An in-depth conversation with Die Hard Redskins Fan blogger, Warmontco:
Vedder: Thank you for joining us today Warmontco. This is a very important game this week between the Deadskins, I mean The Washington Redskins, and The Philadelphia Eagles. With the NFC East being the best and toughest division in the NFL, as well as the most competitive, would you say that this is a must game for both teams?
Warmontco: No, I don’t believe this is a must game for either team beyond the idea that each must defeat their rival. NFC East games are a cut above anything else you can identify in the NFL. It doesn’t matter if one team is perfect with zero wins, and the other perfect with zero losses. On game day, nothing else matters in an NFC match-up beyond the fact that the mindset is to win! There is no trophy, or big, blanking ring for being first in the division.
I recall as a kid we used to play a game called “King of the Hill.” It’s a popular game that I’m sure many can identify with. Playing in the NFC East is more like that game, year in and year out, than any other division in the NFL.
Vedder: The Giants the only remaining undefeated team in the NFC East. To date, their fans (especially a co-blogger of ours on www.diehardsportsfan.net) seem to have delusions of grandeur. They did beat the Redskins and the Redskins beat The Dallas Cowboys in Dallas. Do you think The Giants are currently the best team in the NFC East? After all, I think I could have beaten the Rams and Bengals. How pathetic that the Bengals took them to OT in the Meadowlands!
Warmontco: Get real!! The Giants!? Ha! Not on your life. That said, I’m not comfortable stating who is the best team. I made this point in an earlier post leading up to the Cowboys game. Just because the Giants beat the Redskins (mostly because the Redskins weren’t ready in the first half of the game), and the Redskins beat the Cowboys, does NOT mean that the Giants can beat the Cowboys, or the Eagles. I believe this is a key fact that most people that don’t follow the NFC East never fully appreciate. All games, regardless of the perceived stature of the other team and the predictions of what they will achieve for the season, begin from base zero.
Most pundits who will try to offer their analysis would not put the Giants at the top of the hill right now, anyway. Why? Well, it’s simple. Who have they played. They beat a Washington team that wasn’t quite ready to begin the season and a mere shadow of itself today, the St. Louis Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Giants need to beat a team that is clicking on all cylinders before they can honestly be given king of the hill. But again, I remain reserved in that assessment because as I mentioned earlier, it doesn’t matter who is king of the hill today, tomorrow, next week, or at the end of the regular season. If the Giants taught us anything last year, it was that the only game that matters is the next one, until it’s the last one.
Now, that said, let me also say that I do believe the Redskins are playing very strong right now. For that, I also believe that the Redskins will give any NFC East team a very strong challenge. The Redskins defense did to the Dallas Cowboys what the Philadelphia Eagles defense couldn’t do. Still, in truth, we were more successful because were able to watch the tape of the Eagles/Cowboys game.
Vedder: The Redskins have been questioned around the league as being run by an owner who needs to stick his nose out of things. Do you think owner Daniel Snyder has learned how to own the team without treating it as his own personal fantasy football team?
Warmontco: Dan Snyder, in my humble opinion, has matured. He is acting, and operating the team, with prudence and forethought. It is well known, and he has even spoken of his early exuberance. But, for anyone to criticize him for that is shallow, at best. This is a man that has created success. Through that success, he was able to buy his most favorite childhood professional sports franchise. Now, in any other metropolitan outside of the D.C. metro area, that might not seem like very much. But, to Mr. Snyder, and to me, and to so many others that are a part of Redskins nation, you’d have to admit: what a rush that must have been to buy the team you love so much. So, naturally, he was exuberant and wanted to win…badly. I believe that has not changed. But, unlike his early years, I believe he now manages the team with the wisdom that can only come from experience. It’s the difference between knowledge and ‘know-how.’ Mr. Snyder now knows how to run the Redskins.
Vedder: A few years ago, the Redskins dealt Pro Bowler CB Champ Bailey and a 2nd round pick to the Denver Broncos for RB Clinton Portis. At the time, Washington was criticized for giving up too much for Portis. Now that a few years have gone by, as a Skins fan, how do you now evaluate this trade?
Warmontco: I’m a huge Clinton Portis fan. I’m glad he is on the Redskins team. I’m glad that we are going to keep him a Redskin for the foreseeable future. I do not believe that there is no clear difference and/or drop off between having Portis in the backfield as compared to our other running backs. In my mind, there is a huge drop off. But, while I acknowledge and accept the value that CP has on the team, I would rather we not made that trade, except for one key factor. To me, it is more valuable to have a lock down cornerback than it is to have a top flight running back. Defense is what wins championships. That said, Champ Bailey wanted out. He wasn’t happy. So, because of that, we should have traded him. I don’t believe on making players stay where they don’t want to be. I think we paid too much for Clinton, but I’m most happy that we got him.
Vedder: Over the last few weeks, we have seen the first stages of the evolution of QB Jason Campbell take place. Critics jumped on him early saying his delivery was too slow for the West Coast Offense or he wasn’t the right QB period. What are those critics saying now?
Warmontco: There has been a thundering silence from Jason Campbell’s critics. Very early on, I wrote about us needing to be patient. I believe most of the noise was created by those who are just interested in having Colt Brennan play. They’re not mature fans, in my opinion. While it was fun to watch Brennan in the preseason playing against guys that aren’t even in the league today, it’s something altogether different to expect him to play, and play effectively right now. Even Coach Zorn has said as much. In fact, I agree with Matt Terl of The Official Redskins Blog in how he put it towards the end of the preseason. He said that he liked watching Colt play, but he didn’t want him taking another snap until the start of next preseason…in 2009!
