Redskins, Campbell Keep Fighting

The one thing I can say about this Washington Redskins team and Jason Campbell is that over the last few weeks they look to be still fighting.  The season has been all but over half way through, but they are showing some grit. 

One reason they are playing hard is because some guys are getting an opportunity to play who have not been playing extensively earlier.  The other reason is there are still a few veterans that play hard every week regardless of the situation.

You can say what you will about Jason Campbell but he continues to fight hard behind that college division two offensive line.  I hear some fans say that he misses open receivers, but I do not know any quarterback who has not.  With the constant pressure he faces it is amazing that he completes more than 50 percent of his passes.

Quarterbacks and head coaches are the first ones to be blamed when the season is not going well.  But in this case I do believe that Jim Zorn was in over his head and Jason Campbell is trying to do what is asked of him to do. 

Do I think that Jason Campbell is or will be a great quarterback?  No.  Can Jason Campbell be an adequate quarterback? Yes, I think he can. 

What most fans seem to forget is the Washington Redskins have not had a great quarterback since Sonny Jurgenson.  Before that it was Sammy Baugh. 

I have been a fan since the days of Sonny Jurgenson and the Redskins have had some good quarterbacks with great offensive lines and good to above average running games to help the quarterback. 

Football is a simple sport.  If you have ever played the game before and are a student of the game, you know that the game is won and lost in the trenches. 

There are and have been some quarterbacks that can take over a game.  You will never find 32 quarterbacks that can do that.  You will never find 16 quarterbacks that can do that.  As a matter of fact, you will be hard pressed to find 8 in the same season.

Another thing that those previous Washington Redskins teams had were good to great skill position players.  Those teams had one, two and sometimes three players teams had to fear.  This current Redskins team do not have one.  Santana Moss is a very good receiver.  But, Moss is either needs a lot of help or he is now a number two guy or a slot receiver.

The Washington Redskins need a lot if they are going to get back to winning in the next few years.  But you cannot get what is not there. 

The Redskins are going to likely finish the season with 4 or 5 wins.  What that means is that the Redskins are going to have a top eight pick.  There is not one quarterback in the draft that is worth a top eight pick.  Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy, nor Sam Bradford are top eight quarterbacks.  In my opinion they are late first round to fourth round at best.  Physically the best quarterback in the draft is Dan LeFevour.  At best he is a late second or early third round pick. 

What the Redskins need more than a quarterback is an offensive lineman.  The only problem is there are only two first round offensive linemen projected in the draft.  Now of course this could change, but at the moment there are only two.  Those two are Russell Okung of Oklahoma State and Trent Williams of Oklahoma.  Okung will be gone before the Redskins pick and Trent Williams is not rated that high.  Now there are 4-5 offensive tackles rated for the second round.

I said earlier that the Redskins have had good skill position guys and they needed a guy that other teams will fear. 

That leads me to this.  The Redskins need to unload as many overpaid underachieving veterans that they can.  They need to get as many third to fifth round picks that they can get.  If they can trade up or down in the first round to secure more picks then that would be great too. 

Whether they can or not the Washington Redskins should make C J Spiller of Clemson their first pick. 

Spiller is the type of player that the Redskins lack and sorely need.  Is he your every down back?  No, I do not think so. But what he is is a game changer.  He can return punts, kickoffs, a good receiver, third down back, and I beleive he is stronger, faster and tougher than Reggie Bush.  He is Brian Mitchell with turbo booster's. 

From there the Redskins can start drafting the offensive linemen that they need.  Most of the linemen are slated for the second round  or later.  If the Redskins feel that they need a quarterback and LeFevour is available, you draft him.

The following year regardless of where you end up in the standings, you draft more linemen.  Offensive and defensive.  I am not saying you draft all linemen.  But you keep drafting linemen. 

At least in theory you build a offensive line that can protect the quarterback and one that can open holes for a C J Spiller and eventually another good back for 5 years or more.  If the Redskins do not mess it up. 

Until that time I guess all the Redskins can do is keep fighting.  But if they do not make the right right moves, keep fighting turns into keep hoping and wishing and praying.