positive sign to see him involved. The "fade" that has been dreamed of by many 'Skins fans was finally attempted, and although incomplete, it served as solid encouragement for the Redskins.

Bruising fullback Mike Sellers also found himself much more involved with four catches and one carry. Although he did drop what should have been an easy touchdown, his increased involvement in the offense is a good thing.

Jason Campbell had another solid, if not spectacular, outing. Completing 20 of 33 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown and, most importantly, NO interceptions.

Perhaps the best sign for the Redskins was the fact that Campbell connected with SEVEN different receivers on the day. Such diversity hasn't been seen for a while in the Redskins' offense.

The Redskins' defense continued it's stellar overall performance this season, holding Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to only 103 yards passing and intercepting him twice. Add to that TWO sacks and the defense got the job done once again.

Next week, the Redskins will host the New York Giants in a game with certain playoff implications. Perhaps more so for the Redskins, the "re-match" in Washington could well be a critical game when it's time for playoff decisions to be made.

I'll look more closely at the Seattle win and the upcoming game against the Giants in the coming days.

Washington Redskins-Seattle Seahawks: What Jim Zorn Needs To Do

Craig Garrison Sr — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:27:39 -0500

Week 12 brings us what could be a crossroads of sorts. The Washington Redskins travel coast to coast to pay a visit to the struggling Seattle Seahawks. Since the last time these two teams met (wild-card round of last year's playoffs), the Seahawks have had some serious issues, much of which is attributable to injuries, but also an apparent lack of leadership.

With the announcement from Head Coach Mike Holmgren that he is retiring following this season, he may have created an air under which the team couldn't succeed. Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim Mora Jr. was named "head coach to be," and the team hasn't been the same since.

But the Redskins were not to be outdone. Local football legend Joe Gibbs announced his own retirement, a shock to the franchise and to the fans of the Burgundy and Gold. Gibbs' retirement (his second from the Redskins) set in motion a chain of events that ended with the hiring of Jim Zorn as the new Redskins head coach.

Zorn had been the Seahawks quarterbacks coach, helping quarterback Matt Hasselbeck become a Pro-Bowler. Hasselbeck also led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Zorn brought his quirky style and oddball quarterback drills, and along with him, an energy that the Redskins haven't seen in years. That energy paid serious dividends early, jumping out to 4-1 record, winning games in the early part of their schedule that nobody thought they could.

But the Redskins have now slipped to 6-4, losing two in a row and three of their last five games. This slide began with a disappointing loss to the then winless St. Louis Rams, and continued with ugly wins over the Cleveland Browns, and Detroit Lions.

And then the embarrassment at home, on Monday night, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the bye week came following that game, and along with it some hope that the team just needed some rest, some time to get healthy, rejuvenate.

And that's when the Dallas Cowboys came to town, and showed us that maybe that's not what the problem was.

There is more to it than just a tired team, with the Hall of Fame Game to start the preseason, and the earliest start to training camp than any other team in the league, the Redskins were certainly due for a break.

But it didn't fix anything. In fact, it may have ultimately served to highlight the team's weaknesses.

So what are those weaknesses? There are many, just like any other team in the NFL, the Redskins have issues on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Nothing special there. What is noteworthy however, is how the Redskins had been able to minimize those weaknesses perhaps better than any other team in the NFL over those first five weeks of football.

The Redskins defense is predicated on stopping the run, and covering wide receivers well enough, long enough, to force opposing quarterbacks into mistakes, poor passes and poor decisions. And NEVER, EVER, give up the big play. The one glaring weakness is one that has existed for many years. No pass rush.

That weakness had been minimized early by a mistake free, ball-control offense. Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell hadn't thrown an interception (or lost a fumble) through EIGHT weeks of football. An astounding accomplishment. One that set a franchise record and contributed to an NFL record.

But the Pittsburgh Steelers changed that. Throwing his first two interceptions against the Steelers, Campbell had not been able to "find a rhythm" within Zorn's offense in the loss. And then again in another loss to the Cowboys following the bye week. Not surprisingly, Campbell has been sacked 10 times in the last two games as well.

Which brings us to the main offensive weakness. The passing game. The number of sacks, 26, bad enough for 26th in the NFL, would indicate poor performances from the offensive line. But there is much more to being sacked than the offensive line getting beaten.

Campbell needs to make quicker reads, throw the ball away a bit sooner when a play breaks down, and perhaps, take a few more chances.

The Redskins' offense has dropped to 13th in the NFL in total yards, only 20th in passing yards, fifth in rushing. But the most glaring stat is scoring, where the Redskins rank 27th in the NFL. The combined record of the FIVE teams that have scored fewer points than the Redskins is 6-44-1. Not good company.

Which brings me to what needs to change. Zorn has coached Campbell to "protect the ball" above all else. And Campbell has listened and learned. While this has meant fewer turnovers, it has also meant fewer big plays. The Redskins have only 23 passing plays of over 20 yards, and only three over 40. Defenses have nothing to be afraid of.

Does Campbell not trust his receivers? Does he not trust himself to make the throw that gives a receiver the chance to make a big play? Does he not see the plays that are available to be made?

The likely answer is: a little of all of the above.

Campbell is still learning the offense, his SEVENTH NEW OFFENSE IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. A difficult task to be sure. It is reasonable to assume that Zorn and his coaching staff have game planned to minimize offensive mistakes and let their FOURTH RANKED defense keep games close enough to win in the end. A gameplan that would be expected with a new offense and an established, quality defense.

But as the season moves past it's midway point, and the push for the playoffs begins, opponent's defenses have begun to pressure the line of scrimmage more effectively, slowing down the league's second leading rusher, Clinton Portis, while challenging Campbell to win with the passing game. And Campbell has not show to be up to the task as of yet.

So, opportunity comes this week as Campbell faces the league's 31st ranked pass defense. While the Seahawks do rush the passer fairly well, tied for ninth in the NFL with 24 sacks on the season, they do not cover well.

Marcus Trufant, a Pro-Bowl corner only last year, has not lived up to the $50 million deal he signed this past offseason. And he hasn't had much help from his friends.

My hopes are that Zorn pushes Campbell to recognize better the opportunities to take chances, trust in his receivers to make a play on the ball, even when they're covered well. In order to get back to the ball control, mistake free football the played early, Campbell will need to make opposing defenses pay for focusing on Portis. Pay with points.

There's no better time like the present, every journey begins with the first step, and this week would be a good time to take that step.

The Seahawks are trying to salvage some dignity, the Redskins are trying to keep their season alive. A dangerous combination.

With Matt Hasselbeck returning from a back injury last week, and getting back big play receiver Deion Branch, the Seahawks pose a serious threat to the Redskins' ability to overcome their shortcomings. But the Seahawks' defense just might offer the opportunity for an offensive explosion of sorts.

The push for the playoffs begins in the Great Northwest, and it's up to Zorn and Campbell to make sure it can continue next week.

Washington Redskins: I Just Don't Know...

Craig Garrison Sr — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:12:19 -0500

As the Washington Redskins prepare for the disappointing Seattle Seahawks, I find myself looking across the NFL landscape. Of course, I am actually trying to look at the reality of what this season may mean for the Redskins.

As a Redskins fan, it has been a remarkable season. Perhaps over-achieving during a four-game winning streak following the season opening loss to the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, followed by a difficult five-game stretch in which they have gone 2-3, it's hard to know what to make of this team.

The only singularly specific thing I can point to definitively is that the offensive line has not played well during the past five games. Many suggest that defenses have "caught up" to rookie head coach and play caller Jim Zorn.

Others say quarterback Jason Campbell just isn't capable of "making" plays, that he is a "game manager" and unless other players step up to "make" things happen, Campbell can't get it done.

My concern is one that was a significant point of discussion during the "offseason".

The age of the offensive line.

With every current starter over 30 years old, I wonder if they simply haven't worn down. Coming out of a very long training camp and five preseason games, perhaps they just don't have much left in the tank.

As evidence, I would point towards the fact that Campbell has been sacked 10 times in the last two games. The league's second leading rusher, Clinton Portis, suffered a partially torn MCL in his left knee against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the holes he once exploited so well have been much smaller.

Defenses have certainly settled into a "crowd the box" strategy. They have challenged the Redskins passing game to make plays, and the Redskins have not responded well. Campbell has shown some indecision (and inaccuracy under pressure), dangerous wide receiver Santana Moss hasn't been so dangerous, and Pro-Bowl tight end Chris Cooley hasn't been able to get "down field" to help either.

Obviously, the question is: Can they put it back together and "get on a roll?"

I don't really have an "answer" to that question. I know that they are capable. There is talent. There is "fire". There is "desire". There is "character" in the locker room. I once thought there was enough "leadership" to pull out of something like this.

At this point however, I am not so sure anymore.

I will be watching though. Watching and hoping.

Hoping to see a rookie make a play on offense.

Hoping to see a quarterback take another BIG step toward being the quarterback this franchise hasn't seen since Joe Theismann.

Hoping to see the quarterback stay clean for MOST of a game...or three...or five.

Hoping to see Clinton Portis get back to gashing defenses.

Hoping to see Santana Moss run by a defensive back, actually make a catch, and keep on running.

The Boys in Blue come to town in 10 days, and they won't go down easily.

The only real shot the Redskins have at turning around this season is to go on a significant winning streak.

That means winning in Seattle, something the 'Skins have done with consistency, as long as it's the regular season.

That means finding a way to beat the best team in the NFL, the Giants.

Hmmmm...doesn't sound promising, does it?

Washington Redskins' Roundtable: Week 11...DALLAS WEEK!

Craig Garrison Sr — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:16:28 -0500

It's Week 11 in the 2008 NFL regular season and for the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins, it very well could be a "win or go home" situation.

Both teams are returning to duty from a week off, and both teams are coming back from disappointing losses the week before the bye.

Many storylines exist for this critical NFC East matchup, the usual stuff like this being one of the longest standing and most famous rivalries in sports, and of course, players returning (or not returning) from injury for both teams.

In this week's roundtable, I posed several questions to some Bleacher Report's finest writers covering the Redskins. Travis Evans, Jen Johnson, Eric Moon, Ian Murphy, Eric Moon, and Mark Steven offered their thoughts and insight into a number of issues facing the Redskins this week and as the season moves forward.

I hope you enjoy this week's Redskins Roundtable, and if you would like to be a part of next week's edition, please contact me and I will add you to the list of participants.

I invite you to leave feedback on the thoughts presented here, please feel free to challenge/support anything you see here.

Returning from the by week, the Redskins are facing a "desperate" Dallas Cowboys team. Both teams are rested, healthy(relatively speaking), and had the opportunity to "self scout" over the bye week.

The topic: What changes, if any, do you expect from the Redskins?

Travis Evans wants Zorn to open it up a bit: I expect to see more pass protection and hope we aren't so damn conservative. The Cowboys are going to air the ball out downfield, and their defense and special teams will get a boost from the returning players.

Jen Johnson wants to see Campbell on the move a bit more: I expect Jim Zorn to experiment with having Jason roll out of the pocket. No one gives Campbell credit for his running ability. Earlier in the season, Jason used his legs quite effectively to keep the chains moving.

Eric Moon sees a weakness and wants to attack it:

Well, I hope Coach Zorn attacks the secondary because that is the team’s weakest link. With Adam (Pacman) Jones still suspended, Terence Newman coming off a sports-hernia injury, the Cowboys will be forced to use the young players in the secondary. The Redskins must protect Jason because I’m sure they will blitz more. Maybe throw a few screen plays in there to freeze the line backers a bit.

Ian Murphy completely agrees with Eric:

On offense, I expect the Redskins to come out and throw at least 45 times this week. Dallas' Pacman-free secondary is going to be severely tested by Zorn's Portis-less offense.

This is what Zorn wants to do on offense every game but doesn't because he has an MVP-caliber running back to lean on. On defense, they are going to go man to man on TO (no need to double cover a 34-year-old WR who drops about half of the balls thrown his way anyway) and plug the box with seven or eight guys in order to shut down Barber like they did in the first game.

The Topic: What changes, if any, do you expect from the Cowboys?

Jen Johnson thinks the Cowboys need to diversify: Dallas hopes to improve their passing attack by spreading the ball around to multiple receivers, instead of simply targeting usual suspects Terrell Owens or Jason Witten. Tony Romo's pinkie is still not quite 100 percent so Dallas could start out somewhat conservatively in the passing game.

Eric Moon wants to see the Cowboys get Barber going: Having Tony Romo back will be the biggest change for their offense. I also believe they have to involve Marion Barber more in their attack; to me he is the biggest weapon on the offense. If they establish the run game it will open up plays down field. I also believe Jason Witten will be a key, the Redskins need to keep him under control in order to win this game.

Ian Murphy doesn't see much change coming at all: The Cowboys are going to be the Cowboys from earlier this year. They will most likely abandon the run after the first quarter and put too much of the game into Romo's hands throughout the next three quarters.

Romo may not be fully healed and if that's the case he will be good for two or three picks, in addition to getting reamed by T.O. on the sideline. The only way the Cowboys win this game is if the Redskins win it for them.