As for the ‘professional’ critics, well that’s their job. They get paid to create and/or feed controversy. So, they appear to have moved on to find controversy elsewhere, i.e. T.O.’s latest issue in Dallas.
Vedder: During the off-season, one of the Redskins weaknesses appeared to be their WR core. They addressed that need by using the draft in selecting WR Devin Thomas and WR Malcolm Kelly. However, after 4 weeks, neither has barely seen the field. Are you as a fan disappointed with their involvement and contributions to this point?
Warmontco: Well, once again, it’s a question of how much value a rookie can actually have at a skill position. It is truly rare, in my opinion, where a rookie can step in and add value right away. On those occasions, the team has found someone special. In our case, I can’t really speak to either one of the three receivers we drafted; Thomas, Kelly; and Davis. Davis has it tough because he plays behind a highly underrated TE in Chris Cooley. Thomas and Kelly had an opportunity to play more by pushing Randle-El and James Thrash to reserve roles. I still believe that may happen by the end of the year for Thomas, as long as he stays healthy. As for Kelly, well you can’t make the highlights if you’re sitting in the tub. No player has control over injuries. But, to a degree, I believe that Kelly in particular may have enjoyed a better transition to the NFL if he had a stronger off-season training program. That said; they kept him off of IR because they thought he might contribute this year. And, he just may…later. But even if he doesn’t, no worries…they’ll get him in shape for next season.
Vedder: What player on the roster excites you most so far this season? You have been pretty clear on your past Die Hard Redskin posts that you are enjoying the play so far of Safety Chris Horton.
Warmontco: “The Predator” is fierce. I love watching him play. Aside from him, I have to be honest and say that I am most thrilled watching Jason Campbell come into his own. I only hope that he continues in his progression and takes a place among the leagues elite QB’s.
Vedder: Regarding DE Jason Taylor, does he have anything left in the tank and are you concerned the Skins gave up too much to acquire him?
Warmontco: Contrary to what many believe, there is a HUGE difference in how to play LEFT defensive end, as opposed to RIGHT defensive end. Taylor created his legend playing Right DE. He played it for a number of years. In doing so, he got comfortable…more than comfortable. It’s a completely opposite technique that must be employed on the Left side. It sounds easy, i.e. just put your opposite hand down, and move your opposite foot forward in your stance. But, that couldn’t be further from the truth. So, I don’t believe he will be as dominant playing on the Left side as he could be playing on the Right side. That said, I still think he will be better than many Right side DE’s in the league. He still has ‘gas in the tank.’ Although he hasn’t registered many sacks yet, he is still impacting the game with his smart, head’s up play. We had a need. He was available. It was a good trade.
Vedder: If you could change one thing now to improve the Redskins even further, what would that be?
Warmontco: I had to think about this for a minute. In my mind, we need the biggest improvement in our Punt Return game. Randle-El has been effective in the past, but I believe that either he needs to do it exclusively without playing receiver, or the coaches need to allow someone else to do it. I don’t think any team is afraid of punting to us because Randle-El is not the threat that he may once have been.
Vedder: I think the Redskins shocked the NFL last week with their performance and victory against the Dallas Cowboys. When the 2008 Redskins season is over, do you think you and other Skins fans will look back and say that this was the game that set the tone for the rest of the year? Are you worried now that the Redskins won this game, they will be content with their achievement and ‘fall asleep at the wheel’ for less provocative match-ups?
Warmontco: No such thing in the NFC East, with one exception. Last year, the New York Giants benefited from a goal line stand against the Redskins. That one game instilled a sense of renewed determination and the proper mindset which allowed them to win it all. That exception aside, and generally speaking, I don’t believe any one game between NFC rivals amounts to season changing trends. However, if T.O. implodes in Dallas, as recent comments and indicators suggest, then we may all sit back and look at last weeks game as the one that took the heart out of the Cowboys.
Vedder: What match-ups this week favor each team? What concerns do you have as a Redskins fan playing against Philly?
Warmontco: There is no other team in the NFC East that concerns me more than the BEagles. The match-ups are across the board. Our offense against the BEagle defense, and vice versa. I believe this will be a very defensive ‘flavored’ match-up. That said; it will be fun for me to watch the match-up on the outside between DeSean Jackson and our secondary, in particular LaRon Landry who will cover against the deep pass. Landry is only a step or two slower than Jackson. But, he can bring the pain and make any receiver second guess how much to extend for the ball.
Vedder: What is your prediction for this week’s heated match-up between my beloved Philadelphia Eagles and your stinky, smelly Redskins?
Warmontco: I’m an optimist. And when it comes to the Redskins, I’m a biased optimist. Redskins win 13-7.
Vedder: Thanks for joining us today Warmontco. I have one final thing to say to you as we look forward to Sunday’s game: “”E-A-G-L-E-S!! EAGLES!!”
We launched Die Hard Sports Fan on 8/05/2007 so today is our one-year anniversary. We would like to wish our selves a Happy Birthday. In some ways it seems like it was a long year, but in other ways it seems like it flew by. I would like to thank all of our Bloggers who have continued to write about their favorite teams during the past year. We would not have a following at all without their hard work. We began using a stat tracker on 1/28/2008, and we have had 34,635 visitors come through since then. The numbers are not mind boggling, but we greatly appreciate every visitor that has checked out Die Hard Sports Fan during the past year. We hope to crush those numbers in year two. Again, a big thanks.
