The Mysterious Jason Campbell

Three interceptions or two third-quarter touchdowns?

A fumble-prone stiff or a mobile quarterback that can get you the first down with his feet on any given play?

A winner or a loser?

In Washington or out?

That’s the mystery of Jason Campbell. Washington’s record reflects it, the ownership group reflects it, the fan base reflects it. You want for him to be the guy, to take the offensive weapons around him and power it to new heights in the NFC East. But through four games and three bad teams, Washington has looked like a team that doesn’t get the point, and can’t put them on the board.

This is surely not a team that will contend for a playoff berth, which sucks, because they can’t draft. We can be honest and say that Jason Campbell won’t be back next year, and it may be for the best. Whom they’ll replace him with will be the hot topic come springtime, but he’s not playing to his potential, and there’s very little patience for him to do so in this town.

Clearly, there are flashes of brilliance out of Campbell that would signify that Campbell can be a starting quarterback. His third quarter in today’s game after a horrendous first half demonstrates a resilience that is rare in any pro athlete. Don’t think so?

Imagine if Jake Delhomme or JaMarcus Russell were your starting signal caller. It’s not to excuse Campbell’s ineptitude, but it is to say that you can get a lot worse than the ninth-rated passer in the league.

And just because everyone is expecting Drew Brees-like numbers out of Campbell, it means that he isn’t a productive, steady QB. Washington’s line adequately pass blocks once out of every three passing attempts, and run blocks well at a slightly more-productive clip.

Knowing this, defenses are far better equipped to predict and react to Washington’s offense.

And the person with the ball in his hands on every offensive snap is the one that looks the worse for it.

And if the league’s worst can put it together against Washington, we should all shudder at the prospect of their November schedule; three road games against Atlanta, Dallas and Philadelphia sandwiching a home game against the surprisingly efficient Denver Broncos.

The same Broncos who chose Kyle Orton over Jason Campbell in the Jay Cutler sweepstakes.

The mystery of Jason Campbell won’t be solved in Washington, but its no mystery that, even in the face of a messy divorce, they are better off with him than with the uncertainty of Daniel Snyder’s fickle fancy.

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