The Topic: The Redskins' offense seemed entirely unprepared for the Steelers' pressure defense. Opposing defense's will obviously see this on film. Two part question: Are the Cowboys capable of replicating what the Steelers did? And, if so, how can/will Zorn/Campbell and the rest of the offense counter it?

Travis Evans sees it very simply: We had a chance to win the Steelers game, we had a chance at dominating. It's the red zone; we suck in it.

Eric Moon puts the bulk of the responsibility on the Redskins' Offensive Line: They are definitely capable of mimicking what the Steelers did against the 'Skins. Dallas’ front seven has a lot of speed with DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Bradie James, and company.

Zorn needs to be creative with screen plays, quick hitters, and calling the right run play to counter the blitzes the Cowboys will throw at them. The major key will be the offensive line being able to pick up the blitz. It will be a true test for them because if they fail again and are unable to keep Jason upright and relatively clean it will be a long night for the Skins.

Ian Murphy doesn't see the same threat, or the same results: I am not convinced it was preparation that was the problem. I think the bye week coming up and the multiple injury issues on the team created a situation where the Steelers were just the better team out there.

The 'Skins looked tired and beat up but the effort was still there. You should see a very different team in the second half this week. The Cowboys are not the Steelers; nowhere is this more accurate than at the linebacker position.

The Steelers have a linebacking corps than moves seamlessly into position after the snap of the ball, and the Cowboys, while talented and experienced, don't have that perfection and discipline in their game or even on their team.

Zorn and Co. spent the bye week auditing their own offense from head to toe and I expect will come out with some solutions to the red-zone problems they have been having. I also think the signing of DeAngelo Hall will bring the pick-six element back into the defense.

Mark Steven doesn't think the Cowboys can duplicate what the Steelers did: The Cowboys can’t duplicate the schematic superiority Pittsburgh enjoyed—Brian Stewart (or Wade Phillips, or whoever Dallas decides is coordinating their D this week) is no Dick LeBeau—but I fully expect them to adopt Pittsburgh’s “attack Campbell” approach and try to unsettle Jason.

Maybe Zorn has seen something different on film, but from where I sit, it’s a no-brainer how the Redskins should approach Sunday night offensively. Forget “balance” early—I’d come out firing.

Mark included more on this topic here: Redskins-Cowboys: WWJD

The Topic: The Redskins are saying Clinton Portis is "50/50" to play against the Cowboys, if he doesn't play or isn't healthy enough to offer 100 percent, what might change about the Redskins' offense, and can they still succeed?

Travis Evans thinks it could be a blessing in disguise: He is the engine to this offense, but this may help us remember the four-game winning streak, it was because we passed the ball.

Eric Moon puts it on the "community running backs", and maybe some trickery: We will see if the signing of Alexander was the right move with Betts still not right he will be a major key to the success of the 'Skins as well as Rock. They will need to combine together to rush for 100 yards on the day. Maybe we can run El out of the wildcat offense.

Ian Murphy seems to agree with Travis: As I mentioned before, if Portis doesn't play, I expect the 'Skins will look to throw 40-50 times. Probably not a bad strategy against the Cowboys.

The Topic: Marion Barber has been "non-existent" in most of his games against the Redskins, is there something different the Redskins do against him, and can they do it again this week and will the possible return of Felix Jones for the Cowboys have any impact on this?

Travis Evans doesn't see much of a threat: I think Marion Barber is overrated, so in fact we will hold him again. And no Felix Jones, so nothing, zip zodda impact.

Jen Johnson sees the possibility of improvement: Dallas must not abandon the run. With the return of left guard Kyle Kosier, running back Marion Barber could see some holes that were plugged in the first meeting at Texas Stadium.

The boys had only eight rushing attempts and Barber finished with an abysmal 44 yards gained. And If Felix Jones can't go then the bulk of the carries would be there for Barber's taking.

Eric Moon puts it all on Cowboys' Offensive Coordinator, Jason Garrett: I think for whatever reason the Cowboys just forget what a valuable asset they have in him, and are more concerned with getting Owens the ball more. Jones will probably need a couple of weeks to be a factor.

Ian Murphy agrees wholeheartedly with Eric: The Cowboys have shown that if you hit them in the mouth early they tend to fold. In the last game, they only had 10 called running plays resulting in 37 yards. Barber had eight carries for 26 yards.

This is a running-back that needs to have 20 carries a game. It's less what the Redskins do and more that the Cowboys need to be more disciplined in their play selection. Felix Jones is a game changer and if he gets touches he will make his presence known.

The Topic: Will DeAngelo Hall a significant impact (good or bad) for the Redskins this week?

Travis Evans sees major improvement: He will help, can't tell how much, but he will help. We boast the best secondary in the NFL now.

Jen Johnson sees long term ramifications: Hall is looking to restart his once-promising career. If he makes an impact in a high-profile game such as this one, maybe this will spell the end of Springs tenure in Washington.

Eric Moon seems to agrees with Travis: I think the addition of Hall counters the Cowboys' acquisition of Roy Williams. With the injuries in the secondary, it will be a plus for 'Skins.

Ian Murphy thinks the impact may not be immediate: I don't see much of an impact for Hall this weekend but I think it's a shrewd pickup for the 'Skins if only to keep him off another NFC roster, which is probably where he would be heading.

I give him at least three weeks before lack of playing time becomes an issue and there in no evidence that the Redskins can stay healthy back there so he should be just fine.

Finally, Jerry Gray is a fantastic coach, the Redskins are Hall's childhood team, and he is essentially in a contract year so he needs to act like a grown up more now than ever to prove to NFL teams he is worth another long term deal.

The Topic: The last two times we saw the Redskins in a "Prime Time" TV slot, they have played terribly, will that be duplicated, and why/why not?

Travis Evans puts it very simply: I wish it weren't a prime-time game!

Eric Moon sees the potential for this to continue: I believe the defense has been playing solid; let’s hope that continues. The key to the whole game will be whether or not the offensive line can control the game. If not, make it three times on prime-time TV that they played bad.

Ian Murphy seems to emphatically agree with Travis: I agree, they suck on the big stage, and I have no idea why.

The Topic: What are your overall "keys" to this game?

Travis Evans thinks Zorn needs to just do what he does: People are forgetting we played Dallas and Philly in big games. Portis capability and Campbell's reads. Zorn must be aggressive. The defense will handle their own.

Jen Johnson sees basic football coming: Dictating tempo, establishing the run, and protecting the quarterback is something both teams ought not to forget. No one gives Campbell credit for his running ability. Earlier in the season, Jason used his legs quite effectively to keep the chains moving.

Short, quick slants to Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton will help ease Romo back into his comfort zone. Keeping the drive alive happens when you move the chains, so airing it out makes little sense if you are trying to wear down the opposing defense.

Romo hasn't had the time to develop chemistry with newly signed wideout Roy E. Williams. I think that makes Williams dangerous for the Redskins' secondary. He makes those unbelievable, over the shoulder, falling-down catches look easy.

Dallas's D-line is too fast for indecision. They thrive on immobility.

Prediction for final score: 'Skins - 24, Cowboys - 17.

Eric Moon sees several points to emphasize: On the offensive side of the ball, the offensive line has to dominate the line of scrimmage. Zorn and Campbell have to manage the game better. When in the red zone, they must get six points instead of three.

The defense must control Barber and put pressure on Romo and keep him in 3rd-and-long situations. Better return yardage on special teams is a must. If the 'Skins control the time of possession they will win the game.

Ian Murphy sees physicality as the main: The offense needs to play a physical game, protect the football and not be afraid to air it out 40-50 times this week if Portis can't go. My biggest fear this week is seeing the game come down to relying on Shaun Alexander, who is clearly ineffective as an NFL running back.

The defense needs to shut down Barber, get turnovers, and pressure the quarterback.

Condolences to Darrell Green

Craig Garrison Sr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:51:29 -0500

According to a report by the Washington Times, long time Washington Redskins' great Darrell Green's older brother, Leonard Green Jr., died suddenly on Tuesday.

There are no details at this time, but a spokesperson for Darrell Green did say that Darrell Green will still attend the planned ceremony to present him and former teammate Art Monk's with their Hall of Fame Rings.

The ceremony is to take place prior to this Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

On behalf of all of Redskins Nation, I would like to offer my condolences to the entire Green family.

You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Cowboys-Redskins: No Clinton Portis Could Be the Break 'Boys Need

Craig Garrison Sr — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:59:36 -0500

In an interview on The John Thompson Radio Show today, Washington Redskins star running back Clinton Portis may have given the Dallas Cowboys the best news they could have wished for. Portis has a grade two MCL sprain and will be a game-time decision on Sunday Night.

Week 11's premier matchup, yet another NFC East slugfest, has the 5-4 Dallas Cowboys paying a visit to the 6-3 Washington Redskins.

The reeling Cowboys likely feel like they were due some good news. Obviously, they have quite a bit going for them now. Their star quarterback, Tony Romo, is slated to return from a broken pinky finger, star tight end Jason Witten should be healed up enough from cracked ribs, and new wide receiver Roy Williams has finally had time to play with Romo (at least in practice).

Also expected to return on offense is explosive running back rookie Felix Jones.

The Cowboys even get help on defense, with their top cornerback Terence Newman also expected to return from hernia surgery.

Can all of this help they are getting end the downward spiral? That is, of course, the MILLION DOLLAR question.

Washington Redskins' Roundtable: Week 10

Craig Garrison Sr — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:43:49 -0500

Heading into Week 10 of the 2008 NFL regular season, the Washington Redskins have the weekend off. Following a drubbing from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night, the Redskins enter their bye with many questions that need answering. I have gathered some of B/R's best Washington Redskins contributors to take a closer look at the team and offer a few answers of their own.

***Note: This Week's RoundTable had already been completed when the Washington Redskins signed free agent cornerback DeAngelo Hall. I was not able to include any thoughts from our writers, and apologize.

I hope everyone finds this week's Roundtable informative, thought provoking, and at least little fun. I appreciate any feedback, positive or negative, or anything in between.

On to the questions!

The question: Special teams play has been a disappointment up to this point. Is this all on Danny Smith (his job in jeopardy) or is it just the mix of so many youngsters on the roster? Or is it something else entirely? Should Moss continue to be used on punt returns?

Ian Murphy: Ian doesn't see this as a major issue and is squarely behind Danny Smith:

Really it's only the punt team that hasn't been stellar this year.

Kick coverage, field goals, kickoff and punt return have done a decent job, although you would have to admit not incredible. Durant Brooks has to take a lot of blame for the punt team, and Danny Smith needs to take responsibility for trusting such an important job (yes, punter is important, even though the position of punter is deeply disrespected by the average fan) to such an inexperienced player.

I think there is a good reason why Punters can play into their 40s. Ice in your veins is far more valuable than huge quadriceps (wearing a watch seems to help too: big ups Reggie Roby).

Danny Smith has had some very special, special teams as a coach in the NFL. In Philly, from '95 to '98, his return teams averaged more than 20 yards/KR and had at least one TD. Tom Hutton was a 23-year-old rookie punter that year (which probably gave him the courage to start Durant Brooks) and in his four years under Smith, he would be top 10 in the league in punt yards and never average less than 41 yards/punt.

After Smith left for Detroit in 1999, Hutton would play one more year with Miami and then would be out of the league. Smith certainly get the most out of his guys; however, his coverage teams did allow five TDs to be scored in that four-year span.

In Detroit, where he coached his next two years alongside his current boss, Jim Zorn, he would coach powerhouse returners Terry Fair and Desmond Howard. Both Fair and Howard would average more than 10 yards/PR and 23 yards/KR. Howard would go to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist, averaging a whopping 14.7 yards/PR and 24.6 yards/KR. Kicker Jason Hanson would also make the Pro Bowl in Smith's first year in the Motor City.

During his time in Buffalo, under Gregg Williams, his coverage teams didn't allow one return for a touchdown in three years. His return teams would have been even better had Williams allowed Nate Clements to continue to return punts after averaging more than 20 yards/PR in 2001. A year after Williams left, Clements (PR) and McGee (KR) would both make the Pro Bowl.

In Washington, Smith actually got better production from his return teams than ever before. In five years, Smith's primary kick returner has never averaged less than 24 yards/KR (See: Desmond Howard's Pro-Bowl year). Also, if you take out the two horrible punts by Durant Brooks to DeSean Jackson and Reggie Bush (game-changing talents, to be fair) his teams have allowed just one return for a TD in the last four years.

Finally, this guy was hand picked by Joe Gibbs and had a seven-year span in his career as a coach where his players didn't allow a touchdown on a return. I am more likely to point blame at the players on this one.

Nikolas Scalise (Founder ProvenPlays): Nik has concerns and offers some statistical evidence to back it up:

Punting Defense(coverage units)

31.7 (32nd) Avg Net Yards, meaning, avg yards after punt return.
42 (10th) avg yards per punt
13 (30th) avg return yards against
2 (second) returned TD against. 'Skins are one of six teams to have punt returned against and the Vikings have surrendered three.
One of two teams to allow two or more blocked punts this year

MAJOR PROBLEM: Top 10 in punt average, including the issues we had with Rookie kicker but we CANNOT get down field and tackle. LAST in the NFL in net punt yards is NOT good. For a team with such good defense this is unacceptable. We are on the bottom—worse than the Bengals and Saints, who play NO defense.

Punting Offense(returns)

8.9 (21st) avg yards per return.
29 (1st) in punt return attempts with 11 fair catches.
One of six teams with a punt returned for TD.
Moss two attempts, Avg 44 yards and TD.

CONCERNING: With the most attempts to return punts because of great defense, being in the bottom third is not good enough. If Randle El cannot produce, it is worth using Santana, since that is a skill he has been able to demonstrate his whole career and this year, for two attempts, he is the best in the league.

Kick Returns Defense(coverage units)

20.4 (4th)

GREAT: How is it that we can run further and get the job done on kickoffs??

Kick-Returns Offense(return units)

24.2 (9th) Avg Kick return yards

SOLID: Not much deviation in these stats.

Suisham

78.3% (27th)
20-29 (4/4), 30-39 (5-7), 40-49 (8/9) and 50+ (1/3)

SOLID: He is not a top tier kicker yet, but he has proven to make kicks when we need them. He is a keeper in my opinion. Leg strength continues to be an issue.

Danny Smith has been with the 'Skins since 2004 and does have great sense of energy for these groups. In 2007, the Redskins were one of the best in the league, ranking third in kickoff coverage and sixth on punt returns (6.8) yards.

We are nearly doubling the yardage on punt returns, so that is where the work needs to be done, ASAP. I like Danny and think he can turn this ship around, but he has to do it NOW.

Eric Moon: While Eric is concerned, he doesn't see a need for major changes:

The special teams play has been a disappointment, and it starts from the coach down to the players not executing properly. Poor tackling and, I believe, overall team speed on the unit is not good. Moss definitely should get more touches on punt returns. And Smith needs to make a change from Randle El on punt returns—6.3 avg. is just not getting the job done. Maybe give it to Rock and spring Moss back there at least once or twice a game.

Next Question -->

The question: The offense has gotten a bit stagnant over the last several games, losing the incredible balance that existed through the Philadelphia win. Can Zorn get this back on track, or was this change a matter of the true capabilities of the team?

Jen Johnson: Jen sees the Redskins' offensive woes of late as being directly related to the passing game:

The pass protection has been poor, and instead of getting better as the game goes along, the line turns into Swiss cheese. It's as if the front four is infected with some strange ole disease. Jason's not a puppet, gentlemen. He will get hurt if he takes the shots that he took from Pittsburgh, which spells disaster if we don't keep him upright. My two cents on a solution to this problem:

Have Jason set up the offense from the shotgun early rather than later.

Jim and Buges must recognize when the O-line can't protect Jason when's he under center. Against a fast defense, the pass blockers have to pick up blitzes much quicker, and Jon Jansen and Chris Samuels aren't the most athletic guys on the roster.

Jim Zorn has to let Campbell loose. Throw the ball downfield for goodness sakes. Jason can step up in the pocket to avoid the rush and let it rip. Cooley is still being used too sparingly, which makes my blood boil, because he's our yards-after-the-catch man.

Yes, he's dropped a few catchable balls, but he's a serious weapon that gets lost when we choose to run on the first two downs and pass on third down out of necessity.

Nikolas Scalise (Founder ProvenPlays): Nik, however, thinks it might be related to the rest of the league catching up to Zorn:

The 'Skins have turned into a run-first offense and rightfully so, considering Portis' numbers. The offensive line is dedicated to run blocking and has not been so hot in pass protection. The NFL is very a smart league, and I think they have caught on to the 'Skins and how we approach the game.

Zorn is going to have to open the book and get creative, like he did early on, in order for the 'Skins to make a real push for the playoffs. I do not care about the NFC East games coming through FedEx, we still have to win them, and with Santana not 100 percent and the offensive line underachieving lately, I am concerned. I will give them a break on Monday night, the Pitt defense is incredible!

Eric Moon: Eric seems to agree with both Nik and Jen:

I believe Zorn is too conservative at times. I believe the league is starting to figure out his tendencies, so the bye week comes at a great time to figure out how to change things up. This offense needs to throw downfield a bit more, in order to keep eight guys out of the box against Portis.

Also, when facing a team like the Steelers, their linebackers exploited our tackles, which may be a reason why Zorn originally started Heyer, for a little more quickness.

The question: Is it time to start pushing the rookies on offense? Why/Why not? What's the upside and downside?

Jen Johnson: Jen doesn't see much need for the rookies to contribute at this point, but does seem to think Zorn needs to progress forward:

The Redskins' rookies aren't really being asked to do too much, and frankly, with the offense we run, we don't need to utilize Devin Thomas or Fred Davis. Should we be doing more with them? I don't think we need to abandon the deep ball to Moss in favor of short screen passes to Davis or seven-yard throws to the sidelines to Thomas.

It's been documented that coaches have at least 10 set offensive plays they want to run in each game. These plays are designed to exploit the opponent's weaknesses while enhancing our ability to keep drives alive. Moving the ball and controlling time of possession have been our trademarks through the first nine games.

We need to pass on running downs and run on passing downs. Confuse the defense, especially against faster, more physical players.

Execution has been the ultimate problem in recent weeks. We should be leading the league in field-goal tries by now. Suisham is a good, but not great, kicker. He continues to have to make 40+ yard kicks, and that means we can't score once we get the ball in the red zone.

Let the rookies work hard in practice and learn how to run routes from the masters.

Nikolas Scalise (Founder Provenplays): Nik doesn't see a major problem with the way the rookies are coming along:

We clearly still have problem at WR, just like we did before the season began. Although we drafted good players, the West Coast is an offense that takes time to learn on all parts. We are still young as a TEAM in this offense, so I still think it is too early to panic on their ability to execute.

Devin is getting more involved lately, they just need to key on him more and provide him opportunities to make plays. On special teams, he is a beast and doing what it takes to succeed in the NFL.

Eric Moon: Eric seems to see a real need:

Kelly being hurt has really hurt his chances; hopefully he can get healthy and contribute at the end of the season. He’s our tallest receiver, so we could use him in the red zone.

I would like to see a bit more of Davis to see what he can do. And I think we could utilize Thomas’ speed more on offense to stretch the D. We drafted these kids in the second round, and they should be producing for us more. If we’re not using them, the downside is we may have wasted the choices that we could have used on other areas of need.

Next Question -->

The question: Is Blache getting all he can out of the D-line for pass rushes? Does he need to blitz more or continue playing coverage packages? Will Jason Taylor coming back healthy really be able to make a difference?

Nikolas Scalise (Founder Provenplays): Nik sees no significant issues from the defense:

Recently, I do not think he is comfortable pushing blitz packages, at least not with the injuries we have in the secondary. Torrence is still learning, and until he is comfortable with with the ONE-on-ONE matchups, you will not see it. D-line needs to step up and get to the QB on their own.

That being said, we have played a bunch of teams with good offensive lines and the one that was weak, Pitt, we were able to get some sacks. I like the defense, it ain't broke, so no major fixes are needed, in my opinion.

Eric Moon: Eric sees room for improvement, but feels they are getting it done:

I would like to see more blitzes from the defense. Our corners, at times, play too far off the ball in my opinion, tighter coverage on that play with Holmes and no way he scores the TD, might not even get thrown to on that play.

Jason Taylor needs to sit out until he is fully recovered. He is hurting the team more than helping trying to be out there at 60 to 70 percent healthy. IF he sits out a few weeks, I think he could be a factor down the stretch. But, to me, overall, the D-line has done as well as possible w/o Daniels there and Taylor injured.

Next Question -->

The question: And finally, the bye came late, but the 'Skins fared relatively well all the way up until Monday night (they hadn't been playing all that well, but they still got wins), will the bye week really help much, and what do you expect to see when they return?

Nikolas Scalise (Founder Provenplays): Nik is confident:

I think it is a GREAT bye week. The Dallas game is HUGE, just HUGE. This will help keep Dallas as the doormat of the NFC East and another divisional win for us. At 6-3 into the bye to prepare for second-half surge, what else can you really ask for? Like to have the Rams game back, yes, but who would of thought we would have two road wins in the division this early.

I am still confident and look for Zorn to be coach of the year!

Eric Moon: Eric seems a bit torn:

I think it will refresh them a bit. To know they are winning and not playing all that well is a bit scary. Just think if they can start clicking on all cylinders—the outcome will be tremendous. I’m looking for them to probably finish the last seven games 5-2. If they could go 6-1, they might win the division. Will be tough three home games with the division foes, and two trips to the West Coast will be a very interesting ride.

I want to thank each of our participants. They provided some great insight. I would also like to apologize to anyone who was not able to be a part this week's meeting. If anyone is interested in joining in for the Week 11 Roundtable (Dallas Week People!), please email me as soon as possible, so I can get you on the list.

If there are any Dallas Cowboys writers who would like to be involved for next week's Roundtable, you will be welcome. I am sure we can get something good from it!

GO SKINS!

Washington Redskins Should Welcome DeAngelo Hall!

Craig Garrison Sr — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:35:00 -0500

As once-bright-star cornerback DeAngelo Hall was on his way out of Oakland, he didn't have a lot to say. But he did say this:

“This is a blessing,” Hall told NFL.com’s Steve Wyche. “I have learned it’s not all about the money. I’ve learned now it’s more about the team. Ain’t all money good money. I took the bait. I went for the money and I didn’t research the situation. But I don’t think I would trade this for the world. Just to meet (owner) Al Davis, to get to pick his brain, to know the kind of person he is and the impression he had on football is good for me to say that I know him.”

Hmmm...Sounds like the Washington Redskins could fit that bill. The 'Skins aren't exactly hurting for corners, true, but they are hurting for a reliable punt returner, and if Shawn Springs continues his injury issues, depth at the corner could become a real concern.

With Carlos Rogers playing at a Pro Bowl level (sans the interceptions), Hall would make a Redskins' defense a rather imposing force. Quality corners would go four deep with Hall on the roster, easily giving them the deepest, most talented, highest-quality secondary in the NFL.

Hall's skills as a punt returner, however, are perhaps even more valuable at this point for the Redskins. Yes, Santana Moss returned a punt for a touchdown only two weeks ago, but that was the ONLY bright spot in an otherwise dreadful punting season for the Redskins.

Antwan Randle El has been the full-time punt returner since he was signed over two years ago, but his numbers have trailed off consistently since his arrival. He is being used more at wide receiver with the Redskins than he ever was with Pittsburgh, and that may be what has slowed him down in the return game.

Whatever the case, Randle El has been largely ineffective, and considering the fact that the Redskins are ranked FIRST in the NFL in total punt returns with 29 (a beautiful reflection of just how good the Redskins' defense really is), punt returning could well be considered a key to the Redskins offensive struggles.

While they force more punts than any other team in the NFL, they are only 21st in average return yardage and have one of the worst average starting field position in the NFL.

I say it's easily worth a veteran minimum contract for one of the NFL's premier cornerbacks and punt returners. Head Coach Jim Zorn, Defensive Coordinator Greg Blache, and Special-Teams Coach Danny Smith can surely determine whether or not they feel he will "infect" the Redskins' "character," which seems to be very strong.

If he signs on Friday, he can be at practice on Monday, and play against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday night.

Sounds good to me!

How about you?!

Shame On You Washington Redskins Fans!

Craig Garrison Sr — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:16:10 -0500

I'll start this by first complimenting fans of the "Black and Gold," the Pittsburgh Steelers have tremendous fans, and boy do they travel well. Kudos to ya! Keep it up!

Steelers fans are well known for being one of "the best fanbases" in the NFL. And they certainly showed that on Monday night. It was a very impressive showing, and I can only hope that the Redskins' leadership (Dan Snyder, Vinny Cerrato and so on) took notice.

Now that that's out of the way, I'll get to my point: SHAME ON YOU, REDSKINS FANS!

Shame on you for not supporting your 6-2 ballclub the way Steelers fans do!

Shame on you for allowing another team's fanbase to force your own team into a "silent count" at times to deal with the amount of noise the opposing team's fans were making IN YOUR HOME STADIUM!

Shame on you for not finding a Redskins fan to sell your tickets to rather than trying to make a buck on StubHub or eBay or Craig's List (not my list, BTW) or whatever other outlet you chose.

Shame on you for adding to the humiliation of your "favorite" team on cable’s second most-watched telecast of the year .

Shame on your for giving "haters" like Jason La Confora and Michael Wilbon the opportunity to rip us even more than usual.

Ok, now that the "Shame on you" is out of the way, a little "reporting".

According to a number of Redskins' players, Monday night was something they had never seen before, contrary to Mr. Wilbon's quote:

"It really gets a little tiresome hearing how great Redskins fans are, only to see fans of the Cowboys or Steelers or Eagles commandeer FedEx Field . Really, they're a very average lot, at best."

Personally, I have NEVER seen anything like it. For Mr. Wilbon to include ANY other team's fans in this conversation is nothing short of simply being a (use preferred language here, I'll just use "jerk" to keep it clean ) jerk .

"Never," guard Randy Thomas said when asked about using a silent count at the team's home. "First for me."

"I'm like, 'Are those yellow towels for us or for them?' " wide receiver Santana Moss said yesterday. "I really scratched my head about it, because I've never seen it done, especially at FedEx , to have someone come into our home and almost have more fans than we did."

So how could this happen? There are many theories, of course.

There are many Redskins fans who have accomplished a level of hatred for Dan Snyder and his "right-hand man" Vinny Cerrato, that they have no intention whatsoever of giving "the Danny" any of their money.

Another point is the reality that the Washington DC area is full of many "transplants," fans from other areas relocate here frequently, and certainly aren't going to change their team affiliation. I know MANY Steeler fans myself, so I can attest to this personally.

Pittsburgh is only about a five-hour drive, their proximity and the successes of the Steelers have simply attracted many football fans, winning can have a profound effect.

Another is related to the reality of the expense of season tickets and attending games . Many Redskins' fans sell some "high-demand" tickets in order to afford their season-ticket package. I can also attest to this myself, as this has been the only way I have been able to attend games.

I spent eight years buying tickets from an acquaintance for two games a year, a preseason game, and a regular season game (from the games he allowed me to choose). They couldn't afford to keep their season tickets any other way.

And this from Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post :

More than 7,000 tickets were purchased on StubHub for the Redskins-Steelers game, the highest number for any NFL game this season, according to Sean Pate, a spokesman for the online ticket vendor. He said nine percent of those buying tickets were from Pennsylvania. As of yesterday, around 3,000 tickets were available on StubHub for Washington's next home game, against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 16.

Interestingly, only NINE percent of the tickets sold were to residents in Pennsylvania. Of course, Stub Hub isn't the only medium by which fans can sell their tickets, but that's only 630 tickets. Not much of a representation of what we saw Monday night.

So all of this leaves me to conclude that Redskins fans simply didn't bother to support their team very well.

If you are one of the "screw Snyder" fans, or just "didn't feel like dealing with the traffic", then SHAME ON YOU !

Steelers-Redskins: Steelers' "D" Too Much for the 'Skins

Craig Garrison Sr — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:45:55 -0500

As the Washington Redskins took the field on Monday night, their challenges were obvious. Head Coach Jim Zorn knew it would be difficult to make plays on the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense, the question was, could the Redskins counter the Steelers' defensive pressure by making enough plays to help the Redskins' defense.

The answer was NO, they couldn't.

The Steelers put together pressure packages that the Redskins' offense could not decipher. The league's No. 1 defense showed why they're so good. Speed, power, and the ability to confuse are what makes the Steelers' defense what it is. And make no mistake about it, the Steelers' defense is VERY GOOD.

Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell has been one of the league's most improved players through eight games this season. Completing over 63 percent of his passes on the season, and protecting the ball better than ANY other starting quarterback in the NFL, Campbell was harassed, hit, pushed, and sacked into his first TWO interceptions of the season.

The NFL's best running back this season, Redskins' Clinton Portis, was held to only 51 yards rushing. He had been averaged over 100 yards per game prior to the Steelers' visit to Washington. This fact alone played a major role in Campbell's struggles.

Did Zorn give up on the run too early?

I don't think so. Portis only had 13 carries, the Redskins only ran the ball 15 times, with 45 pass attempts. Not the balance this offense needs to succeed, but of those 15 rushing plays, eight were for three yards or less. The Redskins ran 29 plays in the fourth quarter, when the game was already largely out of hand.

If one takes away the imbalance of playing "catch-up" in the fourth quarter, the breakdown is 15 of 36 plays were runs, not the run-heavy ratio the Redskins have had in recent games, but not an entirely horrible balance either.

While the Redskins' defense played well statistically, they again failed to make "game-changing" plays. Cornerback Carlos Rogers dropped an easy interception that likely would have been an easy touchdown, a sight that has become all too familiar to Redskins fans.

The Steelers held the special-teams key as well, blocking a punt late in the second quarter. The Steelers were able to convert the resulting short field into a touchdown, a series of events that was likely the turning point of the game.

The Redskins now enter their bye week, and it is badly needed. Over the past three weeks, the Redskins have had as many as a DOZEN starters sitting out practice throughout the week nursing injuries. They have already played 14 games this season and have been "going at it" longer than any other team in the NFL, with an early start to training camp, and the bye week coming after the ninth game of the regular season.

There is much to be done for Jim Zorn and the Redskins. Nothing is more critical than getting the team healthy, however. Standout cornerback Shawn Springs missed his third straight game Monday night and was sorely missed. He should be back to face the Dallas Cowboys in a critical Sunday Night NFC East matchup following the week off.

Defensive end Jason Taylor should also return, along with backup running back Ladell Betts.

This game was considered by many to be an important game for both teams. But the reality is that this game will have little effect in the hunt for an NFC playoff appearance. It may well turn out to be one of the keys to the Redskins' season, however.

Unlike any other game this season, including their other two losses, to the New York Giants and St. Louis Rams, the Redskins were dominated at the line of scrimmage by the opposing defense. The Steelers were able to create pressure on Campbell and slow down Portis enough to force the Redskins out of their comfort zone.

In the loss to the Giants, this was not the case, the Redskins simply couldn't complete the plays that were available. In the loss to the Rams, Redskins' turnovers killed two promising drives, and one directly resulted in a touchdown, while the Redskins dominated every other statistical category.

The Steelers' simply left little opportunity for the Redskins to make plays. There is no question the Redskins have a good football team, and now they Zorn's ability to manage his team's injuries, handle his roster efficiently, and motivate his players, which will be the keys to the Redskins' success, or lack there of, in the second half of the season.

The Redskins may have been better served if the bye had a week earlier. But the reality is that all teams are feeling the pain of a tough and physical football season. I noticed a little too much talk from players during interviews this past week that seemed to consistently include a mention of the upcoming bye week. Player after player answered whatever the question was, and added, of their own volition, that the bye was next.

I do not think the Redskins were "looking past" the Steelers. I do think the Redskins, as a team, are worn out, physically and emotionally, and it showed against the best defense in football.

Keep your chins up, Redskins. Seven more games to accomplish all of what no one thought you could are ahead. Three home games, all critical divisional matchups, and four road games await you after the bye. Your goals are still within reach.

To all Redskins fans, not to worry, Zorn, Blache, and the veteran leaders on this team are more than capable of pulling together and making a run, not only at the playoffs, but a division championship.

With home games against the Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants, the Redskins have the rest of their season in their hands. And most of these men have better hands than Carlos Rogers.

HTTR!

Steelers-Redskins: Knock Down, Drag-Out Fight, Volume Three

Craig Garrison Sr — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:51:00 -0400

Week Nine of the the 2008 NFL regular season brings us several intriguing matchups. Among these headliners are two interconference games, Green Bay at Tennessee and Pittsburgh at Washington.

I'll focus on our nation's capitol. The division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers will be in Washington DC on "election eve" to play their third NFC East opponent. They intend to break a trend. Losses in their other two NFC East games, to the Giants and Eagles, have left a sour taste in their in their mouths.

Each of these previous matchups has been a "knock down, drag out" type of physical game that are so often a lot of fun to watch. This game is likely to be no different.

The Steelers were beat in both games with their own brand of football. Strong, pressure defense, and make just enough plays offensively to support that side of the ball.

The Eagles sacked "Big Ben" Roethlisberger eight times, and the Giants got to him five times. Even more notable, to me, though, is that the Steelers didn't get as much as a "whiff" of Giants quarterback Eli Manning, while they did get to Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb for three sacks. Notable because the Steelers average almost 4.5 sacks against every other team they have played.

The Giants are the third best team in the NFL in sacks allowed, with a less-than-one-per-game average. The Eagles are 11th, with less than two sacks allowed per game. The Redskins average two sacks per game, good for only 16th in the NFL.

The Steelers boast the league's top-ranked defense: No. 1 in pass defense , No. 3 in rush defense, and tied for No. 3 in points per game allowed. The Giants and Eagles were able to exceed those averages in passing yardage, but only the Giants achieved more in points and rushing.

Does any of this tell us anything?

Not really. We can compare stats all we want, but this is the NFL, and the game isn't played on a stat sheet. What stats can do for us is show trends, to some extent.

But the only trend I count on is what teams do, not necessarily the numbers as a result.

The Steelers are very aggressive at the point of attack. Employing a 3-4 defensive scheme and led by Defensive Guru Dick LeBeau, the Steelers use more speed at linebacker than most 3-4 defenses. They load the proverbial "box" on every play. What they do with the linebackers is what makes them difficult to decipher.

Casey Hampton clogs up the middle as well as any nose guard in the NFL. Add to that his ability to split double teams, and he must be accounted for on every play. This creates opportunity for the linebackers to attack the offensive backfield, resulting in sacks and hits on the running backs behind the line of scrimmage.

The Steelers' leading sackers are linebackers, James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley both have eight sacks. The next one in line is also a linebacker, Lawrence Timmons, with three. The only lineman with any sacks at all is end Aaron Smith,, with two. See a trend here?

Interestingly, all this pressure hasn't helped them with turnovers much, with only six interceptions, one has to wonder if the sacks might have as much to do with the quarterbacks they have faced as it does with just how well they rush the quarterback. I would also note that the Steelers send at least five rushers on a large majority of plays.

This is as much "run blitzing" as anything, but the fact remains that the Steelers are not afraid; they will commit many bodies at the line of scrimmage.

The Redskins' defense happens to be playing pretty well, too. Currently ranked sixth overall, 11th against the pass and against the run, the Redskins do things a bit differently. The Redskins' defense is ranked 28th in sacks, averaging just over ONE per game. While they rank just behind the Steelers in turnovers, the Redskins' defense isn't based on pressuring the quarterback in the same way.

The Redskins don't blitz often, and when they do, they rarely arrive before the ball is thrown. The Redskins have achieved their goals by playing sound at the line of scrimmage with their front seven, excellent coverage from their defensive secondary, and good tackling. Yards after contact are hard to come by against the Redskins.

So what can either team do offensively to make enough plays to win? The MILLION DOLLAR question.

The answer won't be known for sure until they play the game, but it's likely to be one the many intangibles within football that is so difficult to quantify.

Roethlisberger has made a living of making big plays by extending the play with broken tackles and an amazing ability to find an open receiver downfield, with adept movement in and around the pocket. He has also been prone to mistakes from this as well, throwing four interceptions last week.

Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell has been remarkably stingy with the ball all season. Yet to throw an interception (the only starting QB without at least two INTs who has also thrown at least 65 passes), Campbell has taken a request from Redskins' Head Coach Jim Zorn to heart.

Zorn has said publicly that all he asks of his quarterback is: "No matter how bad the play is, just give me the chance to call another play." And Campbell has done just that.

Converting nearly 40 percent of their third downs, the Redskins have been able to consistently win the time of possession battle. This has added up to fourth-quarter domination, with defenses waring down, Clinton Portis, the league's leading rusher, has been able to keep drives alive in the fourth quarter with deadly ease.

The Steelers have been able to maintain offensive balance, averaging just over 27 attempts per game in both rushing AND passing. Success has been the issue. The Steelers are only 17th in passer rating at 87.6. Averaging under four yards per carry, the running game hasn't been up to par either. What they do well is obvious though, make big plays with "Big Ben"'s arm.

The Redskins on the other hand, have the second-highest-rated quarterback in the NFL and average nearly five yards per carry.

This sounds an awful lot like a low scoring, hard-hitting game; testing each team's toughness, with the last team standing getting the win.

Sounds good to me. In fact, it sounds a lot like just another NFC East game. Maybe the Rooney's should petition the league office to change their divisional alignment. The Steelers would fit in well with the Giants, Redskins, Cowboys and Eagles. And we all get to see two more great games every year.

So, on Monday Night Football, the Steelers and Redskins will surely come out swinging. Who can take the shots best wins, and it should be 60 minutes of the best football of the Week Nine.

Enjoy!

Are the Washington Redskins on Their Way to a Second-Half Collapse?

Craig Garrison Sr — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:47:54 -0400

The Washington Redskins finished the first half of their 2008 season with a record of 6-2. A fine accomplishment for rookie Head Coach Jim Zorn and the Redskins' much-maligned front-office staff.

The Redskins have enjoyed a four-game win streak that included road wins over division rivals Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, as well come-from-behind victories at home against New Orleans and Arizona.

The two losses include an ugly season-opening loss to the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants and a disgusting self-destructing loss to the then-winless St. Louis Rams. The Redskins are 2-1 in their division, with each divisional opponent yet to travel to Washington.

The Redskins rank seventh in total offense, second in rushing, but only 23rd in points per game. Defensively, they rank sixth overall, fifth against the run, 11th against the pass, and eighth in points allowed.

Running back Clinton Portis and quarterback Jason Campbell have been stellar, especially late in games.

But will any of this prevent a second-half collapse?

Through the four game win streak, the Redskins dominated the fourth quarter in time of possession, points scored/allowed, and yardage. In their last two games, they have lost the yardage and time-of-possession battles, though the Redskins won both games.

In each game, the defense has allowed sustained drives that resulted in points in the fourth quarter, while the offense was unable to achieve sustained drives of their own.

The Redskins have lacked a serious pass rush and have not been able to convert the offensive yardage into points all season.

While the Redskins completed the toughest part of their schedule (the league's highest strength of schedule through the first six games of the season), they still have upcoming games against the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2), the Dallas Cowboys(5-3), the New York Giants (6-1), and the Philadelphia Eagles (4-3).

The only "saving grace" in each case is that they are ALL home games. A sizable advantage to be sure. However, the road games, Seattle, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and San Fransisco, are all teams the Redskins might struggle against for one reason: complacency.

Aside from the loss to the Giants, the Redskins have played their worst football in games where they were considered easy favorites to win. Does this mean the Redskins are playing "down" to their competition, as has been suggested by many, overlooking "lesser" teams?

If this is the case, the fact that each of these games is on the road may help. The added discomfort level in these games by the need to travel may in fact help the Redskins maintain the necessary focus to take care of business in the games they "should win."

Injuries and the wear and tear of an already long season are also taking its toll on the Redskins. The Redskins have already played 13 games this season, including the preseason, more than any other team at this point. This fact, along with the earliest start to training camp, the oldest starting offensive line in the NFL, and being one of the four oldest overall teams in the NFL will surely come into play as the season progresses.

The Redskins had 12 starters listed on the injury report prior to last week's game against Detroit. There were eight starters the week before, and they averaged only five starters on the injury report for each of the first six games.

In the last two weeks, the Redskins have rested close to three quarters of their starters during the week, with players sitting out at least one practice each week, and in many cases, these players only practiced one day.

The Redskins' depth has been tested at several key positions on the field already, but can they sustain injuries to many other key areas and still maintain a high level of performance on the field?

Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels did not play against the Lions, and it may have showed. The Redskins finished with a subpar rushing day and gave up three sacks, which caused two Jason Campbell fumbles, one recovered by Detroit.

Clinton Portis, the league's leading rusher (in both yards and carries) is taking a beating. He didn't practice, save for the Friday walk through. His primary backup, Ladell Betts, has been out the last two weeks with a knee sprain and is not likely to return until after the bye week, which comes in Week 10.

Before they get to the bye week, they will host an angry Pittsburgh Steelers team. The Steelers lost at home last week to the New York Giants; it was the Steelers' second loss to an NFC East opponent. The Steelers are likely to bring their physical style of play into FedEx and test the Redskins' health and determination early and often.

Again, though, there may be a saving grace for the Redskins: The Steelers are suffering from a number of injuries and the looming legal issues that may prevent young stud wide receiver Santonio Holmes from playing against the Redskins.

How long can the Redskins' luck hold out? Can they reach their bye week without losing yet another player to injury? Can they get past their current slate of injuries and eek out a win against another ailing team this week in the Pittsburgh Steelers? Will the bye week be enough to get key players healthy, or will these minor injuries continue to plague the team?

Head Coach Jim Zorn has done an outstanding job thus far in his rookie campaign. The management of his personnel may be the biggest test he will face this season, and it may just be the most important.

Pro Bowl Already? You've Got To Be Kidding Me!

Craig Garrison Sr — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:54:38 -0400

I understand that voting for the NFL Pro Bowl starts early every year. But as usual, it irritates me this year, too. I don't have as much problem with the Pro Bowl itself as many do, but it isn't even the halfway point of the regular season yet!

Every year, there are a number of players that are "snubbed" by the Pro Bowl voting, and I'm sure this year it will be no different.

There may be some hope this season, however, because of the fact that there is no single dominant team taking over media attention at this point in the season. Let's hope so.

There is also a relatively loud clamour to not even play this game every year. There are a number different reasons cited for this, from the game itself being boring to watch to claims that most players don't WANT to play in it.

Following Super Bowl XXXIX, former star Cowboys' quarterback Troy Aikman voiced his opinion on the matter:

"I know Paul Tagliabue isn't going to want to hear this: Nobody wants to play in a Pro Bowl," Aikman said.

"Everybody wants to be voted in. Everybody wants to be in Hawaii. But nobody wants to play. The roster is filled with alternate players. The guys who are voted in aren't even on the field."

To be fair, only 14 players withdrew from the Pro Bowl that year, and some of the league's biggest star quarterbacks did in fact play.

But for the voting to begin so early AND end so early, seems to me to be a major failure on the NFL's part. Many teams have serious "slumps" through the midpoint of the season, only to put together a major push to get into the playoffs.

This would'nt be a big deal, but the Pro Bowl has become almost exclusively nothing more than a popularity contest. Fan voting only counts for 30 percent of the ballot. That's all well and good, except that most fans don't vote for the players they consider "the best" at a given position.

Rather they vote for players they like or the players on their favorite team no matter how good (or bad) those players may be in comparison to others around the NFL.

Also, it creates an atmosphere that players on teams with smaller market share or little national TV exposure simply cannot break into.

Add to these inherent issues the fact that Pro Bowl voting ends in December, before the regular season ends and the Pro Bowl becomes even less significant.

Last season had several examples of the lack of recognition for the season's better players. 11 Dallas Cowboys were originally voted to the Pro Bowl last season. Marion didn't even reach 1,000 yards, a measure that has become a useless measuring stick when citing quality running backs, considering just how many runners achieve that mark every year.

Safety Roy Williams was inserted to take the spot that was never when Redskins' safety Sean Taylor was voted into the Pro Bowl posthumously.

ROY WILLIAMS!?!? Yup.

More often than not teams that are in the playoff hunt have more players make the Pro Bowl than teams not in the hunt. This speaks to exposure and TEAM play more than an INDIVIDUAL'S PERFORMANCE DURING THE SEASON, which was supposed to be the point of the Pro Bowl.

Perhaps if there is enough attention brought to the reality of what the Pro Bowl SHOULD be, enough fans will stop voting blindly and actually THINK before they click "SUBMIT BALLOT".

I say cut down the percentage fan votes count, and increase the amount player and coach votes count. That would truly become the "peer respect" that so many players covet.

Just end the "popularity contest", it has gotten old already.

Lions Fans Have Reason for Optimism, and It May Start Against the Redskins

Craig Garrison Sr — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:37:36 -0400

Week Eight of the 2008 NFL regular season brings the Detroit Lions and the Washington Redskins together in a matchup that, at first glance, doesn't seem overly intriguing. But as you'll see, both teams bring much to the table.

At 6'5" and 230 pounds, Lions' quarterback Dan Orlovsky is prototypical: big, athletic, and daring. Orlovsky can make plays with his feet and his arm. And now, after three years on the bench, he gets his shot by virtue of the injury to Jon Kitna. And with each game, Orlovsky gets more and more comfortable.

Here's a crazy stat: Orlovsky hasn't completed more than 13 passes in a game this season, but in his last two games, he has accomplished quarterback ratings above 90. Crazy huh?!

Orlovsky has an overall rating of only 72.9 on the season, but that really doesn't tell the whole story—much like the Detroit Lions' 0-6 record doesn't tell the whole story about their season either.

Lions' Head Coach Rod Marinelli has stayed true to who he is. A tough minded, hard-nosed former defensive-line coach, Marinelli has kept his team together through a losing streak that now stands at seven regular-season games dating back to last seasons' final game.

This is a young football team with half the roster made up of players with four years or less as a pro.

Many of these youngsters are yet to break the starting lineup, but several are having an impact. Marinelli has made it perfectly clear that young players will have to earn their playing time. No matter their draft or contract status, if they want to play, they'll have to earn it.

And many have been doing just that. Three rookies are starting on offense, Gosder Cherilus at right tackle, Jerome Fulton at fullback, and Kevin Smith at running back are all performing now, not later.

Cherilus has started three games this season after initially beating out George Foster at right tackle and wants his job back. He was benched for the second half of the Lions' Week Five loss at Minnesota. And word is he maybe getting a second chance, as rumors have Cherilus starting against the Redskins.

But Smith seems to be becoming an important key to the Lions' efforts. Marinelli entered this season wanting to create balance within the offense. That meant a retreat from the "pass first" philosophies of former Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz. Martz was out and former Baltimore Ravens' Offensive-Line Coach Jim Coletto was in.

Coletto was with the Ravens during their Super Bowl season in 2000 and knows a thing or two about what can be accomplished with a strong running game and a solid defense. These two traits are what Marinelli wants to see of his team.

That hasn't worked out the way Marinelli had hoped. Last season, the Lions only rushed 33 percent of the time. This season they havn't fared any better, again only 33 percent of their plays are runs.

This season, however, there seems to be a different reason for this imbalance. The Lions have been outscored 54-0 in the first quarter this season. That number is a bit inflated by the last week's loss to the Texans (14 first quarter points) and the opening-day loss to the Atlanta Falcons (21 first quarter points).

There is no good way to spin the lack offensive output early in games. This offense has started out VERY slowly in every game this season. The Lions have scored 74 points in the second and third quarters, in order to stay competitive in several games this season. But their fourth-quarter numbers aren't much better than their first-quarter numbers.

Marinelli knows he needs to find out a way to get his team come out of the gate strong and then maintain their focus and intensity through the fourth quarter. The puzzle he has been unable to decipher is, "HOW?"

He may have an opportunity this week against the visiting Washington Redskins. The Redskins have also had issues getting started, only scoring 17 total points in the first quarter this season; this could be a game that Marinelli can get his team "up" for early.

The Redskins have given up 34 first-quarter points, so the defense has not started out all that hot, either. With the weapons available to them, the Lions pose a reasonable threat. With Orlovsky's mobility, and "big play" wideout Calvin Johnson, the Lions may be tempted to simply come out swinging.

Yes, rookie Kevin Smith is averaging 4.9 yards per carry in somewhat limited action, and Rudi Johnson running well at times, it may be time to attack early.

The Redskins' defense has been outstanding overall, currently ranked seventh against the run and 12th against the pass. The Redskins are a hard hitting, physical group. They don't give up the big play often, only giving up three plays of 40 or more yards all season. These defensive statistics are particularly impressive, considering the Redskins have faced four of the league's top six offenses.

On their way to a 5-2 record, the Redskins have been impressive at times and at others, NOT SO MUCH.

In the last two weeks, the Redskins lost to the then-winless St. Louis Rams and needed a missed late-game field goal to achieve a win against the 2-3 Cleveland Browns. All this while scoring a less-than-exciting 31 total points.

The stellar play of quarterback Jason Campbell has helped provide stability and the opportunity for the NFL's leading rusher, Clinton Portis, to do what he does—pound out yardage at a FIVE YARDS per carry average. Portis also leads the league in attempts.

During the Redskins' four-game win streak, head coach and primary playcaller Jim Zorn had been able to maintain perfect run/pass ratio. Recently, however, that balance has become tipped heavily in favor of the run, and the additional wear and tear is taking it's toll on Portis.

This may be where opportunity lies for the Lions. Stop Portis at all costs. Campbell has performed well when called upon, leading the team to come-from-behind, fourth-quarter victories twice this season and a near miss against the Rams. He also hasn't thrown an interception this season, the only starting quarterback with at least 65 pass attempts who hasn't thrown at least TWO interceptions, in fact.

Redskins' wide receiver Santana Moss has also been quiet after a hot start to the season. Moss only has SIX total catches in his last THREE games and one touchdown. The starter opposite Moss, Antwaan Randle El, and starting tight end, Chris Cooley, have picked up the sack, but Moss needs to be more involved.

Defenses have been shadowing Moss constantly, doubling him often, and maintaining a safety over the top to prevent Moss from getting deep. But Zorn has been unable to find a reliable second option to create big plays, and that could play into the Lions' hands.

The Lions' primarily run a Cover Two scheme (Marinelli spent 10 years in the "Tampa 2" system under Bucs' Defensive Coordinator Monty Kiffin), which is predicated on preventing big plays and stopping the run with the front seven. If the Lions can play true to their scheme, the Redskins will be forced out of their "element," and it could spell trouble for Zorn and Campbell.

The Redskins obviously are attempting to keep their season on a positive track, improving to 6-2 would go a long way to keeping pace division leading New York Giants. They face powerhouse Pittsburgh Steelers next week before their bye week and are ailing all across the roster.

With as many as six starters sitting out practice last week and again this week, the Redskins may be hoping to rest a few players. This could mean a lack of focus and intensity this week, something that cost them in Week Six with a loss to the Rams.

The Lions are trying to turn the corner on a difficult season. Looking for their first win, the Lions have played hard and competitively in four of the six losses and hope at least to do the same this week.

The Lions haven't quit, and the Redskins would be remiss if they expect that to change this week. Both teams will leave everything they've got on the field, and this game may end up one of the more interesting games of the week.

Can the Lions get it done? Or will the Redskins keep on rolling over their opponents with the most potent running game in the league?

Tune in and find out!

The Washington Redskins' Key to Winning Is...

Craig Garrison Sr — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:55:40 -0400

While I look across the NFL landscape following Week Seven, there are many storylines that could catch my attention. One could focus on specific statistical categories such points scored, points allowed, passing yards per game, or rushing yards per game.

Or the many "feel good" stories taking place across the NFL: rookie quarterbacks leading their teams well, players returning from serious injuries to have great starts to the season, or any number of other things.

But I wanted to find a "trend" that in some way correlated to WINNING games. And what I found wasn't very surprising: There are some commonalities, but there is NO DEFINITIVE STATISTIC THAT POINTS TOWARDS WINNING.

There are many things that one can say, "This is important!"

When charting the 14 teams that currently have a win percentage above 50 percent (winning more than 50 percent of their games), the charts I created actually look incredibly convoluted. The only commonality I could establish is that each of these teams do SOMETHING very well, while there are MANY other things they don't do very well at all.

For instance, the Tennessee Titans are currently the only team in the NFL with a perfect win percentage of 100. Everyone knows they are strong defensively, but have little offensive fire power. Right?

The Titans are 10th in points scored per game. I also expected them to be highly ranked in categories such as time of possession (ToP), considering their high ranking in rushing yards per game (currently 4th). But alas, NO.

They are 21st in the NFL and "losing" the ToP battle on average, only holding the ball for a little over 29 minutes per game.

The Titans are the NFL's best in many defensive categories. They are in the top FIVE in each of these categories: turnover ratio, yards allowed per game, points allowed per game, yards allowed per play, and third-down percentage. Very impressive numbers indeed.

That's five of the seven defensive categories I consider critical points to playing good defense. The other two are ToP and penalties per game (Titans are 16th in the NFL in defensive penalties per game—the best is the Oakland Raiders, go figure!).

These numbers indicated I might find that many of the teams just behind them in wins would also be highly ranked in such categories. But in many cases, reality REALLY is stranger than fiction.

There is no other team in the NFL with such a ratio (five of seven) within my chosen categories. However, ALL of the teams with FIVE OR MORE wins are in the TOP 10 in points allowed per game, yards allowed per game, and yards allowed per play.

I found a defensive trend after all!

The next three teams in win percentage behind the Titans (each of these teams have already had their "bye" week) are the Buffalo Bills, the New York Giants, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. There are three teams with five wins but two losses, thereby hurting their win percentage.

Of all of the five-win teams, the New York Giants are the only team in the top in each of my chosen offensive categories: points per game, yards per game, yards per play, and third-down percentage.

Interestingly, turnover differential should make a big difference, but NOT IN ALL CASES. Only two of the seven FIVE-OR-MORE-WIN teams are in the top 10, with Washington at 11.

Of ALL 14 teams with win percentages above 50 percent, however, only the Cowboys, Broncos, and Cardinals are OUTSIDE the top 20 in turnover differential, ranked 29th, 32nd, and 21st respectively. So turnovers do seem to help one compete. Duh-huh!

Another statistic that is widely believed to be a "predictor" of just how good a team is "point differential." The points scored minus the points allowed. This can be done both per game and on the season as a total.

Of the top 14 teams (the teams with a win percentage above 50 percent), only the Broncos are in negative territory, with -3.1 points per game or a total of -22 on the season. Of the FIVE-WIN teams, the Redskins are the worst in this regard, with 1.7 per game and only 12 more points than their opposition for the season, good for only 16th and 15th in the NFL overall, respectively.

The Titans are the best team in the NFL with 13 per game and 83 total points more than their opponents. First in both categories.

The Philadelphia Eagles are the only team in the top 10 in this category without a winning record (3-3) with 7.3 per game and 44 total points more than their opponents, good for fifth and sixth, respectively, in the NFL. Rounding out the top five: Giants (2), Steelers (3), and the Buccaneers (4), each with at least five wins. The Bills and Panthers (the last two teams with at least FIVE WINS) are both in the top 10 in this category as well.

While many of these numbers DO make sense, there is no single factor that translates into wins. So then WHY THE HELL did I write this?

I wrote this because I felt a need to get the word out about one thing that stands out to me as having a significant effect on any TEAM'S ability to win.

Just one word people: CONSISTENCY.

Let's think about this. When a coach knows what he'll get from his players when he calls a given play, then he knows WHEN to call that play. Even an individual player being consistently bad can be overcome by good coaching and TEAM play.

But if a coach is unsure of what his quarterback is going to do on a given play, he's less likely to call that play, and the play is obviously less likely to succeed. For examples of consistently inconsistent play, look to quarterback play. It is BOLDLY ON DISPLAY every Sunday.

When looking closely at the game logs of many of the top teams in the league, most are very consistent in what they do. Most play consistently on defense, special teams, and on offense.

Most do NOT give up BIG plays, defensively, and most are not what one might consider "EXPLOSIVE" offensively. These things point towards teams that maintain a relatively constant level of play throughout any given game, form the first quarter through the fourth quarter.

CONSISTENCY.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule—there always are. But does it matter?

Last season, the Giants were amongst the most INCONSISTENT teams to ever play through the regular season. In fact, many suggest that they were actually "the worst team to ever win a Super Bowl."

I don't necessarily agree with that, but they were an "up and down" kind of team until they reached the playoffs, at which point they promptly began playing CONSISTENTLY.

And this season could be more of the same for the Giants, getting "blown out" by Cleveland showed that they are quite capable of falling completely apart.

All teams lose games now and then (unless you're the '72 Dolphins), but good teams tend to lose "odd ball" games. Games when things went "inconsistently." Many things out of character can happen when a team simply "has a bad day." Is that what happened to the Giants? Time is the only thing that can answer that for us.

The head coach of the Washington Redskins, Jim Zorn, has his own version of "be consistent," he calls it "stay medium." His point is to play every play the same, don't get TOO high when things are going well, and don't get TOO low when things are going poorly. And for the Redskins, it seems to be working.

The Redskins need to improve in many categories, but for now, Zorn has his players attempting to exactly what I am writing about. Just be consistent. His quarterback has been particularly consistent. Zorn knows what to expect from Jason Campbell in given circumstances, and therefore finds it easier to call the "right" play at the "right" time.

"Can it continue?" is the MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION!?

Most coaches use the old cliche, "One game at a time," in an effort to "maintain" their team's focus, to come back after a loss the same way one comes back from a win. Come in to work hard, and study, and get better. That sounds like "be consistent" to me.

Will the team that is most "consistent" through the regular season win the Super Bowl this season? I dunno.

But Zorn has his team getting it done for now, and I think that has been the key for their 5-2 start.

Surging Browns Head to Washington

Craig Garrison Sr — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:51:45 -0400

The Cleveland Browns have an opportunity, in Week Seven of the 2008 NFL season, to even their record at 3-3 when they travel to the nation's capitol on Sunday to face the 4-2 Washington Redskins.

The Browns should be feeling pretty good about themselves. They knocked off the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants in Week Six, handing the Giants their first loss of the season. And they did it in convincing fashion.

Browns' quarterback Derek Anderson found a rhythm (and some accuracy) for the first time this season, throwing for over 300 yards for the first time and didn't throw an interception for only the second time this season. He also added two touchdowns to finish with a 121 quarterback rating, by far his highest of the season.

Brown's wideout Braylon Edwards also had a breakout game with five catches for 154 yards and a touchdown. Edwards had a rough start to the season, having missed most of the preseason to injury. Anderson (along with several other receivers) also missed time in the preseason to injury and the result was a less than cohesive passing game.

Anderson posted a lowly 74.7 quarterback rating in the Browns' win over the hapless Cincinnati Bengals two weeks ago (his highest rating until the Monday night win over the Giants) but showed improvement as that game progressed. The Browns' bye week followed, and the Browns were able to build on that improvement with the extra practice time.

Anderson connected with eight different receivers and converted numerous "third and long" situations into first downs to lead his team to an impressive overall "third down percentage" of 69 percent, reaching first downs nine times on 13 third downs. This against the NFC's best defense entering the game. Impressive indeed.

Not only was Anderson clicking with his receivers, but the offensive line was clicking as well. Browns' running back Jamal Lewis had 21 carries for 88 yards and Anderson WAS NOT SACKED. Even once. Time and again, Anderson and his teammates recognized the Giants' blitz, blocked it well, and Anderson hit a receiver with pinpoint accuracy to keep things moving.

Anderson's jersey was very clean, thank you very much, and the result was a big step forward for the Browns' offense.

Defensively, Cleveland has perhaps been ignored. Since the season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland's defense has held their opponents to 14 points or less. This includes the Giants, at the time the NFL's best offense. The defense has played well.

They are ranked eighth in the NFL in points allowed, and 11th in passing-yards allowed. Although they have not defended the run well, currently ranked 25th in the NFL, they were able to pressure Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning all night, forcing him to make poor decisions and throw three interceptions, one of which was returned 94 yards for a touchdown by second-year corner Eric Wright.

The Redskins, on the other hand, will be entering the game with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. Having completed a brutal stretch of games in the first five weeks of the season with an impressive 4-1 record, the Redskins came home following a successful two-week road trip in which they were victors IN Dallas, and IN Philadelphia.

Their divisional road games completed (going 2-1 in perhaps the toughest division football), the Redskins were said to be prime for a let down. But the team coming to town was the long suffering St. Louis Rams.

Surely the Redskins wouldn't allow a winless team to get their first win of the season (first win since Week 13 last season) IN Washington.

But the Rams had other ideas. Entering the game with a new head coach in Jim Haslett, the Rams didn't overpower the Redskins, they didn't use trick plays to catch the Redskins off guard. They simply played hard, played smart, and let the Redskins offer opportunities for them to make a few more plays, and eek out a win with a game-winning field goal as time expired.

The Redskins had not committed an offensive turnover in the first five games of the season, an NFL record. The Rams were the recipients of three fumbles from the Redskins, one of which they returned for a touchdown. After playing mostly mistake-free football for four straight weeks, the Redskins found themselves missing blocking assignments, dropping passes, and playing overall sloppy football. And they paid for it with an embarrassing loss.

As these teams prepare for Week Seven, each will be looking for a win obviously, but they both also have something to prove.

The Redskins will be looking to show that their performance against the Rams was indeed an aberration, and that the four-game winning streak was a better example of the team they really are. They will be without running back Clinton Portis' primary backup, Ladell Betts, due to a knee sprain.

They signed former league MVP and Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander to take his place. The Redskins have also made a change at punter, signing another former Seahawk Ryan Plackemeir to take over for the released Durant Brooks. And yet a third former Seahawk was signed to fill the void left when special teamer and backup safety Reed Doughty was placed on injured reserve.

The Browns intend to keep things moving in a positive direction. They have now won two in a row, and in the process, have put themselves back on track to have the successful season many had predicted entering the season.

The will likely have Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. returning to the lineup, having missed the Giants' game due to an undisclosed illness for which he was hospitalized. His absence from the lineup on Monday Night made their dominance of the Giants that much more impressive.

Derek Anderson had the fourth biggest passing day and Braylon Edwards had the second-most productive receiving day last week. The Redskins' defense will need to slow that progress this week. They should be up for the task.

The Redskins' defense has faced top six quarterbacks in five of their six games this season, and in each case have held them to at least their second-worst day of the season.

The Browns have not been able to stop opponents' running backs in any game this season. Despite the lopsided loss, the Giants were able to produce 181 yards rushing. This week they will face the league's leading rusher in Clinton Portis.

Turnovers are "the great equalizer" in the NFL and Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell is yet to throw an interception this season (setting a Redskins' record in the process). With three interceptions last week, the Browns will attempt to pressure Campbell into his first this week.

This is the first time this season the Redskins will face an AFC team, and the Browns have won two of the last three meetings between them. Winning 33 of 43 with one tie, the Browns have owned the Redskins and look to continue that trend in Week Seven.

Can the Redskins "right the ship" and get back to their winning ways?

Will the Browns continue their climb out of the basement of the AFC?

Week Seven has many intriguing matchups, and this one should be fun to watch, with two teams in position to take big steps forward, and desperate to do so.

NFL Week Six: A Week Full Of Fun!

Craig Garrison Sr — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:44:30 -0400

With so many fans of NFC East teams feeling so good, one would might have thought it was a playoff weekend in the NFL. But for fans of three of the four teams, it was a weekend of disappointment.

The Redskins, Cowboys and Giants all lost their out of division games. The Philadelphia Eagles traveled all the way to the "left coast" and pulled out a solid win in San Fransisco to be the only NFC East team to win in Week Six.

The St. Louis Rams achieved their first win of the season over the red hot Washington Redskins. Coming out of a brutal stretch within their schedule, the Redskins were prime for a "let down", and the Rams were all too prepared to help them along with that.

With new head coach Jim Haslett, the Rams played a mostly mistake free game, something they haven't been able to do for a very long time. The Rams' defense forced the Redskins first three offensive turnovers of the season, one being a fumble that was returned for a touchdown, and hit on a long pass from quarterback Marc Bulger to wide receiver Donnie Avery to set up a game winning field goal as time expired.

The Arizona Cardinals are still in the process of becoming a good team, and another big win over the reeling Dallas Cowboys would go a long way towards that goal. But the Cowboys have been in "circle the wagons" mode for the last three weeks since their loss to the Redskins.

But the Cardinals have Kurt Warner, in the midst of one of the best starts in his career, and a lot of heart. With a furious fourth quarter, the Cowboys seemed to have stolen the momentum and an opportunity in overtime, surely to end up with the win. But the Cardinals' defense would have none of that.

With yet another blitz, the Cardinals held Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo to no first downs on the Cowboys' overtime opening possession, and it was time for the Cowboys to punt. But it was not to be for the Cowboys. As Cowboys' pro-bowl punter Matt McBriar raised his leg to hit the ball, Cardinals' reserve wide receiver Sean Morey blocked the punt and Cardinals' linebacker Monty Beisel scooped it up and fell into the endzone for a game winning touchdown.

In Cleveland, the Browns were coming off of their week off. With a disastrous start to the season, marred by numerous injuries, the Browns were trying to "right the ship" against the "Best Team in the NFL", Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, a tall task indeed.

But the Browns were more than up for the job. Behind three interceptions by Super Bowl MVP, Giants' quarterback Eli Manning, one returned for a touchdown as the Giant's were driving to bring the game within one score, the Browns shocked the Giants 35-14 for their second win of the season.

In Atlanta, a rookie quarterback completes a fourth quarter comeback to bring the Falcons' record to an impressive 4-2. With rookie Falcons' quarterback Matt Ryan connecting with rookie wide receiver Harry Douglas on a 26-yard pass with only ONE second left on the clock, veteran kicker Jason Elam hit a 48 field goal as time expired to complete an improbable comeback win over the visiting Chicago Bears.

The too hot too handle Miami Dolphins gave the Houston Texans their first win of the season. Texans' quarterback Matt Schaub scrambled for a touchdown with only three seconds remaining and in the process offered Texans' fans something to be excited about following the devastation of recent hurricane damage.

The Minnesota Vikings cap a 10 play, 68-yard drive with a field goal with only 12 seconds remaining to give the Vikings their 12th win in the last 13 meetings against the Detroit Lions. This game was an ugly affair for much of the game, with a baseball like score through the first half, with a 3-2 Lions advantage.

In Baltimore, the Indianapolis Colts' offense got healthy against one the best defenses in the NFL. Colts' Peyton Manning threw for three touchdowns in what was easily his best performance of the season, shocking the Ravens into what seemed like numbness for most of the game.

In San Diego, the Chargers handled the New England Patriots a little too easily with a dominant 30-10 win. Chargers' quarterback Phillip Rivers continued his hot start to the season with another 300 yard, three touchdown performance.

The Carolina Panthers traveled for a vacation to Tampa Bay, and were given a nightmare instead as the Buccaneers man-handled the Panthers 27-3.

Things started out rough for the Panthers and never improved. When the Bucs blocked a Panther punt and returned it for a touchdown only two and a half minutes into the game, it was just he beginning. Panthers' quarterback Jake Delhomme threw three interceptions to help the Bucs end a five game losing streak against the Panthers.

All of this points to the time worn cliche: Any Given Sunday, and reminds all of us why we love this game so much.

America's passion is alive and well and as fun as ever!

St. Louis Rams-Washington Redskins: Can Rams Stop Portis?

Craig Garrison Sr — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:09:50 -0400

In Week Six of the 2008 NFL regular season, the red hot Washington Redskins host the ice cold St. Louis Rams. At first glance, the Rams post no real threat to the Redskins. Their statistics are low enough in league wide rankings that one might assume that the Rams stand little or no chance of being competitive.

The highest ranking in any of the four significant defensive rankings is 28th, and their highest offensive ranking isn't much better, 26th. But it will be important for the Redskins to understand that while the Rams are certainly struggling, and have been for quite some time, this team has talent on both sides of the ball.

With Jim Haslett being named interim head coach entering their bye week, the Rams hope to have shaken things up enough to get those players to "step up" and lead this team out of free fall THIS SEASON.

As I look closely at the Rams defense, Haslett was defensive coordinator before being elevated to head coach, this turnaround could start with La'Roi Glover and Adam Carricker at the two tackle spots on the defensive line along with rookie defensive end Chris Long.

Glover has been, at times in his career, a disruptive force in the middle. And while some may consider Carricker a bit of a disappointment, he is likely playing out of position at tackle, he was mostly considered an end coming out of college. Rookie right defensive end Chris Long has played well at times, having recorded two sacks and 16 tackles on the season.

Glover may simply have lost a step or three at 34 years old, but he is still a capable tackle. But with only two tackles in each game this season, he has been largely invisible. Carricker hasn't done any better, finishing the game against Kansas City Chiefs without a single tackle, his status as an "up and comer" will need to be re-defined if he cannot get things going soon.

Carricker added weight last year to play inside, but in doing so he seems to have lost the quickness that intrigued so many as he entered the 2007 draft. Long may be the catalyst for change however.

He plays with energy, but has been susceptible to the run. He will need to hold the edge this week in order to slow down the Redskins' 5th ranked running game. And Carricker and Glover will need to find the gaps in the interior of the Redskins' offensive line in order to slow the league's number two running back, Redskins' Clinton Portis.

Portis is averaging over 100 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry this season. There is no secret as to how the Redskins are doing what they do with Portis. The Redskins predominantly run to the offensive left side, behind pro-bowl left tackle Chris Samuels and veteran left guard Pete Kendall. This means Long and Carricker will be tested early and often.

The only team to slow down Portis this season was the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants in Week One. They were able to do it with penetration at the point of attack and prevent Portis from picking his holes. They also were able to commit a safety to the line of scrimmage as Redksins' quarterback Jason Campbell was out of sync early and stayed that way for the entirety of the game.

And there is the formula. Get Campbell out of his comfort zone and keep him there so the Rams can help the linebackers in run support.

The Rams must expect the Redskins to find space at the line of scrimmage for Portis, but they cannot allow Portis to turn those holes into seven, nine, 15 yard gains. Redskins' head coach Jim Zorn has shown a solid understanding of his team's make up.

The Redskins were largely built by retired head coach Joe Gibbs, which means they were built for a power running game, and Zorn has used it to it's fullest. The Redskins have run the ball 167 times, and only passed 155 times. Not the run/pass ratio most had guessed Zorn would use. But it has worked to perfection, controlling games and keeping opposing offenses off the field.

But the Rams will also need to handle Campbell. With wide receiver Santana Moss sixth in the NFL with 421 yards receiving (this after being held without a catch last week), the Redskins' passing game is not to be taken lightly.

With star tight end Chris Cooley ranked second in the NFL among tight ends in both catches and yards, the Rams will need to be able to slow down Portis early without needing to use eight players in the box. A tall task indeed.

Ultimately, the Rams should probably do their best to copy the Redskins' formula. Ball control, keep the Redskins' offense off the field and their defense on the sideline. This could mean that the best defensive player the Rams have doesn't even play of that side of the ball, running back Stephen Jackson.

In their last two games Jackson's touches have increased dramatically. That increase hadn't translated into better production in each game, but it will need to continue in order for the Rams to make strides offensively. He has also been a force in the passing game, something the Redskins could have difficulty with. Jackson has size and speed, which creates troublesome match-ups for the Redskins' defense.

Jackson is also built very much like the only running back to have any success against the Redskins this season, Giants' running back Brandon Jacobs. If the Rams can get Jackson involved early, and show the patience to keep him involved even if there is little early success, it will go a long way towards helping their defense get the Redskins' offense out of rhythm.

The question is, will they?

Washington Redskins: The Best Team in Football?

Craig Garrison Sr — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:40:32 -0400

Rather than simply dissecting Week Five's NFC East matchup between the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, I have chosen to respond to a sentiment that seems to be prevalent around the NFL.

That sentiment being that, somehow, someway, the Redskins have not won four in a row based on their quality play, but rather on some form of luck or "happenstance."

I'll start with the simplest point: They are 4-1, including 2-1 in road games, involving three of the four teams that make up what many believe is the best division in football.

The one loss was on opening night, where the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants had the emotion of a ring ceremony and a fiery speech from the retired Michael Strahan on their side to start the game. The Redskins ran into a buzzsaw and couldn't quite recover from it.

I would argue that no team could have done better in the early stages of that game. Their ability to recover was hindered by the fact that it was the first game for a rookie head coach, the first game for the new offense as a whole, and the first game for a young quarterback in his third new offense in his four years in the NFL.

Things are different now after Week Five. And I contend that if that game were played in Week Six, the results would be different, too.

In five weeks of football, the Redskins have not taken over the league's statistical rankings in many categories. Defensively, the Redskins are only ranked 13th in yards allowed, 11th in points allowed, 20th against the pass, and ninth against the run.

But those numbers don't tell the whole story.

The Redskins have faced five of the NFL's top nine offenses during this stretch (based on current rankings, the Eagles were sixth entering Week Five). In each game, the Redskins' defense held the opposition to its lowest yardage total and its lowest point total of the season.

The Redskins defense has only allowed 10 fourth-quarter points all season, doing so while facing five of the top ten scoring offenses in the NFL, including three of the top five.

Four of the five opposing quarterbacks are currently ranked in the top five in yardage in the NFL, and the fifth, Eli Manning, is a respectable 12th. Four of the five are also in the top seven in quarterback rating as of now (following Week Five) and the fifth (Donovan McNabb) is 13th (before facing the Redskins, he was eighth).

Three of the five opposing quarterbacks experienced their worst quarterback rating of the season against the Redskins. The other two, Drew Brees and Tony Romo, had their second-worst ratings, by a very small margin, 68.2-69.8 for Brees and 82.6-90.7 for Romo.

The Redskins' defense has only six sacks on the season. That ranks 26th in the NFL. But consider the quarterbacks they have faced.

Brees - tied for third in the NFL with four sacks all season, one sack for every 37 attempts
Romo - tied for third in the NFL with four sacks all season, one sack for every 40.5 attempts
Eli M - tied for fifth in the NFL with five sacks all season, one sack for every 26.4 attempts
McNabb - tied for 20th in the NFL with 10 sacks all season, one sack for every 17.5 attempts
Warner - 28th in the NFL with 12 sacks all season, one sack for every 15.25 attempts

Three of these five QBs are among the very best at getting rid of the ball, and the other two are pretty good as well when one considers the sacks per attempt. As a point of comparison, the worst quarterbacks in sacks per attempt are Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Cassel, with 6.8 and 6.93 sacks per attempt respectively.

The best? Kerry Collins and Jay Cutler, with one sack in 115 attempts and two sacks in 191 attempts.

Is it a surprise that the Redskins weren't able to sack these quarterbacks? No.

The Redskins defense has caused a turnover in four of the five games, the exception being Week Five against the Eagles. Contrarily, the Redskins' offense is the only offense in the NFL with no turnovers all season!. The lone turnover from the team as a whole was a fumble on a punt return.

Quarterback Jason Campbell is the only starting quarterback with no interceptions or fumbles all season! His 96.7 quarterback rating is currently eighth in the NFL, and he has completed nearly 64 percent of his passes.

On top of that, he has faced some of the league's best defenses, all but one (New Orleans Saints) are in the top 14 overall. All but one (New Orleans Saints) are in the top 17 in pass defense.

The Redskins have run the ball as well as any team in the league, currently ranked fifth in average rush yards per game. The Redskins are the only team to rush for more than 100 yards against the Cowboys and Eagles this season, two teams in the top 10 in rushing yards allowed.

The Redskins' offense ranks fourth in time of possession (TOP) in the NFL, with a large disparity in TOP during the fourth quarter:

Eight minutes 31 seconds
Six minutes 30 seconds (the only game in which they did not win TOP in the fourth quarter, against the New Orleans Saints, the Redskins overcame a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win)
10 minutes, 32 seconds
13 minutes
Nine minutes, 11 seconds

The Redskins had the league's most difficult schedule through the first five weeks of football, and have a 4-1 record in that span. Their opponents have a combined 12-7 record, by far the most of any other team's opponents in the NFL.

By strength of schedule (from Jeff Sagarin), the Redskins have opened the season better than any team the NFL. The Redskins are No. 1 in schedule difficulty, the New York Giants are 32nd (the easiest schedule in the NFL), and the Tennessee Titans are 30th (third easiest schedule).

The second most difficult schedule? The Cincinnati Bengals. And they haven't done very well, going 0-5.

All of this points to the Redskins being the best team in football after Week Five of the 2008 NFL season.

The Washington Redskins don't have the best collection of talent. They don't have the most Pro Bowlers, the most star players, or the best player in the NFL at any position.

But championships are not won by talent collectors, nor by any one player, no matter how good he happens to be.

Championships are won by good teams. And as of now, the Redskins are just that, a good team.

Will they be able to keep this pace for the rest of the season? Maybe.

Will they make the playoffs? Maybe.

Will they win the division? Maybe.

Will they win the Super Bowl? Maybe.

Can they do all of the above?

Definitely.

Ok, It's Official, I'm Impressed

Craig Garrison Sr — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 09:28:48 -0400

Redskins win in Philadelphia, 23-17.

4-1 after winning four in a row.

Two divisional road games in a row in arguably the best division in football.

The best team in football (Dallas Cowboys)? Down.

The best run defense in football (Philadelphia Eagles)? 203 yards rushing.

10 total points allowed in the fourth quarter in five games.

Nine minutes 11 seconds. Fourth-quarter time of possession against the Eagles.

Eight minutes 31 seconds, six minutes 30 seconds, 10 minutes 32 seconds, 13 minutes. Fourth-quarter time of possession in the fourth quarter of each of the last four games.

No offensive turnovers in five games.

Quarterback with NO turnovers in five games.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are the numbers of very good football team.

In my writing, I have preached patience for Redskins' fans. For those who took my advice, you are officially awarded with a 4-1 record having already completed all road games within the division.

Jim Zorn has become one the best coaches in football very quickly. As of now, not next week, not next month, but right now, there is no arguing how good this team is, and how good this coach.

It could all come apart next week.

But that's ok.

For now, the Redskins are just one damn good football team.

Good job coach!

Redskins-Eagles: Zorn vs. Johnson, Round One

Craig Garrison Sr — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:43:41 -0400

Week Five of the NFL's regular season brings us yet another big time NFC East matchup, as the Washington Redskins pay a visit to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Redskins' gracious host this week is likely to be a bit more prepared than last week's host, the Dallas Cowboys, if for no other reason than the Eagles are likely a bit ticked off. The Cowboys may have taken the Redskins lightly, but we can rest assured that the Eagles won't.

Redskins head coach and primary playcaller, Jim Zorn, has quickly earned the respect of his brethren. In three short weeks, Zorn has gone from being considered "in over his head" as head coach and playcaller to being respected for his penchant for the right playcall at the right time and being one heck of a leader.

Eagles' defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, with the team since 1999, is easily one of the best defensive coaches to ever don a headset. He is aggressive, creative, and when he is confident in his personnel, he is VERY GOOD.

Johnson is best known for his creative blitzes. Quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends, and offensive linemen will be tested ferociously by his game planning and "whenever I feel like it" blitzes.

"It's always unexpected with them," Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell said. "There's not really any tendencies to when they blitz, which down or distance. Most teams, you can kind of prepare for it at certain times, but not with them. It's just whenever [Johnson] feels like dialing it up."

For Zorn (and his offensive staff), this week's task is a daunting one. His ability to prepare Campbell and the Redskins' offensive line to deal with most any blitz from any place, at any time in the game will be crucial.

This means as a lot of working together from play to play and being on the same page as to where to go when certain circumstances occur.

Zorn has done well recovering from a poor performance in the Week One loss the New York Giants. In the three games since, he has directed the Redskins offense into ninth-place in the NFL. He has also helped his quarterback to become the fourth-highest rated quarterback in the NFL, and the No. 1 ranking in his division.

I would be willing to bet that if a poll had been taken before the season began, regarding which quarterback in the NFC East would have the highest ranking after four games, not many votes would have gone to Campbell.

Zorn has also done a fine job of keeping his players focused, as demonstrated by the fact that the Redskins are the only team in the NFL without an offensive turnover. The only turnover from the Redskins came from a fumble during a punt return. At plus six, they are tied with the league lead in that category.

But Johnson will certainly be looking to change that on Sunday. The Eagles are currently ranked third in overall defense, but impressively, they also lead the league in sacks, with 17, and are third in the league at forcing fumbles with six, five recovered, one of which was converted into a touchdown.

They also lead the NFL in run defense, giving up only 53 yards per game, and 2.6 yards per carry, impressive indeed. They are 11th against the pass however, and have given up 13 plays of 20 yards or more, tied for fourth highest in the league.

This is a high risk, high-reward defense; plays can be made on them, but it's not easy.

The Redskins have done a good job of keeping Campbell off the ground, giving up only seven sacks through four games. The Redskins have run the ball well, too, at 4.3 yards per carry.

And while they are ranked in the middle of the league in most categories, both offensively and defensively, they have shown a knack for making plays when needed.

They have been efficient in the passing game, with Zorn calling a very balanced attack. With 125 pass attempts and 123 rushes, the balance is nearly perfect. And with Campbell completing passes at a 65 percent rate and being THE ONLY STARTING QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL WITHOUT AN INTERCEPTION, Zorn has learned quickly that he can trust his young quarterback.

Offensively, the Eagles seem dependant on the multi-talented running back Brian Westbrook. Despite the talents of quarterback Donovan McNabb, without Westbrook, this team is not the same.

This was apparent in their Week Four loss to the Chicago Bears. Rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been an impressive addition to the Eagles' offense. By far, the team's leader in receptions with 22, he is also collecting yardage at sizable rate, 14.9 yards per catch, that's 19th in the league among receiver's with at least 10 catches on the season; this kid can play.

Perhaps the most important thing the Redskins have done so incredibly well during their three-game win streak is winning the fourth quarter and in overall time of possession.

Until allowing the Cowboys to score with only 1:48 remaining in the win in Dallas, the Redskins hadn't given up a fourth quarter score all season. In each of their three wins, the Redskins controlled the ball for more than 10 minutes in the fourth quarter alone.

They also hold nearly a five-minute advantage in total time of possession and took this to the extreme last week, holding the ball for over 38 minutes in the game.

This fourth-quarter dominance will need to continue if the Redskins are to keep climbing through the ranks in the Vaunted NFC East. With a win, the Redskins will have finished ALL of the road division games with 2-1 record.

Not only will they hold the advantage over the Cowboys and Eagles within the division, but their final three division games will all be played at HOME. The Redskins are the only team in the NFL to have already finished their road division games at the quarter mark.

Jim Johnson will try to make if very difficult for the Redskins to put together long, time-consuming drives. His aggressiveness is likely to interrupt the timing Campbell has achieved within the Redskins' offense, and it will be on Campbell to take advantage of that aggressiveness to create big plays.

Look for this game to come down to which team can MAKE things happen. Big plays that result in points will be key. If the Eagles allow the Redskins to keep the game close, the Redskins have the confidence that they can win it in the fourth quarter.

Another NFC East showdown, and for the second week in a row, the Redskins are involved in the game of week. Can they deliver again? A loss could spell doom for the Eagles' playoff hopes, falling to 0-2 in this division could be hole too deep from which to climb.

And not many teams have been able to recover from a 2-3 start to make the playoffs.

For the Philadelphia Eagles, the playoffs have started much sooner than anyone had anticipated.

What are your keys for these teams' success?

The NFL's Quarter Point Power Rankings

Craig Garrison Sr — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:15:12 -0400

The NFC East is still the dominant division in football, but there a few changes from what most people expected at this point in the season.

So let's see how it's played out after four weeks of football.

1. New York Giants—A bye week helps for some, even without Burress.

2. Washington Redskins—This team is on an uphill climb, and they haven't even played a complete game yet.

3. Tennessee Titans—This defense makes things happen, if Collins can stay mistake free, there's no tellin' how good they are.

4. Dallas Cowboys—The Redskins are a better TEAM, but they still have an incredible collection of talent. It won't take much to get back to the top.

5. Buffalo Bills—Finally faced with some adversity, and boy did they respond.

6. Philadelphia Eagles—Defense wins championships, but Westbrook wins for the Eagles, McNabb looks very average without him on the field.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers—Pulling out a win against the Ravens doesn't make this team all that much better than last week.

8. Green Bay Packers—Rodgers looked not just mortal, but average against a Cowboys' defense and then got beat up against Carolina, it could be the beginning of the end

9. Denver Broncos—I knew this defense was going to be a problem, I just didn't think it would happen against the Chiefs. The defense is more "bad" than the offense is "good".

10. New Orleans Saints—With perhaps the best quarterback in the league, this team could be very good if they could just find some defense.

11. Indianapolis Colts—Is it possible to find a defense in the bye week?

12. San Diego Chargers—Took way too much effort to beat Oakland.

13. Carolina Panthers—On the way up, but are they for real?

14. New England Patriots—A bye week didn't fix Cassel.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Big time win over the Pack, but I still don't think they can beat a really good team.

16. Chicago Bears—Found some offense against the Eagles, big time win for a franchise trying to find itself again.

17. Arizona Cardinals—Last week I was if they were ANY good or not? Answer: not on defense.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars—WooHoo! They beat one of the worst teams in football, MOVIN' ON UHUP! If they get healthy, they'll be back in it in a heartbeat.

19. Minnesota Vikings—This team still needs a quarterback.

20. New York Jets—I guess Favre didn't need to stay retired, he just needed to play the Cards!

21. Atlanta Falcons—Keep working the simple formula, and you never know how many wins this team could finish with.

22. Baltimore Ravens—Man, this defense can be scary at times, but they don't handle a good smack in the mouth too well do they?

23. San Francisco 49ers—Last week I was asking: O'Sullivan? Really? And I got an answer, NO NOT REALLY!

24. Miami Dolphins—Maybe they found a High School offensive coordinator to bring in new plays this week.

25. Seattle Seahawks—Ummm...I STILL dunno if they can fix this or not.

26. Cincinnati Bengals—If Palmer can't play, this drop will get worse.

27. Kansas City Chiefs—Well they found some defense against an offense I would have never guessed would be the victim, but they still aren't very good, although LJ, is still LJ.

28. Cleveland Browns—Yeah, they won one, but it's still time for the Mighty Quinn!

29. Oakland Raiders—Now that Kiffin is gone, this could be the last week these guy's ranking number doesn't start with "3" in front.

30. Houston Texans—Put up a good fight, but they just can't find the right mix on both sides of the ball.

31. Detroit Lions—Now that Millen really is gone, it's all good from here. NOT!

32. St. Louis Rams—Last week I asked: it really can't get much worse, right? Well, I got an answer, and it was YES, it can get worse.

If anyone has any REAL disputes on my thoughts, I wanna see it.

For Jim Zorn, the Tests Just Keep Coming

Craig Garrison Sr — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:00:13 -0400

For the Washington Redskins' rookie Head Coach Jim Zorn, this must be getting old. The first test, opening night against the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, didn't go well. "Didn't go well" may be a bit of an understatement, but the reality is that he likely got an "F" on his very first test.

And because it went so poorly, he was immediately faced with another test: How would he handle team adversity and the extreme criticism that followed that loss?

He passed that test, with resonance, in fact, by being just as open, straight forward, honest, and yes, just as "goofy" as he was before the season started. His demeanor didn't change. His apparent confidence was apparently...well, REAL confidence.

This brought the next test: How does he handle the team through this early adversity, and can he fix what was so obscenely broken?

Big A+ on that one. And with a dramatic come-from-behind, fourth-quarter win over the high powered New Orleans Saints, thank you very much.

First win, and the team seemed to take incredibly large steps forward in only 10 days. But the problem is, that created another test: A little success, but was it for real or just getting lucky with a wounded Saints team?

Another A+. This time, a win over another relatively strong opponent (just going on the consensus most folks had at the time), the Arizona Cardinals. And once again, the team showed dramatic improvement from that opening-night loss.

Zorn's young quarterback, Jason Campbell, looked very uncomfortable against the Giants, but in a little over six quarters of football, Campbell appeared to have awakened within Zorn's offense.

And then, this is getting crazy, right, a trip to Irving, TX for another divisional matchup against the consensus "best team in football," the Dallas Cowboys (who also just happen to be the Redskins' biggest rival).

Well, Zorn, here goes.

Another A+! He may have even gotten a little extra credit on this one folks (how about that "Hip, Hip, Hooray!" cheer?! Is this dude fun or what?!). Campbell and Zorn didn't just go into Dallas and win; they won impressively.

Controlling the ball for more than 38 minutes in the game, Campbell was able to move the ball with comfort, running back Clinton Portis was able to run the ball well, and defensive coordinator Greg Blache's troops were able to slow down and stop the powerful Cowboys offense when they had to.

This has got to be about it right? It can't get worse can it?

What? There's more? Oh yeah, there's more.

The next test comes in several forms. With the win in Dallas, loads of accolades have been heaped upon the coach and the team. Lots of new requests for interviews, more media at the press conferences, and everything just becomes "more".

Zorn and the Redskins are suddenly on the map. The NFC East, widely considered the best division in football, is not just a three-team race anymore; the 'Skins must be dealt with.

How does Zorn handle so much attention? Can he stay focused? Can he keep his team focused?

These are simple enough questions, but there is an added complication. The next test is being given in Philadelphia. Another divisional rival.

The football Gods must have been peeing themselves from laughing so hard when they set up this schedule. I can hear it now: "Zorn, what kind of name is that, let's see how he likes ALL THREE DIVISION ROAD GAMES IN THE FIRST FIVE WEEKS OF THE SEASON. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!".

Yeah, I know, not very nice was it?

The Philadelphia Eagles are likely a bit ticked off over a loss to the Chicago Bears that they probably don't think should have happened. Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb seems to be back to his old efficient and explosive self.

Brian Westbrook, the Eagles' dynamic playmaking running back, didn't play against the Bears. Westbrook has been a Redskins' killer for the Eagles, and he may return for the showdown with the Redskins.

These tests actually seem to get Zorn excited. He is a one-of-a-kind professional head coach. In professional football, honesty is not exactly the most common public trait. But Zorn just doesn't seem to know any other way to go about his job.

Zorn and the Redskins started studying for this next test on Monday, even though players had Monday off, most of them made their way into Redskin Park to get a head start on film study, a little extra time on the weight room, some time in the training room, or to meet with a coach or two.

In the NFL, cramming is the only way to study for the weekly tests, and having completed the "quarter point" in the season with a 3-1 record (most expected it would be the other way around, 1-3, at best), Zorn has passed more than he has failed, with flying colors.

Good luck, Zorn. You'll need it to keep this up. The tests don't stop in the NFL until February, so get used to it.